Desantis Says Cruise Lines Cannot Require Any Proof of Vaccine for Cruises out of Florida

[mmcguir]

In case there was any doubt, DeSantis’s intent is now clear.  After SilverSea followed NCL’s lead in announcing that vaccines will be required for all passengers, the Gov’s office responded:

 

“The Governor’s Executive Order provides that businesses in Florida are prohibited from requiring patrons or customers to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business,” press secretary Cody McCloud said by email. “Therefore, the Executive Order prohibits cruise lines from requiring vaccine passports for their Florida operations.  

 

In my opinion, this will not facilitate opening up the cruise industry. 

 

[Pcardad]

They will simply skip Florida...

Edited April 13, 2021 by Pcardad

[ChucktownSteve]

Is there a difference between showing proof of vaccine and requiring a vaccine "passport?"

[mrlevin]

He is just saying they can't require a vaccine "passport" to show proof.  Nothing about the CDC card.

[Pcardad]

"...prohibited from requiring patrons or customers to provide any documentation..."

 

Would this include the CDC card?

 

[pingpong1]

From reading the many posts on this board recently, I had gotten the impression that there was a general consensus among most of us "Regent Regulars", that we felt very comfortable returning to cruising as long as....Everyone on the ship (passengers & crew) had been vaccinated... and.....the constant wearing of masks while on board would not be required.

 

If the first condition cannot somehow be verified, assured, and "guaranteed" by Regent to all prospective customers....then how can the second condition possibly be "allowed" to prevail?  If both of those conditions did not exist in parallel, I think near-term cruising for me would be a "deal-breaker".

 

If a restart to cruising in July (as NCLH is suing the federal government for) were to actually be granted....but was then rapidly followed by many new widespread cases of infections "popping up" on board various ships.... Cruising activity and near-term demand would once again "collapse", the federal government could say, "we told you so",  and it could mean the financial "end" for several cruise lines and another interminable pause in future cruises.

 

Under the cloud of that potential disastrous outcome, I don't think that cruise lines being able to somehow verify the vaccination status of their passengers and crew, in advance of boarding, is that unreasonable. 

[Grandmaanne7]

It seems to me that DeSantis is accomplishing the opposite of what he is trying to do.  He is trying to bring back business to Florida and yet, signing the death warrant for cruising out of Florida.  Intelligent cruisers will not step foot on a cruise that has not been deemed safe as can be.  Assuring passengers and crew that all have been vaccinated is the safest possible action at this point in time.  I do wish that sanity would return to our crazy world!

[fdnycruiser]

I don’t want to get on a ship unless everyone is vaccinated. The cruise lines are trying to act responsibly for everyone’s safety, as well as having an enjoyable cruise. If not all passengers and crew are vaccinated, what happens if there’s an outbreak ?  Do we play the find a port that will allow the ship in game ?  Definitely not the way to getting cruising out of Florida going again .

[RJ2002]

This is all so screwed up.

 

For me, I would not sail out of Florida if the cruise lines were not able to enforce their vaccination policy.

[Pcardad]

There is no possible way that Regent starts in July with NCL...Mr. Del Rio will NEVER allow Regent to be used for "test" voyages.

[mrstanley]

Crystal Cruise line is skipping Florida.

Look at all the Caribbean cruises scheduled this summer leaving from other ports. 

[tennis]

The cruise lines will still have all employees vaccinated.  I will be vaccinated and based on comments most everyone else will be voluntarily vaccinated.  I don’t see the problem.  I will go on the cruise because I have been vaccinated.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 minutes ago, tennis said:

The cruise lines will still have all employees vaccinated.  I will be vaccinated and based on comments most everyone else will be voluntarily vaccinated.  I don’t see the problem.  I will go on the cruise because I have been vaccinated.

The problem is simple: some will feel they can go on these cruises without being vaccinated.

[Pcardad]

7 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

The problem is simple: some will feel they can go on these cruises without being vaccinated.

 

Regent/NCL is requiring vaccines for all employees and guests....period. What people want to do may not be consistent with what they are allowed to do...the needs of the many, etc.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

4 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

 

Regent/NCL is requiring vaccines for all employees and guests....period. What people want to do may not be consistent with what they are allowed to do...the needs of the many, etc.

I was responding to the implication "tennis" made that somehow it could be voluntary.

[pingpong1]

Senators from Florida and Alaska have just introduced (today) a new bill in congress:

 

https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/sens-rick-scott-dan-sullivan-marco-rubio-introduce-cruise-act-to-resume-cruise-line-operations

 

If passed, it will rescind CDC's authority to halt cruising in U.S. waters and will require the CDC to take immediate and proactive measures to get cruising "going again" by early July.  Maybe some progress is now being made in this regard.

[Grandmaanne7]

19 minutes ago, tennis said:

The cruise lines will still have all employees vaccinated.  I will be vaccinated and based on comments most everyone else will be voluntarily vaccinated.  I don’t see the problem.  I will go on the cruise because I have been vaccinated.

You absolutely have the right to do what you think is right. 

 

My thoughts are that if everyone is not required to be vaccinated (I do realize that there will be some who will have forged documentation but my hope is that these will be minimal), should an outbreak occur, one of the possible outcomes is that we will be denied entry into port after port as happened last year.  Another possible outcome is that the cruising industry will be even more damaged than it is today.

[Pcardad]

6 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I was responding to the implication "tennis" made that somehow it could be voluntary.

 

Understood...my comment wasn't directed at an individual, more at the concept that people can do whatever they want. 

[Pcardad]

1 minute ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

You absolutely have the right to do what you think is right. 

 

My thoughts are that if everyone is not required to be vaccinated (I do realize that there will be some who will have forged documentation but my hope is that these will be minimal), should an outbreak occur, one of the possible outcomes is that we will be denied entry into port after port as happened last year.  Another possible outcome is that the cruising industry will be even more damaged than it is today.

 

I would hope anyone caught with a fraudulent vaccination document would be fully prosecuted for multiple felonies and see substantial jail time for willingly putting others at risk.

[mdunne48]

DeSantis really has no say in regards to cruising for Florida.  The Federal Government controls immigration, customs and borders.  If the FEDS require anyone on a cruise ship entering the U.S. to have been vaccinated and proof of that vaccination then DeSantis can yell, scream, send emails, etc. but not much else.  The CDC will make that a number 1 clearance requirement of the cruise lines.  End of story.

[pingpong1]

34 minutes ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

My thoughts are that if everyone is not required to be vaccinated.....should an outbreak occur, one of the possible outcomes is that we will be denied entry into port after port as happened last year.  Another possible outcome is that the cruising industry will be even more damaged than it is today.

Completely agree.  Are there any estimates as to when more Canadians (at least those over age 60+) will be able to get their vaccines? I checked on CTVNews this morning and it said that about 19.9% of the population (Canada-wide average) has had at least one dose of the vaccine (In the US it is 36.13% and the vast majority are senior citizens).

 

My understanding is that Canada (like most of Europe) has had difficulties in getting enough vaccines to administer.  In Europe, only the UK is doing "better" (47.42%) than the US at the present time (and of course, they have far fewer people than the US does).  In Australia and New Zealand, only .62% and 1.47% of the population (respectively) have been vaccinated.  It could be many more months before OZ and NZ are "open" for two-way travel to/from those countries.

[mmcguir]

3 hours ago, mrlevin said:

He is just saying they can't require a vaccine "passport" to show proof.  Nothing about the CDC card.

 

Sadly, no.  He is explicitly saying that unvaccinated passengers should be allowed on cruise ships leaving Florida, AND that they should not be treated any differently than vaccinated passengers.  He is turning this into a political football, pandering to the “anti-vaxers”.  His statement/question below “what if you have a reason for why you didn’t get vaccinated?” is beyond ridiculous: everyone who doesn’t get vaccinated has a reason.  

 

During a press conference on Friday, the Florida governor suggested the state might fight efforts to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on cruise passengers — something that is at the core of comeback plans at a growing number of cruise lines.

“We would object to it,” DeSantis said in response to a question from a reporter about such mandates. “What if you have a reason for why you didn’t get vaccinated? You then can’t participate in society like everybody else? These (cruise ships) are basically public accommodations, and to have different classes of citizens based on vaccine status, I think is a big, big mistake.”

 

[Grandmaanne7]

7 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Completely agree.  Are there any estimates as to when more Canadians (at least those over age 60+) will be able to get their vaccines? I checked on CTVNews this morning and it said that about 19.9% of the population (Canada-wide average) has had at least one dose of the vaccine (In the US it is 36.13% and the vast majority are senior citizens).

 

My understanding is that Canada (like most of Europe) has had difficulties in getting enough vaccines to administer.  In Europe, only the UK is doing "better" (47.42%) than the US at the present time (and of course, they have far fewer people than the US does).  In Australia and New Zealand, only .62% and 1.47% of the population (respectively) have been vaccinated.  It could be many more months before OZ and NZ are "open" for two-way travel to/from those countries.

Yes, Canada's biggest challenge is obtaining enough vaccine.  We currently are receiving a minimum of 1 million doses weekly.  Our prime minister has promised that anyone who wants to be vaccinated, will be by the end of the summer.  We struggle with vaccine hesitancy due to the increasing misinformation out there so herd immunity may be compromised.  All available appointments in my area are booked and there are huge lineups for pop up mobile vaccine clinics in large cities with "hot spot" areas.  My belief and hope is that most will be vaccinated by mid August.

[tipsygirl]

I don’t know about laws in Florida, but in Texas our Governor, who has also issued a ban of vaccination passports, ended up having to clarify that this could only apply to entities receiving state funds ( penalty would be losing state funds), and not to private businesses. What control does DiSantis or the state legislature have over private business? 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

25 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Are there any estimates as to when more Canadians (at least those over age 60+) will be able to get their vaccines?

Ontario is right now aiming at, and achieving for the most part, 100,000 doses per day.  If we get the supplies that are planned, this should continue at least through the next few weeks.

 

And there is increasing opinion that holding off on the second dose may be huge overall benefit.

 

So Canada is creeping up that ladder, the ladder of percentage of people with at least one dose.