Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was overruled when he pushed to extend a “no-sail order” on passenger cruises into next year, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the conversation today in the White House Situation Room.
During today’s meeting of the president’s coronavirus task force, Redfield argued that the government’s ban on cruise ships, should be extended until February 2021 because of the virus’ severity and the vulnerability for spread on cruises.
Currently, the CDC’s No Sail Order is set to expire tomorrow, September 30th. The Axious.com report mentions Vice President Mike Pence, told Redfield that they would be proceeding with a different plan, according to two task force members.
The White House has argued the No Sail Order is unreasonable and the Trump administration plans to extend the No Sail Order for cruise ships until October 31 which is in line with the cruise industry’s self-imposed voluntary suspension previously announced by CLIA.
While reviewing public comments submitted to the CDC, there was a significant number of responses referencing unfair treatment of the cruise industry which is categorized on this page as vendetta. Granted, this percentage plummeted in the final days when there was a dump of over 5000 new approved comments which I have been unable to review.
According to a task force member involved in the discussion, the White House hopes, the cruise industry can demonstrate it has a plan to ensure “ships can sail in a safe and responsible manner and that the companies assume the burden of dealing with any possible outbreaks.”
Last week, CLIA published core elements to a safe return to cruising with the adoption of mandatory core elements of a strong set of health protocols to be implemented as part of a phased-in, highly controlled resumption of operations.
Representatives of the cruise industry are set to meet with the Trump administration on Friday to describe their transformation and dozens of ways that they will mitigate risk and ensure public health per a White House official referenced in the report.
“And in that meeting there will be a discussion and afterwards a decision will need to be made about whether the order needs to be extended,” the White House official added. “These things can be extended for a month and then we can reassess the conditions on an ongoing basis.”
Disney Cruise Line has already cancelled sailings into December across the fleet so the potential extension through October 31st will not directly impact any sailings as they have previously been cancelled.
We will continue to monitor this story and expect news as soon as Wednesday to address the current No Sail Order expiration or at the latest Friday following the meeting with cruise industry stakeholders.
trump is dangerous. the end.
oh please….business needs to resume. The cruise industry cannot sit idle for another 3 months.
oh please? trump is only interested in helping his cronie who is chair of carnival cruise line. this has nothing to do with anyone’s best interest but his buddy’s wallet.
Its quite obvious that the cruise industry can not survive much longer without resuming operations, In addition, for those adversely affected that, rely on the cruise industry for their livelihood can not continue. For those who would like to cruise again, it sounds that CLIA has developed a safe approach to reopening the cruise industry, which is still many weeks from now. Why does political preference always find its way into any discussion of this matter?
Enough is enough. Do what you want in life. Wear a mask and you will be fine. if you don’t wear a a mask so you may die. If you are scared of going out- STARY HOME. Life cannot STOP. Bring back cruises.
This is crazy. Lol. One choice is better than the other. If you love yourselves, your family and have a reason for living, don’t do it because you are hoping for better days. Or if you don’t love yourselves, your family or don’t have nothing to live for GO, for tomorrow you might die. (Epicurean) The decision is up to you to make for you and your family. Just don’t blame anyone if things don’t turn out like you want it. (worse) Happy sailing
The problem is not the risk you take when you go cruising. The problem is who you may infect along the way.
Don’t politicize it, The fact is if you want a cruise industry, and one with competitive pricing, they must get back to work. NOW. I’ve spent my life in finance, this is economics 101. Sail at your own risk, but it should be the customers choice to do so. I’m booked for May 2021, 7 night, and we better be able to sail.
Yes, 100% agree with Alex! I can do a risk/benefit analysis for going to get groceries, going to church, and going to Dollywood with my family. Give me that same opportunity for cruising. No one is making anyone get on a cruise ship. Will I get on a cruise ship and then hang out with my 80-year-old mother? Absolutely not until I get a negative test. But it sounds like extensive testing is part of the restart plan, so bring it on!
Scott, this comment page has lost the dignity and decorum for which it is designed. The above comments are comparable to a twitter battle between Robert De Niro and Eric Trump. It needs to brought under control
Agree with you. But people love to hate Trump sadly. This extended shut down is a tragedy for the cruise industry and those it employs. CLIA takes this seriously (seemingly) and it’s reasonable for the WH administration to entertain this discussion.
The cruise industry, largely flagged in the Bahamas, does not participate in the US tax system. The majority of the employees are not able to participate in either US social security nor unemployment ( because they are mostly foreign citizens employed by foreign companies). Even the American citizen onboard employees receive NO social security earnings credit. (Land based do). The industry places huge infrastructure burdens on port cities while producing negligible economic benefit (ask Key West) and the vast majority of the jobs that support “tourism” are paid minimum wage. (A shameful percentage of Disneys Florida employees are on some form of public support Including food stamps). The White House has no business interceding to profit foreign business at the expense of US taxpayers. There really needs to be a discussion of the proper place for the cruise industry after a vaccine is developed but unless and until they are willing to be liable for spreading this disease, they shouldn’t sail.
You have a higher chance of dying in a car accident than dying from covid. If you are concerned that you might catch covid, then stay home. Your health is not my responsibility. Let the rest of us work, play and live our lives while the rest stay home. The only virus that we should be trying to rid ourselves of is fear.
So is fear.
Bring back the cruises, enough is enough. Already had 3 cancellations (2 Disney and 1 Carnival), trying to cruise for the first time on Disney and the last time I cruise was 2007