Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings aids Miami cruise longshoremen

RENDERING: BERMELLO AJAMIL & PARTNERS CRUISE_NCL_Terminal_B.jpg
This rendering shows NCL's new Terminal B at PortMiami. It was completed last year but has not been used due to the cruise shutdown
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings donated $100,000 in Visa gift cards to help support the members of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1416 in Miami who have been significantly impacted by cruising's shutdown.

The company also announced its ‘Safe to Sail’ campaign, a grassroots initiative to urge lawmakers to allow cruising to resume in the US in July and restore the hundreds of thousands of jobs, including those of the cruise longshoremen, impacted during the suspension.

'The suspension of cruises operating from US ports is having a devastating impact on the entire cruise ecosystem consisting of American ports, labor, transport, the travel agency community, commerce, small business and other related industries, resulting in an estimated loss of several hundred thousand American jobs and billions of dollars to the US economy. We need to get everyone in our cruise ecosystem back to work including our longshoremen,' NCLH President and CEO Frank Del Rio said.

Nearly 400 longshoremen

Torin Ragin, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1416, thanked NCLH for 'providing much needed support to our members during these incredibly difficult times as 60% of our business was wiped out nearly overnight.' He continued: 'Our nearly 400 members who support cruise operations depend on the cruise industry for their livelihoods and we appreciate Mr. Del Rio along with many others who are calling for the resumption of cruising in the US as we are all ready to get back to work in Miami, the cruise capital of the world.'

Follows restart proposal to CDC

NCLH recently submitted a plan to recommence cruising with mandatory vaccinations and its SailSAFE health and safety protocols and is awaiting further discussion with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the company, its plan is consistent with the CDC’s updated guidance that international travel is safe for fully vaccinated individuals and that COVID-19 vaccination efforts will be critical in the safe resumption of cruise ship travel.