Disney Follows Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Into Open Waters
Over the past few days we've seen Carnival (NYSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK), Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL), and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE: NCLH) announce plans to start sailing again this summer. It was just a matter of time before Disney (NYSE: DIS) got in on the ocean adventure.
The media giant with a modest fleet of four ships is gearing up to initiate test sailings out of Port Canaveral in Central Florida later this month. The first journey will reportedly take volunteer passengers on a two-day trek starting June 29. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is requiring cruise ships to conduct test sailings to make sure safety protocols are working before taking on revenue-generating guests.
The other option for a clearer path to resume operations involves requiring 98% of the crew and 95% of the passengers of any sailing to be fully vaccinated. With Florida's governor prohibiting companies from asking for proof of vaccination records, cruise lines have to take the costlier and lengthier path of going through test cruises to win regulatory approval to get back to business. It's a start, even if time is running out to make the most of the peak summer travel season.
Source Fool.com
