[SJackson]

Funny, I read another article in the last couple days stating the states position that the law didn't apply to the cruise "ships" since passengers once boarding were governed by "international" rather than Florida law. That last statement being silly. But I suspect DeSantis will yield and may be using this in negotiations with the CDC.

In any case, I doubt the law will be upheld, private companies can deny service for many reasons, including health and measures. In any case, the lines will find a state willing to accommodate cruises. Replacing the big three lines will be an impossibility, but the terminals can be used for something else. And the land based workers can learn to code. To say the least an impractical position from Florida.

[USAF1985]

I don’t think so...

Territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) from the baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state.

Cruise ships tied to the dock are subject to local, state and federal law until they reach international waters. The passport checks at the beginning are for confirming you can get back into the states legally (whatever “legal” means nowadays...)