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CDC extends cruise ship no-sail order through October

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — There’s been no passenger traffic at Port Canaveral since mid-March, and now, the Centers for Disease Control has extended its no-sail order again.

The agency cited the continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, the risk of resurgence in countries that have suppressed transmission, ongoing concerns related to restarting of cruising internationally, and the need for additional time to assess industry measures to control potential coronavirus transmission on board cruise ships.

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After the CDC announced its decision, Carnival Cruise Lines announced plans to cancel all of its November and December cruises departing from the United States, with the exception of Port Canaveral and the Port of Miami.

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The suspension of cruise travel has had a tremendous financial impact on the port, which generates 75 percent of its revenue from cruise traffic, not to mention the other businesses that benefit from passengers.

The port is projecting $36 million in losses this fiscal year, assuming cruises are able to resume by January.