The cruise industry cleared a big post-pandemic hurdle on Saturday, when Royal Caribbean's Celebrity Edge became the first ship to leave a U.S. port with paying customers since COVID-19 brought the industry to a halt more than a year ago.
The ship, which has a normal capacity around 2,900, left Florida's Port Everglades about 40% full. The cruise line said 99% of the passengers are vaccinated, and each filled out a health survey before boarding.
With Carnival set to resume sailings out of Galveston on Friday, the industry is watching the Celebrity Edge's seven-day voyage closely. Bloomberg Miami Bureau Chief Jonathan Levin is aboard the Edge. He said most passengers were not apprehensive about getting back on a cruise ship, and that some were planning to immediately embark on another cruise as soon as the Edge returns to port this weekend.
KRLD's Chris Sommer caught up with Levin as he sailed the open waters.
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