The state of Florida is a major hub for the cruise ship industry with three of the busiest ports in the world in the state: Port Canaveral, Port Everglades and Miami. With the shut down of the cruise industry in the United States, Florida is losing billions of dollars as potential customers fly to the Bahamas to board ships instead of using the Floridian ports.

Now Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis is threatening to sue the federal government if they do not allow cruises to return.

According to ABC News, DeSantis along with Ashley Moody, Florida Attorney General and leaders from Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines. appeared at Port Canaveral to explore “the state’s legal options if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not allow U.S.-based cruising to resume by summer.”

DeSantis is arguing that the ban is hurting Florida, while other areas in the world are resuming cruises. It was also pointed out that with safety protocols, advanced testing and vaccinations underway, other things like air travel and train travel, have been allowed to continue. In countries where cruises have resumed there has not been any reports of new outbreaks that were connected to cruise ships.

The CDC has not yet issued a response to DeSantis.

Not everyone is in agreement

ABC News had talked to University of Florida epidemiologist, Cindy Prins, who feels that it’s not only too soon for cruises to resume, correlating air travel or train travel to cruise travel is not a valid comparison.

“Unlike other modes of transportation, families and groups on cruises mingle and dine together for long periods, increasing the likelihood of spread, she said, and testing and symptom screening are not perfect methods of prevention.

She said cruise lines would need to limit passengers and crew to those who can prove they are fully vaccinated to avoid spreading the virus. No industry leader suggested Friday that would be a requirement if they resume U.S. operations, and DeSantis expressed opposition to requiring vaccination for participation in the economy.”

It is understandable why the state of Florida and the United States cruise line industry would be wanting to reopen after being down for year. Several of the cruise lines in attendance with DeSantis are operating in other areas of the world.  Disney Cruise Line just announced exclusive summer cruises for UK residents, as cruising has resumed in that area.

I’m sure its frustrating to potential guests as well. With over a year of cancelled cruises and Cruise Line Credit, Disney Cruise Line will probably have a couple of years worth of cruises that are already paid for, limiting their revenue moving forward.

Of course there’s the matter of jobs too.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association estimates, there are likely about 150,000 jobs in Florida based around the cruise industry. Since the pandemic those jobs and estimated $8 billion in wages have been wiped out.

With cruises resumed in the “Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean, Australia and Asia” many are urging new guidelines and updates to get the industry moving here in the United States again.  Including Thomas Mazloum, President of Disney Cruise Lines, who offered this statement:

“Let’s get people back to the work. The health situation has changed. Cruise lines are cruising very successfully outside the United States, proving that with the right protocols cruising is a very safe and beautiful experience.”

Hopefully it doesn’t come down to a lawsuit, but it seems that Governor DeSantis and the major cruise line industry players are ready to bring one if they need to.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!

Source: ABC News