Carnival Cruise Line cancels all sailings through January

Carnival Cruise Lines announced on Wednesday that it has canceled all U.S. sailings through January 2021 and will focus on sailings out of Port Canaveral and Miami when cruises return.

The cruise line said it is continuing to build and implement a plan to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s requirements for a return to sailing.Advertisement

The CDC’s “no-sail” order was replaced by a “conditional sailing order” that allows a phased-in return to cruising.

According to the Carnival website, additional cancellations include embarkations on Carnival Legend out of Tampa through March 26.

News that the CDC order would expire was met with joy in Central Florida, where Port Canaveral and surrounding businesses have been devastated since the cruise industry was shuttered in mid-March. The cruise industry is responsible for over 150,000 jobs in Florida and over $8.5 billion in spending.

The “conditional sail order” states that before a return to cruises with passengers, cruise lines will be required to run simulated voyages and undergo CDC inspections of safety measures being taken to mitigate risks.

Passengers and crew must also be tested on the day of the voyage, and at the conclusion of the cruise. Voyages would not be allowed to exceed seven days.