The first Disney cruise ship to sail from Florida in more than 500 days left Port Canaveral yesterday.
The Disney Dream sailed out for the Bahamas carrying a reduced load of passengers after successfully completing a test sailing last month. It is the first Disney Cruise Line ship to set sail from the U.S. since cruising was halted for the coronavirus pandemic.
In a video shared by Port Canaveral, the ship can be heard blowing a horn that plays “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Cinderella. The cruise line had faced several setbacks in getting back to business, including a test sailing that was delayed after several crew members tested positive for the coronavirus.
COVID-19 is still raging across Florida and state politicians have blocked the ability of cruise lines to require proof of vaccination from guests. Cruise companies have responded by making unvaccinated guests take (and pay for) regular tests and barring them from certain ship activities. At the same time, Norwegian Cruise Lines recently won the ability to ask for proof of vaccination in court.
The Dream is requiring regular tests and making all passengers wear face masks while indoors.
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This article appears in Aug 4-10, 2021.