16 MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY
Feb. 3, 2020: Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Japan, becomes the largest outbreak of COVID-19 outside of the epicenter in Wuhan, China.
March 8, 2020: The CDC and the State Department alert Americans to avoid cruise travel.
March 9, 2020: Grand Princess cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corporation, docks in California with COVID-19 outbreak on board.
March 13, 2020: Cruise companies cancel U.S. cruises for 30 days.
March 14, 2020: CDC issues no-sail order, banning cruise ships from operating new cruises with passengers in U.S. waters.
April 2, 2020: The Zaandam cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp., docked at Port Everglades with four dead passengers on board.
April 4, 2020: The Coral Princess cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp., docked at PortMiami with two dead passengers on board.
Oct. 30, 2020: CDC issues “conditional sail order,” a framework of instructions for cruise companies on how to safely operate in the pandemic.
April 8, 2021: Gov. Ron DeSantis sues the CDC, asks a federal judge to lift all of the agency’s regulations for Florida cruises.
May 3, 2021: DeSantis signs bill that makes it illegal for cruise companies to require passengers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
June 18, 2021: Federal judge in Tampa bars CDC from enforcing its COVID-19 cruise regulations in Florida on July 18, 2021.
June 26, 2021: First cruise ship restarts operations from a U.S. port: Celebrity Edge from Port Everglades.
July 13, 2021: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings sues Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, asking a federal judge to allow the company to require its passengers show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
July 17, 2021: U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit blocks lower court decision, leaving CDC cruise regulations in place.
July 23, 2021: U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit reverses its decision, barring CDC from enforcing its COVID-19 cruise regulations in Florida.