Pence Tells Top Cruise CEOs He Supports Their Return to Sea

(Bloomberg) -- Vice President Mike Pence told cruise-industry executives that he supports their goal of returning to the seas and applauded their efforts to develop new safety protocols.

The vice president spoke with industry officials Friday by phone. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also took part, according to a White House summary, expressing the government’s “support of the industry to safely and responsibly sail again.”

The industry’s proposal to resume operations will be put before a task force that will make a recommendation to President Donald Trump. The CDC has had a “no sail” order in place since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. It expires at the end of the month, but has been repeatedly renewed.

The call included top representatives from Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., MSC Cruises and Disney Signature Experiences.

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