The Travel Industry Pressures the Biden Administration to Resume Cruising

By: Alana DeRose

ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby (pic: Luxury Travel Advisor)

The American Society of Travel Advisors or ASTA, is calling for the Biden Administration to allow the cruise industry to get up and running again by July 1, 2021.

The travel industry continues to demand a reopening timeline release from the White House and the CDC, considering the effects on businesses and the numerous established safety protocols.

“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two busiest cruise ports in the world were both located in the United States, namely, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale,” ASTA president and CEO Zane Kerby stated.

According to porteverglades.net the Ft. Lauderdale port bring in more than $32 billion worth of business activity annually, and according to ship-technology.com, Port Miami contributes nearly $17 billion to the economy of South Florida annually.

"Massive investments from cruise lines in new features, on-board entertainment and many other services had made cruise ships a destination in and of themselves, resulting in record numbers of passengers in the years leading up to 2020."

Port Miami is also home to the biggest ships in the world, as they hold Royal Caribbean's Oasis class ships. While Port Everglades is the gateway for both international trade and cruise vacations.

"Already the world’s busiest, these ports have also undergone massive renovations and expansion in recent years, supporting the growth of hundreds of thousands of jobs in South Florida and across the nation. In 2019 travel agencies processed $12.3 billion in cruise sales and directly support 86,360 cruise line jobs in the U.S."

Kerby continues his argument by noting there's no reason to hold up the restart for cruise travel in the U.S..

"With the observance of proper masking and social distancing protocols, nearly every other form of human activity has been cleared for resumption, including dining in restaurants, attending movies and sporting events, overnight hotel stays and traveling by air. Inexplicably, however, in the current phase of its 'Framework for Conditional Sailing Order,' the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to suspend all cruise ship operations in U.S. waters,", Kerby stated.

Also, at least two cruise lines have already moved their ships elsewhere in order to resume sailing.

"Clearly, when legislative, regulatory, and diplomatic 'fixes' all fail, businesses are forced to make an alternative arrangements", Kerby said in response to the cruise lines' actions.

He's also stated that the restrictions are "particularly unwarranted" as vaccinations are rising, and those that have been vaccinated don't appear to spread the virus.

ASTA has found through research that many Americans are getting vaccinated in order to be able to travel and that 87 percent of them are planning a trip. They've also found that many are still nervous about returning to cruise travel, but 70 percent have indicated that they are ready to cruise.

"We fully expect Americans ready to cruise will now begin their journeys by flying to the Caribbean instead of directly to Miami or Fort Lauderdale,” Kerby stated. “In recognition of the fact that vaccination rates are rising while both infection and mortality rates are declining, these forward-thinking Caribbean islands are now home port for some of the world’s largest cruise ships. In contrast, the CDC’s continued inaction in removing cruise restrictions imperil livelihoods and communities in South Florida, up to now the de facto cruise capital of the world, and far beyond. It is a shame that the CDC’s inflexibility has brought us to this point."