in a complaint filed on tuesday, norwegian described the lawsuit as a “last resort” to ensure it can resume cruising “safely and soundly,” according to cnn. it also described the florida state law banning so-called “vaccine passports” as an “anomalous, misguided intrusion.”
in april, governor ron desantis signed an executive order banning the use of covid-19 passports in florida, blocking any business or government entity from requiring documentation showing proof of covid-19 vaccination, and any government entity from issuing the passports. senate bill 2006 was signed into law on may 3, making the order official.
“in florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision,” said desantis in a press release in may.
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in its lawsuit norwegian says that florida’s law places the company in an “impossible dilemma” — to be on the “wrong side of florida state law” or “the wrong side of health and safety.” the company had previously announced it would require all passengers and crew on its ships to be 100 per cent vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding.
the lawsuit, which was filed in the u.s. district court for the southern district of florida, asks the court to suspend florida’s prohibition on proof of vaccination documents and to grant norwegian a preliminary injunction allowing its cruises to set sail with its vaccine requirements in place, according to the washington post.
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in a statement to cnbc , norwegian cruise line said that its policy of requiring 100 per cent vaccination of guests and crew has been in place, without issue, at every port around the world — except for florida.
the lawsuit argues that the vaccine passport ban violates the first amendment of the u.s. constitution — which protects freedom of speech — by blocking communications between businesses and their customers, according to usa today. it also states that the law “ inexplicably” prevents the company from “protecting the health and safety of its employees and customers” from a “deadly pandemic.”
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in may, the ceo of norwegian cruise line holdings, frank del rio, warned that florida’s law could cause the company to move its ships elsewhere, according to cnn .
just last month, royal carribean international postponed the inaugural sailing of its newest cruise ship after eight crew members tested positive for the virus. that month, two u.s. passengers on celebrity cruises’ millennium ship, which was billed as carrying “fully vaccinated crew and guests,” also tested positive for covid-19.