Cruise Lines

The request comes after U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday refused to put on hold his June 18 ruling that the CDC had overstepped its legal authority in placing restrictions on the cruise industry.

It would have include 300 employees who had volunteered for the “simulation” cruise.

Celebrity Edge departed from Fort Lauderdale at 40% capacity, and with virtually all passengers vaccinated against COVID-19.

State and federal help pours in to help after part of a condominium building collapsed in South Florida, the first cruise ship with paying passengers leaves from Florida this weekend. And waiting for a Pentagon report on UFOs.

The change aligns Celebrity with Florida law, which bans businesses from asking customers for proof of vaccination.

CEO Michael Bayley wrote on social media that the ship returned Tuesday to PortMiami after testing CDC safety and health protocols put in place due to the COVID pandemic.

The Freedom of the Seas pulled away from PortMiami about 7 p.m. Sunday with a fully vaccinated crew and about 600 volunteer passengers.

Judge Stephen Merryday granted a preliminary injunction, meaning the CDC cannot enforce its orders for the resumption of cruises in Florida. However, the injunction has been stayed until July 18.

The CDC lists the COVID-19 risk for unvaccinated passengers on cruise ships at Level 3, the second highest, down from Level 4.

Odyssey of the Seas was set to sail from Fort Lauderdale on July 3 and make stops in the Caribbean. Its sailing is now postponed until July 31.

Royal Caribbean says its Celebrity Millennium, sailing out of St. Marteen, had two passengers come up positive for COVID while undergoing the required end-of-cruise testing.

The lawsuit focuses heavily on a “conditional sailing order” that the CDC initially issued in October with a phased approach to resuming cruise-ship operations.