Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE:NCLH) said Sunday that a federal judge ruled to temporarily halt enforcement of a Florida law prohibiting businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams granted the preliminary injunction, allowing Norwegian to require vaccine documentation from customers while the case heads to trial. The Norwegian Gem is scheduled to depart Miami on Aug. 15. It is the cruise line’s first trip from the state since the pandemic halted the cruise industry’s operations more than a year ago.
Infection levels in Florida have risen 51% in the last seven days, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The state reported 134,506 new COVID cases from July 30 to Aug. 5, more than any other seven-day period tracked by JHU, and new case positivity is at 18.9%.
Norwegian CEO Frank Del Rio said the company is trying to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our number one priority, today, tomorrow and forever,” Del Rio said in a statement Sunday. “It’s not a slogan or a tagline, we fiercely mean it and our commitment to these principles is demonstrated by the lengths our Company has gone through to provide the safest possible cruise experience from Florida.”
On Friday, Florida attorney Pete Patterson said the law protects customer’s civil liberties and prevents businesses from discriminating against the unvaccinated.
If the cruise line had not received the injunction and continued to request proof of vaccination for the upcoming voyage, it could have been subject to prosecution and fines of up to $5,000 per passenger under the Florida law.
NCLH shares declined 87 cents, or 3.5% to $24.03