| NCL can ask for vax-port

UNITED States District Judge Kathleen Williams has ruled Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) can require passengers from Florida to show proof of their coronavirus vaccination.

The federal judge granted NCL’s request for a preliminary injunction of a Florida law prohibiting businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination (CW 28 Jul).

Williams said NCL would likely prevail on its argument the vaccine passport ban, signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured) in May (CW 31 May), jeopardises public health, and is an unconstitutional infringement on the cruise line’s rights.

Violations of the law could have triggered a penalty of USD$5,000 per passenger, which NCL attorney Derek Shaffer said no cruise line could afford to withstand.

NCL is currently challenging the law in court, but until the case heads to trial, passengers aboard Norwegian Gem’s first trip from Florida since the pandemic on 15 Aug will have to show proof of vaccination.

NCL Holdings Chief Executive Officer Frank Del Rio said the company’s efforts are to ensure the safety of passengers and crews.

“The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our number one priority, today, tomorrow and forever,” Del Rio said.

“It’s not a slogan or a tagline, we fiercely mean it and our commitment to these principles is demonstrated by the lengths our company has gone through to provide the safest possible cruise experience from Florida.”

Shaffer described the situation in the state as “scary”, with coronavirus infection levels having risen 51% in the last week.

Attorney for Florida Pete Patterson said the law protects the civil liberties of customers, and prevents businesses from differentiating against the unvaccinated.

“You can’t discriminate against customers on the basis of their refusal to give you information,” Patterson said.