Florida to Fine Cruise Lines Asking for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination

Florida governor Ron DeSantis revealed cruise lines operating in the state that ask passengers for proof of vaccinations would be fined $5,000 per passenger.

According to Travel Weekly, Governor DeSantis’ press secretary Christina Pushaw said the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine guidance for cruise lines was “coercive” and a possible violation of state law.

Governor DeSantis signed an Executive Order in April that banned businesses operating in the state from asking for proof that customers received a COVID-19 vaccination.

“The CDC has no legal authority to set any sort of requirements to cruise,” Pushaw told Travel Weekly. “Moreover, the CDC went on record admitting that the federal government chose not to make a legal requirement for vaccine passports.”

“Now they provide coercive guidance, in the absence of any federal law or congressional authorization,” Pushaw continued. “In short, the CDC is pushing cruise ships to violate Florida law, in order to comply with CDC ‘guidance’ that is not legally binding.”

The potential fines were announced after the CDC revealed earlier this week the agency would allow Celebrity Cruises to become the first cruise line to set sail with paying passengers on board. The ship is scheduled to depart from Fort Lauderdale on June 26.

In order to skip the test sailings required by the CDC, Celebrity said it would follow the mandate that 95 percent of passengers and 95 percent of crew members need to be vaccinated against coronavirus.

Officials from the Royal Caribbean Group told Travel Weekly, “we continue to work with local and state governments to facilitate a return to service by July with fully vaccinated crew and guests who are eligible for vaccinations.”