In CDC's recent letter to the cruise lines, they outlined necessary procedures to resume sailing from U.S. ports of call. One of the options has cruise lines and passengers scrambling, if they want to move up the timeline for the resumption of operations.
One of the conditions is for the cruise ship to sail with 98% of the crew vaccinated and 95% of the passengers also vaccinated. What that would mean is all adults 18+ would be vaccinated and the 5% would consist of children who have yet to be allowed access to vaccines in most states.
Without meeting these conditions, the cruise line would need to perform test cruises and petition the CDC to grant them permission to sail after successfully completing those cruises. The CDC would have 5 days to respond (down from 30 to 60 in original plans).
Vaccinating Crew
As you can imagine that it is no small task, to get tens of thousands of crew, who live all over the world, vaccinated to meet this requirement.
Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley said "It is going to be extremely important that our crew are vaccinated," in an April 30 Facebook post.
He went on to say "We are working to help make this possible and have been assured vaccine availability will significantly improve in the coming weeks and months globally," Bayley wrote. "I encourage all crew to get vaccinated at home if possible and to be guided by their national health authority."
Ports HelpingPortMiami is among U.S. ports that have stepped up to help provide vaccinations to crew coming from ships docked in their port. Navigator Captain Angel Oviol (pictured above) was among crew vaccinated this week in the PortMiami.
Port Canaveral is another Florida port that is making arrangements, via cooperation among a local healthcare center, the fire department and cruise ship medical personnel, to provide up to 1,000 vaccines a day to crew members and shoreside and waterside support workers.
Florida Governor Sending Mixed Signals
Governor Ron DeSantis appears to want cruising to resume out of Florida ports of call. He sued the CDC and the Biden administration to get cruising started immediately. The suit asks the court to “set aside the CDC’s unlawful actions and hold that cruises should be allowed to operate with reasonable safety protocols.”
“We don’t believe the federal government has the right to mothball a major industry for over a year based on very little evidence and very little data,” DeSantis said in a news conference at Miami’s seaport. He went on to say, “I think we have a good chance for success.”
One of the safety protocols, at least for initial sailings, is to have fully vaccinated crew and passengers. Governor Ron DeSantis Signed Landmark Legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 2006, to ban vaccine passports and stem government overreach. The legislation codifies the prohibition of COVID-19 vaccine passports. Governor DeSantis enacted this prohibition through an executive order last month, blocking any business or government entity from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
On one hand he wants to get cruising started immediately, but it appears this legislation would block the cruise line for requiring proof of vaccination. Without that proof they will be unable to satisfy the CDC requirement for speeding up the resumption of sailing.
There is more positive news regarding vaccines coming out of Florida legislations:
A Florida Public Health Advisory approved by Governor Ron DeSantis and the state's surgeon general and issued on April 29 that expands vaccine eligibility to include "individuals who are in the state for purpose of providing goods or services for the benefit of residents and visitors of the state of Florida."
PortMiami and Port Canaveral were therefore able to provide the vaccinations to the crew under this health advisory, which the governor approved.
All eyes are on the Florida State Capital to see how these actions play out and help or hinder the resumption of cruising out of Florida. The lines have stated that they will move more ships if this isn't sorted out soon. Florida stands to lose more jobs and millions of dollars in revenue if the cruising pause continues. Hopefully this won't require the courts to get further involved; doing so would only further delay things.
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