Cruise ships

The cruise company would not confirm how many people tested positive for COVID but said there were a number of positive cases on the Carnival Spirit.

While the agency has lifted its travel health notice two years after putting it in place, officials say it's up to travelers to determine their own health risks before going aboard a ship.

A study says declining COVID rates and increased eagerness about traveling have contributed to these statistics.

A motion for dismissal filed at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did not explain the decision, but the CDC let expire what is known as a “conditional sailing order” that placed COVID restrictions.

The cancellations involve nearly half of the cruise line's fleet after one ship returned early to Miami this week due to a COVID-19 outbreak among crew members.

The chances of getting COVID on a cruise are "very high," even for those who are vaccinated and boosted, the nation's public health agency said.

After several Florida-based ships reported COVID-19 outbreaks, the CDC said that 88 vessels are now under either investigation or observation.

The Carnival Freedom, with an undisclosed number of cases, and Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, with at least 60, returned to their Florida ports on Sunday.

It's the second outbreak for the cruise line in as many weeks. Odyssey of the Sea — the newest in Royal Caribbean's fleet — will stay at sea until it returns to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday.

The seven-night cruise ended in Miami on Saturday after making three stops in the Caribbean. More than 6,000 people were on the ship, which required testing and those 12 and over to be vaccinated.