PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved Carnival’s port agreement to sail from Port Canaveral, the cruise line announced Friday.

What You Need To Know

  • Carnival's agreement with Port Canaveral gets CDC's approval

  • The Brevard port is one of the first three Carnival seeks to restart

  • Test cruises could begin in a few weeks, port officials say

  • The cruise line seeks to resume service during July

Port Canaveral is one of the first three home ports that Carnival is focusing on for its return to guest operations this summer, the company said. The others are PortMiami and Port Galveston.

CDC guidelines require the agreements are in place detailing public health and operational resources with which the port will be able to supply the cruise line before simulated cruises and full operations can resume.

Carnival said it expects to be back in service in July.

Test cruises are expected to start in the next few weeks, Port Director Capt. John Murray said.

More details could be announced soon, Carnival said.

“These agreements move us one step closer to sailing with our loyal guests,” said Lars Ljoen, executive vice president and chief maritime officer for Carnival Cruise Line.  “We appreciate the support from not just these three homeport partners, but all of our homeports, that are eager to have us back as soon as possible.”

The cruise industry has been shut down since March 2020, when the CDC issued a no-sail order because of the COVID pandemic. The industry and local businesses that support it have been hit hard economically as a result.