Cruises from Port Tampa may start again in October

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The fall might be looking good for cruises.

The cruise industry has been hit hard by the pandemic and resulting lockdowns. The major cruise lines were forced to temporarily halt all trips and have only just recently started to head back out on the water.

Port Tampa officials are hoping to have cruises return this October. (iStock)

Normal cruise operations still haven’t fully returned and some ports that were once busy hubs haven’t seen any ships arrive or depart.

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Port Tampa officials are hoping to have cruises return this October, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The first cruises scheduled for the port are from Royal Caribbean. One, scheduled for Oct. 16, is headed to the Bahamas and the other, scheduled for Oct. 21, is headed to Mexico.

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Wade Elliot, vice president of business development for Port Tampa, said at a recent board meeting, "We are encouraged to see the cruise industry slowly starting back up across the county. We anticipate that we will begin to see regular sailings from Port Tampa Bay starting again in mid-October, so we’re excited about that."

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In a statement obtained by WFLA, Port Tampa Bay President and CEO Paul Anderson said, "Port Tampa Bay enthusiastically welcomes back our cruise line partners. Beginning in mid-October, Royal Caribbean International will resume sailing from our port, followed by Celebrity Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line in November and Norweigan Cruise Line in December. Tampa has long been regarded as an attractive homeport thanks to the variety of quality hotel and dining options, our world-class beaches and nearby attractions. The return of the cruise industry will have a far-reaching economic impact on our region."