There are people who are cruise people and those who absolutely aren’t cruise people. For your author, the notion of a cruise is worse than any form of Medieval torture, but cruise enthusiasts are counting the remaining days until the ship of their choice will be making another run.

For Texans, that time is now, with the first Carnival cruise setting sail from Galveston on July 3, and from Miami a day later, assuming the company finds a way to meet or negotiate CDC guidelines. The CDC has issued a set of orders for cruise lines, including a requirement that 98% of the crew and 95% of the passengers are vaccinated. The CDC guidelines also provide remarkably complex technical instructions for simulated cruises, which are supposed to happen before a regular cruise sets a course for adventure.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida/USA – April 17, 2020: Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis Press Conference at Urban League of Broward County, answering on questions about coronavirus situation in Florida. Credit: YES Market Media/Shutterstock