Royal Caribbean Cruise

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is leaving South Florida on Saturday for its first seven-day island-hopping voyage through the tropics.

It's the most norovirus outbreaks over the first six months of a year since 2012. The reports come from ships under Carnival and Royal Caribbean brands, according to the CDC.

The AAA study says declining COVID rates and increased eagerness about traveling have contributed to these statistics.

It's the second outbreak for the cruise line in as many weeks. Odyssey of the Sea, the newest in Royal Caribbean's fleet, will stay at sea until it returns to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday.

Just as cruising out of Florida's ports restarts, the state leads the nation in COVID-19 cases, causing concerns that ships will be docked once again.

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.

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.