Port Tampa Bay ready for cruises to sail in October
TAMPA, Fla. - Port Tampa Bay is preparing for cruises to set sail this October, just as a judge said cruise lines are allowed to require proof passengers have been vaccinated.
Sunday brought a big victory for Norwegian when its "Gem" set sail from Miami for the first time since the pandemic started.
"[We had] zero revenue for 18 months, can you believe that?" Norwegian CEO Frank Del Rio asked during a Yahoo News interview Monday. "Companies just don't survive that long a period of time."
He said the final battle over vaccines on his ships is still on.
Florida appealed a judge's ruling that said Florida's ban on businesses requiring customers to be vaccinated jeopardizes public health.
"It is beyond bizarre, it is shameful. Here is a state that relies on tourism, it's his number one industry, and the number one priority of any hospitality business is to keep their customers safe. They want to fight us again. I mean, come on, give it up," Del Rio said.
Governor Ron DeSantis has said requiring proof of health status sets the stage for discrimination.
"We have laws that protect the people and the privacy of our citizens and we’re going to enforce it," Gov. Ron Desantis (R-Florida) said in early August.
Port Tampa Bay is empty of cruisers now but is preparing for Royal Caribbean to start sailing in October and other lines during fall and winter.
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During a meeting this week, Port Tampa Bay said it expected 187 cruise ships, carrying 400,000 passengers. That is just over a third of 2019's record 1.15 million, showing the major losses suffered by the industry.
Norwegian's CEO wants to be clear, though, that blame for the length of the pandemic, and thus, its impact on businesses belongs to politicians of all stripes.
"Can you imagine if 700,000 people in this country died of anything other than COVID? The outrage there would be, what government would do to stop that. And this government, whether we are talking local, state, federal, and I am not talking Republicans, I am not talking Democrats, I'm talking government. Our leadership has failed us," Del Rio said.
But next year figures to be a lot better for Norwegian. The CEO said that the company is well ahead of its booking curves, even for record years. They hope to have all ships operating by April.