Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Cruise line CEOs met with White House Covid team, pressed for U.S. sailings to resume, sources say

Cruise line CEOs met with White House Covid team, pressed for U.S. sailings to resume, sources say

The cruise CEOs made their case in this week's meeting to replace the government's phased-in approach to sailings from U.S. ports, sources told CNBC.
In a meeting with the White House’s Covid response team and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CEOs of Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean made their case to replace the government’s phased-in approach to sailings from U.S. ports and to create a clear roadmap that allows sailings to resume this summer, sources in the room told CNBC.

Earlier this month, the CDC updated its Framework for Conditional Sailing Order. However, the agency has yet to specify a date for operators to resume sailing from American ports.

CEOs in Monday’s virtual meeting made the case to U.S. health officials that by requiring vaccinations and negative Covid tests for everybody on board, passengers could sail safely, the sources said. One attendee, who didn’t want to be identified, described the meeting as “encouraging.”

A spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association trade group told CNBC: “For the first time, industry leaders were able to highlight the unique ability of the cruise community to implement and closely manage health protocols that include rigorous screening, testing, prevention, detection, surveillance, and response procedures in a highly controlled environment across the entire cruise experience.”

The timing of this week’s meeting comes as communications between the cruise lines and U.S. health officials have been strained, and politicians on both sides also applied pressure.

On Thursday afternoon, Norwegian Cruise Line reiterated its request to the CDC to allow the company to restart cruising from U.S. ports on July 4. “I continue to await further discussion with the CDC and I am respectfully requesting a prompt response to my written proposal to recommence cruising in July, allowing us to join America’s national reopening,” CEO Frank Del Rio said in the statement.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said in a statement Thursday that they sent a letter to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, urging her to keep in place the sailing order.

On Tuesday, Florida GOP Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, as well as Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, announced a bill aimed at overriding the CDC’s current framework for getting cruise lines back to sea. The economies in Florida and Alaska are feeling the impact after more than a year without cruises. Cruising was discussed later Tuesday at the first hearing of a new Senate subcommittee on travel and tourism.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week announced the state will file a lawsuit against the CDC, demanding cruise ships be allowed to resume sailing immediately.

One former travel executive told CNBC the cruise lines are not being prioritized following what happened in March 2020, when multiple cruise ships were left stranded at sea while ports did not let them in.

CNBC reached out to the CDC and White House for comment and has not received a response.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×