JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Ecstacy cruise ship is docked at the Port of Jacksonville amid the Coronavirus outbreak on March 27, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. JaxPort is accommodating cruise ships displaced due to the cruise industry’s voluntary suspension of operations because of the pandemic. The World Health Organization declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
MIAMI — Carnival Cruise Lines will be shipping off again in August, after suspending all operations due to the coronavirus.
The cruise liner announced it will begin to phase services back in this summer starting August 1 — with eight of their 26 ships setting sail from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston.
Back in February Carnival’s Diamond Princess cruise ship became the largest outbreak of COVID-19 outside of China, with more than 540 cases. By the end of its voyage, 712 people were infected and 14 people died.
Carnival said all North American cruises from July 27-31 have been canceled, and only the eight ships will depart. Other changes will be made at a future date.
“We are committed to supporting all public health efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation,” Carnival said in a statement released Monday. “We are taking a measured approach, focusing our return to service on a select number of homeports where we have more significant operations that are easily accessible by car for the majority of our guests.”
In the meantime, the cruise line will continue monitoring the situation and informing experts, government officials and stakeholders on updated procedures.
“We appreciate the understanding and support of our guests and travel agent partners and look forward to welcoming them on board as the environment for travel and tourism improves,” Carnival said.
A Utah couple was on that Diamond Princess Carnival cruise ship and shared his experience with KSL’s Live Mic with Lee Lonsberry.
COVID-19 coronaviruses transmitted from person to person. It is a virus that is similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization