As the cruise industry continues to sit under lockdown with no plans to lift the no-sail order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention until November, Florida is pushing for any form of federal relief.
The no-sail order has kept cruise ships docked since March of last year, leading to an estimated $3.2 billion in economic activity losses for Florida in the first six months alone, according to a press release from the Office of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“The cruise industry is essential to our state’s economy and keeping it shut down until November would be devastating to the men and women who rely on the cruise lines to provide for themselves and their families,” DeSantis said in the release. “I urge the CDC to immediately rescind this baseless no-sail order to allow Floridians in this industry to get back to work.”
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who recently joined DeSantis and Kevin J. Thibault, the Florida Department of Transportation secretary, in a roundtable discussion with cruise industry executives, said that the continued shutdown of the cruise industry is based on outdated data and criteria developed prior to having a COVID-19 vaccine, the release states. He urged the federal government to revisit and rescind the order in light of developments and progress made in the past year.
“The federal government is acting outside its authority in singling out and docking the cruise industry while other tourism-based businesses continue to operate in accordance with health guidelines,” Moody said in the release. “This heavy-handed federal overreach is harming our nation’s economy and is especially damaging to Florida’s economy and our vital tourism industry.”
DeSantis has recommended that $258.2 million from Florida’s portion of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 go to Florida’s seaports as economic relief, according to the release. Unlike airports and transit agencies, the nation’s seaports have yet to receive federal assistance.
“The Governor and the state continue to do all that we can to help these members of our communities regain their livelihoods and we hope our federal counterparts follow suit,” Thibault said in the release.
The Associated Press reported that DeSantis has even said the state would consider filing a lawsuit against the federal government to try to force the issue.
In response to a request for comment, a press secretary for Moody’s office said by email, "Our office is currently reviewing legal issues regarding this matter and cannot comment further at this time.”