JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The state of Florida filed a lawsuit against the federal government last week to resume cruise operations in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shut down cruising in March 2020 to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the no-sail order is having an impact on the state’s economy and jobs.
“It’s clearly a bold action by our governor to let the federal government know that it’s time for cruising to resume,” said The Cruise Genius, Scott Lara, when asked about the lawsuit during an appearance Sunday on “The Morning Show.”
Lara said it’s important for the cruise industry to be able to reopen in Florida.
“It’s been over a year we haven’t been able to cruise now out of Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral and it’s time the cruise industry resumes. We are talking over 100,000 jobs here in Florida and billions of dollars in tourism revenue,” Lara said. “I know people personally at JaxPort and throughout Florida who are in the travel industry. Travel agents, people who run hotels, tourism, parts that, you know, are trying to get back going again and went out of business. I mean, you know, the stimulus money only goes so far, unemployment only goes so far, and people want to get back to work.”
Lara said he believes cruising can resume safely, but he does think the COVID-19 vaccine will be a requirement.
The CDC recently updated its guidance for cruise companies to eventually return but did not lift the no-sail order.