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Judge sides with Florida in cruise lawsuit, says CDC overstepped authority
June 18, 2021


https://abcnews.go.com/Business/judge-sides-florida-cruise-lawsuit-cdc-overstepped-authority/story?id=78366576

A federal judge ruled in favor of Florida in a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, saying the agency overstepped its authority.

Judge Steven Merryday said the CDC is "preliminarily enjoined" from enforcing its conditional sail order -- a set of guidelines for cruise companies wishing to resume sailing in the U.S., including test cruises and vaccine requirements -- beginning July 18.

"This order finds that Florida is highly likely to prevail on the merits of the claim that CDC's conditional sailing order and the implementing orders exceed the authority delegated to CDC," the ruling said.

Merryday said the CDC has until July 2 to propose new guidelines for cruises "both permitting cruise ships to sail timely and remaining within CDC's authority."


A docked Carnival Liberty cruise ship is seen at the Port of Miami in Miami Beach, Fla.

"Florida establishes a strong likelihood that many or almost all cruise ships will remain unable to sail for the entire summer season. And each day the cruise industry faces uncertainty about when cruises can resume, Florida not only suffers a concrete economic injury resulting from reduced revenue and increased unemployment spending, but Florida faces an increasingly threatening and imminent prospect that the cruise industry will depart the state," the ruling said.

The lawsuit began when Gov. Ron DeSantis sued the agency in April in an attempt to resume cruising, a big business in Florida, where many cruise lines are based.

"The CDC has been wrong all along, and they knew it," DeSantis said in a statement. "Today, we are securing this victory for Florida families, for the cruise industry, and for every state that wants to preserve its rights in the face of unprecedented federal overreach."

Cruising with more than 250 people has been prohibited in U.S. waters since March 2020.

The first cruise ship set to sail from U.S. waters since then is the Celebrity Edge, which is scheduled to depart from Florida on June 26.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/judge-sides-florida-cruise-lawsuit-cdc-overstepped-authority/story?id=78366576

1st cruise ship sails from North America since 2020, with more than 95% vaccinated

video: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/travel/story/1st-cruise-ship-sails-north-america-2020-95-78068680

Celebrity Cruises crossed a major hurdle on the high seas this weekend as its Celebrity Millennium became the first ship to sail with guests from North America in more than a year.

The Millennium pulled away from St. Maarten on Saturday with 95% of its passengers and the entire crew fully vaccinated -- making it the largest COVID-19-vaccinated cruise in the world so far.

"We haven't done this in 15 months and so it's a big, big weekend for us," Celebrity CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo told ABC News.

Milenium Captain Theo Zakkas cried when passengers boarded for the first time.

"I don't even have words to express my feelings," he said. "It's something amazing and unique, it's also a very emotional moment for me."

It's a full circle moment for a billion-dollar industry that was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the outset of the crisis, cruise ships became a startling example of how fast the virus could spread.

In February 2020, the Diamond Princess in Japan reported the highest total number of cases for an 18-day period outside of the epicenter in China.


An ambulance carries a coronavirus victim from the Diamond Princess while it is docked at Daikoku Pier, as the ship remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were confirmed to have coronavirus, Feb. 6, 2020 in Yokohama, Japan.

That ship and others held thousands of vacationers onboard, confined to their staterooms to try and curb the outbreak. It didn't take long for the entire industry to be shut down.

The ship which usually holds more than 2,000 is operating at about 30% capacity.

"There will be no masks or social distancing required because our occupancy is low," Lutoff-Perlo explained. "The guests are going to have plenty of space, with plenty of dining options and activities."

For some passengers this is the first time since the pandemic started that they've been around this many people without masks.

CDC green lights Celebrity to sail from US later this month

The ship's operations are a little different than they were pre-pandemic. They've traded their usually crowded muster drill with an online version, and self-serve buffets are no longer an option.

Their infirmary is now staffed with two doctors and 11 nurses. They have added more ventilators on board and isolation rooms in the event someone tests positive for COVID-19.

"I would say at this stage, a cruise ship is the safest and healthiest way to vacation right now," Lutoff-Perlo said. "Based on what (people) know about our company, Celebrity, their cruises, all that they know is that we're going to keep them healthy, keep them safe."

Americans on board the Millennium will also have to get tested on the ship before flying back to the U.S.

Florida law against 'vaccine passports' could be a problem

The Celebrity Edge is set to depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 26 despite Gov. Ron DeSantis' signing a law prohibiting businesses from requiring customers or employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

This presents a potential problem for major cruise lines that have relied overwhelmingly on Florida ports for cruises within the U.S.

At least one other major cruise line, Norwegian, has said the new law could force the company, which plans to require all future guests to be fully vaccinated, to suspend Florida departures and move its ships.

Royal Caribbean is sailing on July 2 and the line says vaccines are only "strongly recommended."

Lutoff-Perlo is optimistic Celebrity will reach a compromise.

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/travel/story/1st-cruise-ship-sails-north-america-2020-95-78068680