MIAMI (WSVN) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has allowed Royal Caribbean Cruise Line to begin conducting test cruises with volunteer passengers on board its ships.
Royal Caribbean said they will be allowed to test out COVID-19 protocols from PortMiami on board the Freedom of the Seas starting in June.
The CDC approval is a step forward for the cruise industry, which has not been allowed to operate out of U.S. ports since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Royal Caribbean is the first cruise line to have their plans to sail approved by the CDC.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson released a statement following the CDC’s approval that reads:
“After 15 months of hard work and collaboration, today’s approval of our simulated cruises onboard Freedom of the Seas in June is the latest promising step in our path to return to sailing in the U.S. We look forward to welcoming our crew, loyal guests and supporters from around the world this summer.”
Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.