Celebrity Edge became the first ship to sail from US waters on a commercial cruise since the start of the pandemic. It departed Port Everglades in Florida over the weekend on a seven-night cruise of the Caribbean.
The ship is captained by Captain Kate McCue, the first and to date only American female captain.
Celebrity was given permission to resume sailing by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), whose guidelines stipulate that ships need at least one practice run before the resumption of regular cruising, but can skip the requirement if they can vouch that 98 per cent of the crew and 95 per cent of the passengers have been vaccinated.
“The significance of this moment is not lost on anyone on our team or the industry,” said Celebrity CEO Richard Fain.
“We have longed for this day, not only because it represents a return to service and doing what we love to do most, but because we know that for many the return of cruising is a symbol of the world’s return to normalcy.”
