COVID-19

Popular Cruise Line May Stop Operating in Florida Over State's ‘Vaccine Passport' Ban

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the executive order banning COVID-19 passports a few days ago

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A popular cruise line may stop setting sail in Florida after an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis that bans businesses, schools and government entities from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the third largest cruise company in the world, made the remark during an earnings call Thursday, the Miami Herald reports.

“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," Frank Del Rio said in the Herald report. "And we can operate from the Caribbean for ships that otherwise would’ve gone to Florida.”

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava echoed Del Rio's message in a statement.

“Preventing private cruise companies from setting policies to keep customers and workers safe puts Floridians’ lives needlessly at risk, and is contrary to the free enterprise that makes this country great," the statement read. "Now, this decision could result in thousands of jobs leaving South Florida at this critical moment for our economic recovery."

DeSantis signed the executive order banning COVID-19 passports a few days ago.

Officials from Port Miami say the pandemic has caused the cruise industry to lose over $4 million and opening it back up would allow over 40,000 people to return to work.

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