US Judge Rules Norwegian Cruise Line May Require 'Vaccine Passports,' Despite DeSantis' Ban

Back in May, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings expressed that its namesake subsidiary may be forced to explore ports outside of Florida due to Governor Ron DeSantis' (R) decision to prohibit any business or government entity in the state from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or 'vaccine passports.'

US District Judge Kathleen Williams, of the Southern District of Florida, issued a preliminary ruling on Sunday declaring that Norwegian Cruise Line is within its right to require patrons to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. 

The 59-page filing argued that the state of Florida failed to "provide a valid evidentiary, factual, or legal predicate" to justify the vaccine passport ban. 

The preliminary injunction targeted Dr. Scott Rivkees, Florida's surgeon general and head of the Florida Department of Health, and was submitted by the cruise line last month in opposition to DeSantis' legislation. 

Responding to the federal judge's decision, DeSantis' office asserted it does not agree with the legal justification provided. 

"A prohibition on vaccine passports does not even implicate, let alone violate, anyone’s speech rights, and it furthers the substantial, local interest of preventing discrimination among customers based on private health information," the Florida governor's office told The Hill. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio praised the preliminary injunction in favor of COVID-19 passports, arguing the requirement is what the company believes "is the safest and most prudent way to resume cruise operations amid this global pandemic." 

"The public health environment continues to evolve around the globe and our robust science-backed health and safety protocols, with vaccines at its cornerstone, allow us to provide what we believe is the safest vacation experience for people who long to get back to their everyday lives and explore the world once again," he added. 

The CEO previously threatened to take the cruise line's business elsewhere if the law was upheld in Florida. 

"It is a classic state-versus-federal-government issue," Del Rio previously said. "Lawyers believe that federal law applies and not state law, but I’m not a lawyer. And we hope that this doesn’t become a legal football or a political football."

After suspending operations around 15 months ago, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which operates subsidiaries Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, plans to resume travel out of Florida ports on August 15.