Local cruise leaders work to get ships sailing by summer

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — Cruise industry leaders are still working to get ships sailing with passengers again by this summer.

Royal Caribbean got approved for a trial cruise in Miami, and Canaveral Port Authority CEO Capt. John Murray said other companies are working on agreements to do something similar.

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Murray said three out of the four major cruise lines have port agreements and have sent paperwork to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get approval for a local trial cruise.

“We’re expecting to get some good news throughout the week,” Murry said.

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While awaiting the CDC, the cruises are preparing by vaccinating American cruise line workers and working on ways to get vaccines to workers who live abroad and may not have access.

Murray told Channel 9 the simulated sailings will involve a lot of testing and CDC oversight.

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