Just over a year ago the CDC issued a "no–sail" order that effectively shut down the US cruise line industry.
Sure it was a real blow to the Phillipines—which supplies many crew members for cruise ships—but it also devastated United States–based businesses.
Cruise Critic has been on top of the situation, naturally, and it now brings us news of just how much damage the Faucists have done to this sector of the economy.
The ban has been an economic famine for Alaskan towns and tourism–oriented businesses that cater to the $2.8 billion cruise industry there. That money vanished in 2020 and may not reappear in 2021.
In Florida, Port Everglades and Port Canaveral, which cater to the cruise industry, are two of the most bustling ports in the world. Millions of passengers pass through the metal detectors there every year on the way to the floating buffets.
They spend money in hotels, restaurants, transportation and shops to mention but a few. Total spending dwarfs the $2.8 billion spent in Alaska. That money is gone, too. Followed by the jobs.
Since the "no–sail" order was passed, many states have opened up. A vaccine has been developed. Progress toward herd immunity continues rapidly. Yet the ships are still becalmed by the CDC.
"The lack of any action by the CDC has effectively banned all sailings in the largest cruise market in the world. Cruising is the only sector of the U.S. economy that remains prohibited, even as most others have opened or continued to operate throughout the pandemic," said Kelly Craighead, President of the Cruise Lines International Assn.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky was asked about the situation in a Senate hearing. She had the gall to claim her agency wasn’t the holdup and the Department of Transportation was part of the process.
As Cruise Critic put it, "That was news to the cruise lines, who have been waiting for direction from the agency, under its Conditional Framework for Sailing order for the past six months."
The enterprising reporter was skeptical and contacted the DOT and got this response, "The Department of Transportation does not regulate the cruise industry. Consumer complaints can be reported to the Federal Maritime Commission. Questions about vessel safety should be addressed to the U.S. Coast Guard, and crimes on cruise vessels in international waters are investigated by the FBI."
Walensky is either lying or too incompetent to be in charge of the agency.
Her false answer is perfectly in keeping with the casual indifference to the real–world impact of their royal decrees that we’ve come to expect from the Faucists.
Maybe if they missed a few paychecks it would focus their thinking.
Cruise lines aren’t waiting for a slothful, indifferent government to act. Ships are, after all, mobile. The cruise lines are taking their business and their customer’s spending to ports that are more welcoming.
"In recent weeks, Crystal Cruises, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean have all announced voyages from new homeports in the Americas, with Bahamas, Bermuda and St. Maarten becoming turnaround ports rather than merely ports of call.
Europe is also proving to be friendlier to cruise ships than the United States, despite a less successful vaccine rollout. Celebrity is debuting its newest ship, Celebrity Apex, in Greece, in July. Royal Caribbean is homeporting a ship in Cyprus for the first time."
This intelligent response to a lethargic CDC deprives Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, Galveston and New Orleans of revenue that would have been theirs in the past.
Job losses, business failures, industry pressure and Senate hearings haven’t made a dent in the CDC’s Wall of Indifference, but maybe Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis can.
He is threatening to sue the CDC if the "no–sail" order isn’t lifted and cruises don’t resume by this summer.
All we can say is Godspeed, Ron DeSantis.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker's bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with addedhumor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.