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A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction that allows Norwegian Cruise Line to ask passengers for proof they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law that bans companies from asking customers for proof they are vaccinated in July.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote that Norwegian would be "irreparably injured" by the law and said the injunction will remain in place while the cruise line waits for a final ruling from the court.
The injunction comes one week before the cruise line is set to sail from Miami for the first time in over a year.
"We want nothing more than to sail from Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, and from the other fabulous Florida ports, and we welcome today's ruling that allows us to sail with 100% fully vaccinated guests and crew, which we believe is the safest and most prudent way to resume cruise operations amid this global pandemic," Frank Del Rio, president, and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., said in a statement. "The public health environment continues to evolve around the globe, and our robust science-backed health and safety protocols, with vaccines at its cornerstone, allow us to provide what we believe is the safest vacation experience for people who long to get back to their everyday lives and explore the world once again."
The number of daily coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are surging to all-time highs as the state deals with the highly transmissible Delta variant.