Ports disabled by a pandemic with no cruises
Cruises have been canceled since last March, causing over 160,000 Americans to lose their jobs, according to a November report. Florida was particularly hard hit as the state is home to the three busiest cruise ports in the world.
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – A year ago, Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill Port Canaveral was busy with guests coming out to watch the cruise ships go by. It wouldn’t be uncommon to have two or three moored at the various terminals that are just a stones throw away.
But that’s not happening right now.
“It was a big bump in our wallets,” Michael Schwarz, who owns the restaurant, told Fox News. He stated that the cruise industry “is sorely missed. We hope it gets going soon.”
A cruise ship berthed for maintenance in Port Canaveral, Florida in late January (Robert Sherman, Fox News)
In 2019, the cruise industry contributed over $ 55 billion to the US economy Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)States like Alaska, Texas, New York and California play a big role.
But no state has a bigger hand at cruising than Florida, home to the three busiest cruise ports in the world: Port Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.
Florida is home to the three busiest cruise ports in the world: Port Miami, Port Canaveral, and Port Everglades (Chris Pontius, Fox News).
However, since March 2020, cruises have been canceled due to the pandemic. According to a November report by the CLIA, over 160,000 people had lost their jobs as a result of the break.
“The cruise industry is all about jobs, it’s about people who work in the state of Florida,” Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray told Fox News. Murray said Port Canaveral was badly hit by the loss of the cruise, forcing them to cut their budgets and delay capital projects on short notice.
Fortunately, freight transportation helped keep them afloat. But to get back on track, they need cruise ships to get back on track.
However, this can take a while. Companies like Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Disney have canceled US trips through April 2021. Other liners such as Cunard and Princess have suspended cruises in and through May.
A number of companies have already canceled cruises in the spring.
Murray said his team’s “forecast” is that the cruise will return in the summer, but that is far from certain.
“I don’t think anything is definitive right now,” said Murray. “The only thing we can do now is do our own items to control this pandemic.”
But while airports have Billions of dollars received In the pandemic, seaports did not have. Murray hopes that will change soon.
“There are many jobs that depend on the cruise business in the States,” said Murray. “Unfortunately, not every state has a port for ports. Every state has airports, so that high visibility in the national spotlight is achieved. Seaports do not necessarily receive this coverage because not every state has one.”
DISNEY CRUISE LINE WILL NOT START SAILING IN FEBRUARY
Even so, Murray is optimistic that the industry will slowly return this year and things will return to normal. When that begins, he will stress to the public that they are taking additional COVID-safe steps to ensure everyone is protected.
Schwarz hopes to see these great ships on the horizon of Port Canaveral sooner rather than later, as he believes they will revive a community that has sorely missed them.
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“I just pray we get there safely,” said Schwarz. “It’s going to be exciting, it’s going to come alive. I think it’ll give everyone a shot in the arm that things will be a little bit back to normal when they are sailing.”
