PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – Optimism from Florida's fifteen ports –including Port Canaveral–as Gov. Ron DeSantis recommends they get more than $200 million in federal relief funds handed down to the state.

Port leaders say ports haven't had access or even been eligible for COVID relief funding.

But with this possibility on the horizon, one longtime tour guide says it's putting wind in their sails again after a year-long struggle.

"Little did I know that was the last day I was going to work," tour guide and port ambassador Bob Socks said.

Flashback to March 11, 2020, a normal day for Socks giving tours in and around Port Canaveral.

"So we're thinking to ourselves a couple of months things will get back, but it got worse and worse and we realized it was going to be a long term deal," Socks said.

Socks was excited that his number two busiest cruise port in the world was on pace to set a record: 3.7 million passengers a year was expected to jump to 4.1 million in 2020.

Then the pandemic swooped in and cruising came to a standstill.

"Now they are talking cruising getting back to 2019 numbers by 2024," Socks said.

Port leaders say since March 2020, they've experienced a 79% loss in operating revenue, a 43% workforce reduction and were forced to defer $119 million in capital projects for two up to five years.

In a statement, Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray said, "We are facing significant challenges to sustain our port operations, support our ongoing business lines, and maintain a level of readiness for when and how the cruise industry may begin sailing again from Port Canaveral.”

Flash forward to March 2021, and Socks, with nearly 25 years as a port ambassador, is confident a place he loves will make it all the way back.

"Cruising is going to come back, it's going to be better than ever," he said.

Right now, cruising isn't expected to begin again until July.