Cruise Line Threatens To Skip FL Ports Over Vaccine Passport Ban

MIAMI, FL — The Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is threatening to skip over Florida ports because of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order banning businesses from requiring vaccine passports or other documentation that an individual has received the COVID-19 vaccine, reports said.

The governor signed the executive order May 2.

CEO Frank Del Rio discussed the possibility of keeping ships out of Florida during an earnings call Thursday, the Miami Herald reported.

“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 ships that otherwise would’ve gone to Florida,” Del Rio said.

He stressed the company’s commitment to allowing only vaccinated passengers on the cruise line’s ships.

Norwegian is the third largest cruise line in the world. Miami-Dade County spent $263 million building a terminal for the company’s ships at PortMiami. That construction was completed last year.