So the Atlanta residents decided they'd take the first cruise to depart a U.S. "We wanted to do something special," Vicki added. Steve and Vicki Lake were among the first passengers in line to board the Celebrity Edge. "We are living our best lives post-covid today," he said. ![]() "It's a honeymoon make-up cruise," said Kurt Budde, the pair sporting matching shirts with the phrase "On Cruise Control." Kurt Budde's part-time gig as a travel agent also dried up. The coronavirus outbreak halted cruising six days before they were scheduled to tie the knot in St. The pandemic forced Kurt and Carol Budde to cancel their beach celebration wedding aboard the world's largest ship, Symphony of the Seas, in March 2020. Collectively they lost $20 billion last year and another $4.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings. On Saturday, officials at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale said that port alone lost more than $30 million in revenue in fiscal 2020 from the cruise shutdown.ĭuring that hiatus, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, the three largest cruise companies, have had to raise more than $40 billion in financing just to stay afloat. Ron DeSantis notes that the industry generates billions for the state's economy. The CDC extended no-sail orders repeatedly last year as the pandemic raged, and drew up strict requirements for the industry that have been contested in court by Florida. Some passengers died of covid-19 at sea while others fell so ill they had to be carried off the vessels on stretchers. Industry officials are hoping all goes smoothly to move past last year's chapter of deadly outbreaks on cruise ships that prompted ships to be rejected at ports and passengers to be forced into quarantine. "I've never honestly seen a group so excited to get back to work." "You can truly feel the palpable sense of excitement and energy amongst the group as we prepare for our welcoming of our first guests," McCue said. Kate McCue, the first American woman to captain a cruise ship. The seven-night cruise will sail for three days in the Western Caribbean waters before making stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico and in Nassau, Bahamas. ![]() It's a beautiful ship," said Royal Caribbean Cruises' CEO Richard Fain, after expressing condolences to the victims of the Surfside building collapse, less than 15 miles south of the port.Ĭelebrity Cruises unveiled the $1 billion boat in December 2018 - betting on luxury cruising, offering a giant spa and multifloor suites. ![]() When I stepped on board the ship, I was proud. Those who did not show or say they are vaccinated face additional restrictions. To comply with both the CDC's requirement and a Florida law banning businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination, Celebrity Cruises asked guests if they would like to reveal their status. "Words can't describe how excited we are to be a part of this historic sailing today," said Elizabeth Rosner, 28, who moved from Michigan to Orlando, Fla., in December 2019 with her fiance just to be close to the cruise industry's hub.
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