The Celebrity Edge cruise ship is docked at Port Everglades, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Celebrity Edge is set to sail on Saturday from Fort Lauderdale. It will be the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port with ticketed passengers since the onset of the pandemic, which halted sailing.
Orchid Klaric, left, assists Brenda and Kurt Duncan of Denver, with checking into their cruise, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Celebrity Edge is the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. The seven-night cruise will have 40 percent capacity and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.
Porter Johnny Jones Jr. tags the luggage of Celebrity Cruise passengers James and Cynthia Mitchell of Kansas, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Celebrity Edge is the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. The cruise ship has 40 percent capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.
Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, speaks before the departure of the Celebrity Edge cruise ship, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This is the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. The seven day cruise will sail at 40 percent capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.
Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, speaks before the departure of the Celebrity Edge cruise ship, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This is the first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. The seven day cruise will sail at 40 percent capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.
Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, left and Brian Abel, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations and Celebrity Cruises walk next to the Celebrity Edge, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The first cruise ship is preparing to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill. Celebrity Edge will depart with the number of passengers limited to 40 percent capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The first cruise ship to leave a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a 15-month standstill sailed away on Saturday with nearly all vaccinated passengers on board.
Celebrity Edge departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 6 p.m. with the number of passengers limited to about 40% capacity, and with nearly all 1,100 passengers vaccinated against COVID-19. Celebrity Cruises, one of Royal Caribbean Cruise’s brands, says 99% of the passengers are vaccinated, well over the 95% requirement imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A giant greeting was projected on a wall of one of the port buildings: “Someday is here. Welcome back.”
Passengers arrived with matching T-shirts that read phrases such as “straight outta vaccination” and “vaccinated and ready to cruise.”
“Words can’t describe how excited we are to be a part of this historic sailing today,” said Elizabeth Rosner, 28, who moved from Michigan to Orlando, Florida, in December 2019 with her fiancé just to be close to the cruise industry’s hub.
To comply with both the CDC’s requirement and a new Florida law banning businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination, Celebrity Cruises asked guests if they would like to share their vaccination status. Those who did not show or say they are vaccinated face additional restrictions.