Cruise line blows warning whistle against Florida governor's ban on vaccine passports

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Fri, 2021-05-07 20:39 — mike kraft

Major cruise ship company may avoid Florida if state doesn't permit Covid-19 vaccination checks Florida's new law prohibiting businesses from asking whether employees or customers have been vaccinated against Covid-19 may take a toll on its cruise business. By Mallika Kallingal and Andy Rose, CNN CNN

(CNN) — Florida's new law prohibiting businesses from asking whether employees or customers have been vaccinated against Covid-19 may take a toll on its cruise business.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. said Thursday it could cause the company to suspend Florida departures and move its ships elsewhere.

"At the end of the day, cruise ships have motors, propellers and rudders, and God forbid we can't operate in the state of Florida for whatever reason, then there are other states that we do operate from, and we can operate from the Caribbean for a ship that otherwise would have gone to Florida," CEO Frank Del Rio said during the company's quarterly earnings call.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order last month banning the use of Covid-19 passports in the state. The order prohibited any government entity from issuing vaccine passports and blocks businesses from requiring any such documentation. Senate Bill 2006 was signed into law Monday making that executive order official.

"In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision," DeSantis said.

But, Del Rio's company plans to stick to vaccination requirements. "At least in the beginning, 100% of our guests and our crew will be vaccinated," Del Rio said. "I think everyone should be wanting to start cruising in the safest possible manner."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week announced guidelines for trial cruises with volunteer passengers to test safety measures, which will be required for each ship before resuming regular passenger voyages in US waters.

To bypass the trial cruises, the CDC says at least 98% of crew members and 95% of passengers must have been vaccinated. ...

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