Cruise lines are ready to get back to business safely and thousands of jobs depend on that, industry leaders, suppliers, retailers and longshoremen told Miami-Dade lawmakers Thursday.

‘The cruise industry is close to devastation. The market capitalization of the three public companies has dropped by nearly $50 billion. We’ve had to raise $20 billion’ to stay afloat, Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, said.

‘We’ve got to get to work, commissioner. Enough is enough,’ an impassioned Del Rio told Miami-Dade County Tourism and Ports Committee Chair Rebeca Sosa.

The CDC has set a Sept. 21 deadline for public comments about ways to safely restart cruising. Sosa said Miami-Dade County will be writing to CDC and to Florida’s representatives and senators to press for a quick CDC response to the cruise lines’ protocols.

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