Carnival Cruise cancels trips into Spring 2021 and sells 8 of its ships

One of the largest cruise lines in the world is canceling trips into the Spring of 2021 and selling off its ships. Now, it's a question of whether cruises will ever make a comeback.

The cruise industry's money problems started in March, when they were forced to stop sailing due to the spread of the coronavirus. The CDC currently has a 'no-sail' order in effect through the end of September, but many expect it will be extended.

SEE ALSO: US cruise line industry extends sailing suspension through Oct. due to pandemic

Carnival Cruise has sold eight of its 18 ships and the company told ABC News, "the ships being removed are our older, less efficient ships that would have been removed over time."

Carnival also canceled multiple of its itineraries into the Spring of 2021, stating on its site, "The goal of our Cruise Health program is simple: to give you peace of mind when cruising with us so you can focus on the fun. We're working with government health authorities, public health experts, local ports and the Cruise Lines International Association to create these measures."

Carnival and Royal Caribbean said a slew of people are still booking cruises for next year. For Royal Caribbean, more than half of those were booked within the past few months.

"People still are booking cruises. And if we can get through this, the cruise industry can come back and probably even continue to grow," said Gene Sloan, a senior cruise reporter with The Points Guy.

But some doctors are not convinced that it will happen any time soon.

"I think we're too early to be able to feel comfortable on cruise ships right now," said ABC News medical contributor Dr. Jay Bhatt.