Cruise Line May Leave Florida Over Vaccine Passport Ban

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Cruise Lines are only able to reopen if 90+% of their passengers are vaccinated. DeathSantis ban on vaccine passports will force cruise lines to leave Florida

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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.

[Lovie777]

1. For the sake of not having another outbreak on their ships . ..

it is logical to make sure that doesn't happen anymore. But alas, these republicans are psychopaths.

[Aristus]

2. It will mean a huge loss of revenue to the state.

I think it won't be long before Desantis pulls a "Gracious! Did I do that?" and repeal the ban on vaccine passports.

[JHB]

13. Or blames "woke corporations"

He's bucking for national office. Don't discount him throwing Florida overboard to raise his profile among the wider GQP base.

[Aristus]

14. I'm not a politician, but if I had to choose between securing lots of money

for the people of my state, or having someone to blame for them not having lots of money, I'd choose the money.

[Phoenix61]

15. This is the same guy who refused to expand Medicaid.

It doesn’t give two shits about the people in Florida. I know, he’s my governor.

[PortTack]

3. Laws that hurt bottom line revenues, voting restriction laws that target 35% of the qgop voters

Good job deathsatan..good job

[SoCalDavidS]

4. He's Bluffing

I bet NCL is cruising out of FL on schedule. Too much hassle, and too costly to move their port. And DeSatan wouldn't allow them to make him look like a fool.

In a world that makes sense, they would move their port, and stand for their principals. But we are not in that world, we're in this one, and in this one, people like DeSatan always manage to come out ahead.

[smb]

5. He's Not Bluffing

He's well aware that another flurry of "COVID outbreaks on cruise ships" stories will ruin any chance of reviving the industry for at least another year.

[SoCalDavidS]

7. We'll See

I can't think of a southern state that will permit vaccine passports to be a requirement. TX & MS both have laws forbidding them as well.

Perhaps LA. They're the only one with a Democratic Governor.

[localroger]

8. Yes, here in LA we have a cruise ship terminal too.

I'm sure the capacity can be expanded quickly if there's a good reason. Just as the original dock which is the current cruise terminal was once for cargo, there are others all up and down the river. And the river has advantages as a launching point. So yeah, Rick, send your business to us. Please don't throw us in dat briar patch.

[CrackityJones75]

9. puerto rico.

Better port to leave from anyway.

[dsc]

17. NC has a port in Wilmington and a Democratic governor

[Hekate]

6. Good to know. Very good.

[DFW]

10. Geography gives Florida a big edge, but money gives NCL a big edge, too.

I'm sure any state with an Atlantic seaboard port that can handle such ships would just love to seduce big cruise lines away from the Florida ports.

[fescuerescue]

19. the business/political problem is

there aren't many Blue states on the Atlantic seaboard with the capability and within their destinations.

By the time you get to VA, NJ, NY, DE or LA, they are adding 3 to 4 extra days to their destinations.

This is a tough problem.

[TheBlackAdder]

11. To me, going on a cruise ship is like Hotboxing in a Car, or Dutch Oven Farting COVID-19 for a week.

.

.

[treestar]

12. Usually Republicans don't want businesses regulated

by the government. The anti-vax is so strong here they will put up with this?

[Phoenix61]

16. I've never once considered taking a cruise but

if everyone was vaccinated I’d definitely go. Imagine being on a ship full of people who understand science. It’d be worth it just for that.

[fescuerescue]

18. That's an amazingly massive move for a cruise line

Going up the coast, SC, GA, NC, VA. Pretty much gotta hit VA before finding a Blue State. Going West, it's Alabama, MS, LA, Texas.

So it's basically LA or VA ports. (unless they opt to abandon the East Coast market, and then it's basically CA.

In other words, complete business reboot.

Very Very Ballsy.

[BlueWavePsych]

20. DeathSantis doing what he does best: death.