Posted on 07/14/2021 8:00:47 AM PDT by Capt. Tom
Norwegian Cruise Line is holding its ground on the vaccine passport ban to sue Florida's State Surgeon General.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has decided not to follow other cruise lines by complying with the vaccine passport ban in Florida. Instead, the cruise company has filed a lawsuit against Florida’s Surgeon General on the vaccine passport ban, which the state signed into law in May 2021.
NCL Sues Florida Over Vaccine Passport Ban The state of Florida pushed so much on its lawsuit against the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on overruling the Conditional Sailing Order. Well, now, Florida has its own defense to build after Norwegian Cruise Line Holding sues over the vaccine passport ban.
The lawsuit filed on July 13 against Scott A. Rivkees, State Surgeon General with the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, is seeking appropriate declaratory and injunctive relief. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings says it’s being prevented from safely resuming cruise passenger operations. It would befit passengers and crew if there were documentation confirmation such as vaccination proof, often called a vaccine passport.
NCLH Lawsuit Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which operates three cruise lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and luxury operator Regent Seven Seas, is rightfully worried about the ban in Florida. The cruise company has one of the oldest passenger bases in the industry, who will be skeptical of boarding a ship without fully vaccinated individuals, especially when they have been promised all would be vaccinated;
Frank Del Rio, President of NCLH:
“Maintaining our passengers’ trust and rebuilding consumer confidence remains challenging, particularly among NCLH’s older passenger base. The maintenance of consumer confidence and goodwill is essential for sustainable business success in the cruise industry. Cultivating passenger confidence and trust in the health and safety of cruise voyages has become more vital than ever in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unless it is able to verify vaccination status, NCLH’s ability to attract and assure its passengers will be severely undercut.”
The cruise operator had declared early this year it would only sail with 100% vaccinated guests, meaning it would either have to forego this requirement or face fines up to $5,000 each time the line asks for a vaccine passport.
What If Norwegian Cannot Prove Vaccination Status? In an affidavit filed with the lawsuit, Frank Del Rio outlines what would happen if the line does sail with unvaccinated guests. Not only would there be limited dining options such as no buffet on board, but unvaccinated guests would also have limited access to the Spa, theater, and casino.
Those same guests would also be limited to certain areas of the ship, being segregated from others, and have limited shore experience possibilities as the cruise line wants to protect the local population. The cruise line would do the same as Royal Caribbean and Carnival has done with requiring insurance and COVID testing, Frank Del Rio:
“We would have to require unvaccinated passengers to submit themselves to a series of COVID-19 tests that the customer would pay for and they would have to provide proof that they have bought COVID insurance. This would cost upwards of $200 per passenger.”
The other option for the cruise line would be to pull its ships out of Florida, something that Del Rio made clear earlier this year is an option, although not one he is willing to entertain lightly:
“If subject to the Statute’s prohibition, NCLH must either drop its plans to verify vaccination status on Florida cruises or else cease its operations in Florida. Neither option is consistent with NCLH’s commitment to passengers, crew, and all those who are counting on us, such as local stevedores, local suppliers, travel agents, and the economies of the local destinations we visit.“
While Norwegian Cruise Line waits for the courts to make any headway into the case, the cruise company has requested the court for an injunction of Florida’s vaccination mandate ban, which it hopes to go into effect on August 6.
This injunction would make it impossible for Florida to impose its ban, and allow the cruise company to resume sailings without penalties or fines until the court makes its final decision.
Norwegian intends to start sailing from Florida on August 15. Norwegian Gem will offer several passenger revenue voyages from Florida to the Bahamas, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.
To me it will be interesting how our Courts handle this lawsuit. -Tom
Things are cranking up on Florida cruises.-Tom
Grab another bag of popcorn. It’ll be years before we get to sail.
Can’t forget to THANK our ChiCom’s for this global disaster.
They must think they're dealing with the Obama/Biden/Harris administration.
No it won’t. I am sailing from Cape Canaveral in September, come hail or high water. The cruise line said they will accept non-vaccinated but will require a covid test before boarding.
China is laughing all the way to the bank by keeping the pandemic going in western countries. There are people in western countries avoiding the vaccine to keep the pandemic going.
especially when they have been promised all would be vaccinated;Who made that promise?
We had British newlywed friends come to Florida on a visit last year in March. Right before all the shutdown nonsense. We had booked a three day cruise on Norwegian for the four of us, and in late March the cruises started to get cancelled. I called Norwegian and they said it was still sailing. We could cancel, but then lose the money on the booking. We called their bluff and showed up. Only half the people showed for the cruise. Right after lifeboat drill, the Captain announced the cruise was cancelled and please leave the ship. I am convinced they had plans to cancel anyway, and wanted to keep the cash from the no-shows. The other travelers had serious problems getting hotel rooms and flights back home. It was a nightmare for them. I lived only 20 minutes away from port Canaveral. The Norwegian Sun was a garbage scow. Dirty, unfriendly staff, and horrible food. I got my refund, and told them I wouldn’t ever sail with them…and our guests finally got a flight back to the UK two weeks later.
Now its America’s fault that a foreign company cant deliver on an outrageous promise ???
Just to save face with their consumers, they are willing to go to court ???
I seem to remember people saying that the cruise lines couldnt sue the CDC because they were foreign companies....
Scum balls — aka Norwegian
Many of my cruises out of 36 total have been on Norwegian. It is my least favorite cruise line and has been for a while. The ships are smaller, entertainment is lower grade, food is not as good as Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. We used to like their chocoholic buffet’s in old days, but was no such thing last time we cruised with them.
The trouble with any court is the Judge rules supreme.
I have been in many courts as a juror, witness, and in Federal Court in Boston, as a juror, held in contempt of court, by Judge Skinner, and got 6 weeks where I was required to report every Monday for Jury duty.
You never know how a case will turn out, as in some cases a paid perjured witness will testify, and other factors enter into the proceedings, like the Judges and the juries attitude and disposition. -Tom
The trouble with any court is the Judge rules supreme.
I have been in many courts as a juror, witness, and in Federal Court in Boston, as a juror, held in contempt of court, by Judge Skinner, and got 6 weeks where I was required to report every Monday for Jury duty.
You never know how a case will turn out, as in some cases a paid perjured witness will testify, and other factors enter into the proceedings, like the Judges and the juries attitude and disposition. -Tom
The wife and I like Holland America the most. We would sail right out of Tampa.
Tampa not reopening anytime soon.
Holland left Tampa, April 2019, we were on that ship going to Europe.
From what I see, Holland is not reopening Florida at all. HAL is going all in on Alaska and west coast sailing where they can mandate 100% vaccinated clientele.
NCL is on the brink of insolvency.
“Hold” all you want Sven, but our governor can and will shut you down if you keep up the stupidity. You are big my friend, but Florida is much much bigger.
Stop virtue signaling and set sail.
Want to try Holland America soon, except out nearest port is Port Canaveral 90 minutes drive, and H-A does not sail from there. One of these days will do the 6 hour drive to Miami and sail with Holland-America.
My best cruise ever: 14 days Mediterranean from Southampton, UK.
My best ship ever all around: Oasis of the Seas (RCCL).
True dat...west coast is more vaccinated than Florida.
Seattle is the most vaccinated city in USA. We did so many Alaska cruises when living near Seattle.
One time on a Norwegian cruise, our ship lost control and tried to make a 90 degree turn at full speed! Many people got hurt. Luckily the 45 degree incline of the ship did not hurt us because we were on a staircase and could hang on. NCL gave us free vouchers for future cruises if we did not sue.
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