MIAMI — Royal Caribbean employee volunteers are embarking on the cruise line's first test cruise out of Florida.
Both Royal Caribbean and PortMiami say the simulation cruise for Freedom of the Seas sets sail Sunday out of the Florida port.
Freedom of the Seas is scheduled to set sail July 2 from PortMiami for Royal Caribbean's first official cruise out of Florida since March 2020.
The cruise line is implementing new health and safety protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, people sailing out of Florida will not be required to prove they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
The CDC still recommends only fully vaccinated people go on cruises, but the health organization did lower its travel alert for cruises this week from a level 4 to level 3.
The federal agency also said cruise line passengers should get tested for coronavirus 1 to 3 days before their trip and 3 to 5 days after the sailing ends.
On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean announced it was postponing for nearly a month the inaugural sailing of the Odyssey of the Seas ship after several crew members tested positive for COVID-19. The cruise line's CEO explained that during routine testing eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated on June 4.
Celebrity Edge, also part of the Royal Caribbean Group, is set to become the first post-pandemic ship to sail from the U.S. with ticketed passengers on June 26.
On Friday, a court granted Florida a temporary win in its battle with the CDC over COVID-19-related cruise restrictions. And, both sides were ordered to mediation before a judge.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida's Tampa Division on Friday granted the state's motion for a preliminary injunction (taking effect in mid-July) in its lawsuit that had demanded a judge lift restrictions enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Florida had sued U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, hoping to get conditional sailing order requirements thrown out and speed up the process for getting cruise ships sailing regularly again for the first time since March 2020.
The court found Florida was "highly likely to prevail on the merits of the claim that CDC’s conditional sailing order and the implementing orders exceed the authority delegated to CDC..."
Citing Florida's probability of success in court, the "imminent threat of irreparable injury" to the state and the threat to the public interest, the court will block the CDC from stopping any cruise ship from arriving at or departing from a port in the sunshine state.
However, the injunction doesn't take effect right away. It is stayed until July 18. At that point, the conditional sailing order and related measures would be only a "non-binding" consideration or recommendation, the court said.
"Beginning July 18, the CDC’s orders will become mere 'guidance,' and cruise ships will hit the open waters once again free from the CDC," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' Office wrote in a statement. "As Florida continues to thrive while open for business, the return of the cruise industry marks an important milestone in the fight for freedom."
- Officials say Florida deadly Pride parade crash was not intentional
- Police: Man dead after car crashes into Hillsborough River
- Florida couple faces $50 a day fine for displaying small gay pride flag
- Saharan dust prompts Hillsborough County to issue air pollution precaution
- Man arrested in connection to woman's burned body found near Skyway bridge
- 'Huge' car dealer Billy Fuccillo dies in Florida at 64
- Don't do this: Illegally-parked car gets swamped
- A Frank Conversation: New podcast explores race, religion, politics and more
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
