Womp womp, Ron DeSantis.
After the Republican governor insisted on banning the use of "vaccine passports" by businesses in Florida, Norwegian Cruise Lines is threatening to leave the state high and dry.
Norwegian doesn't expect customers to return to ships without a 100% vaccination promise for both passengers and crew, and the only way to ensure compliance with that rule is to require proof of vaccination from everyone.
If DeSantis and the Florida legislature won't budge on "vaccine passports," Norwegian will find a port in another state. The Miami Herald reports:
If Florida won’t allow Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for passengers and crew, the company’s CEO says it will take its ships elsewhere.
CEO Frank Del Rio made the threat during an earnings call Thursday, just days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill passed by the Republican-controlled state Legislature that bans businesses, schools and government entities in Florida from asking anyone to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is the world’s third largest cruise company, parent to cruise brands Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas. Miami-Dade County spent $263 million building a terminal for Norwegian at PortMiami that finished construction last year.
