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

[Wendy The Wanderer]

45 minutes ago, BBWC said:

FDR appears to threaten to pull NCLH ships out of Florida if De Santis opposes vaccine mandate.

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/norwegian-could-pull-ships-from-florida/

Good!

[rallydave]

47 minutes ago, BBWC said:

FDR appears to threaten to pull NCLH ships out of Florida if De Santis opposes vaccine mandate.

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/norwegian-could-pull-ships-from-florida/

What is interesting about the article is that the article states that likely Federal Law will usurp the state law regarding not asking if people have been vaccinated as the reason ships might be able to sail from Florida while the Florida law is in effect.

 

Problem is that the White House has already announce that they too will not allow the question about vaccinations to be asked either so the Feds are in agreement with the Florida law so no asking at least for now and if so no ships sailing from Florida as well as Texas and who knows else.

[tipsygirl]

I think I missed that  "the White House has already announce that they too will not allow the question about vaccinations to be asked either". In what context was that announcement made? I know President Biden has stated that the government won't be issuing vaccination passports. Is that what you are referring to?

Not questioning your statement. I just want to clarify my understanding.

[Ladys Mom]

25 minutes ago, rallydave said:

What is interesting about the article is that the article states that likely Federal Law will usurp the state law regarding not asking if people have been vaccinated as the reason ships might be able to sail from Florida while the Florida law is in effect.

 

Problem is that the White House has already announce that they too will not allow the question about vaccinations to be asked either so the Feds are in agreement with the Florida law so no asking at least for now and if so no ships sailing from Florida as well as Texas and who knows else.

I believe this whole question of vaccination proof being required on cruise ships with the support of the Federal government is a moving target like everything related to the Covid crisis.  My recollection is that President Biden said that the Federal government would not create vaccination passports, he said nothing about private organizations (such as a cruise line) requiring them for embarkation.  In fact the CDC said that if passengers and crew were 95-98% vaccinated, then they wouldn't have to go through the test runs.  How else could a cruise line know that a passenger had been vaccinated except by looking at an official document.

[rallydave]

2 minutes ago, tipsygirl said:

Biden has stated that the government won't be issuing vaccination passports. Is that what you are referring to?

Yes and he also said people cannot be asked about being vaccinated   Without being able to ask people about being vaccinated without proof thru difficult to duplicate proof, Regent will not be able to meet their own requirement about everyone being vaccinated nor meet the CDC 85/98% requirement so unless the CDC blinks, no ships will sail from Florida, Texas or other locations where people cannot be asked or prove they have been vaccinated.

 

[tipsygirl]

Regarding vaccination requirements, public schools, including those in Florida and Texas, require verification of a variety of vaccinations for enrollment, and have for years. I checked what is required for verification, and the information on my COVID vaccination card basically follows the requirements from my state (Texas)....name of vaccine, manufacturer, lot number, date given, and vaccine administrator. So requiring vaccinations for certain activities is not a new thing, and verification does not need to rely on the federal government to manage. Yes a COVID vaccination card could be forged, but since shots are free and readily available it seems like just getting the shot is a much easier alternative. Seems like not getting vaccinated for other that health reasons, then getting a forged certificate would be the height of hypocrisy. Not saying it won't happen, just that it seems like a silly idea.

 

We will be sailing shortly on a small ship that sails only in the US. They require vaccinations for boarding, and will also test passengers. I have my card ready, but am also taking my medical record from the hospital that provided my shots as extra verification. 

 

[Pcardad]

Regent will be verifying vaccinations. If this is not allowed in the US, they will not sail in the US. Just my opinion, of course.

[Steve Q]

Not sure if it was posted already, but Frank Del Rio was on CNBC earlier today. The interview will hopefully answer some of the questions. Link is attached below:

 

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/05/06/norwegian-cruise-line-ceo-weve-mandated-100-percent-vaccinations.html

[broberts]

5 hours ago, rallydave said:

Yes and he also said people cannot be asked about being vaccinated   ....

 

Can you provide a link to that remark please. I recall hearing the President say that the government was not interested in issuing vaccination passports. I cannot recall a statement that people could not be asked if they have been vaccinated. A search didn't turn up any hits. Perhaps the context of the comment matters.

[pingpong1]

And just FYI,  FDR is also supposed to be on Neil Cavuto's "Your World" show (Fox News) tomorrow (Friday) at 4PM Eastern Time.  He might be passing on more "good info" to us all.

[PhD-iva]

Texas Governor Abbott has said that no state agency or enterprise that receives state funding can require proof of vaccine status. Specifically also stated that private businesses are not included in that mandate.
NCL can sail out of Galveston!

[rallydave]

9 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Texas Governor Abbott has said that no state agency or enterprise that receives state funding can require proof of vaccine status. Specifically also stated that private businesses are not included in that mandate.
NCL can sail out of Galveston!

Limited docking in Galveston and NCL who announced they would build a new $100,000,000 Terminal to handle Oasis Class ships  have yet to begin work due to lack of ability to fund the project.

[Got2Cruise]

On 5/6/2021 at 8:33 PM, Pcardad said:

Regent will be verifying vaccinations. If this is not allowed in the US, they will not sail in the US. Just my opinion, of course.

Del Rio stated yesterday during earning call that they will move to another home port if Florida doesn’t allow NCL to enforce vaccines. 

[rallydave]

32 minutes ago, Got2Cruise said:

Del Rio stated yesterday during earning call that they will move to another home port if Florida doesn’t allow NCL to enforce vaccines. 

Well doubt any other home ports in the US will work for the 7 day NCL Caribbean trips so soundl like a Caribbean home port making getting there much more difficult and more expensive fir customers.   Anyone else got any good ideas about alternate home ports??

[ronrick1943]

42 minutes ago, Got2Cruise said:

Del Rio stated yesterday during earning call that they will move to another home port if Florida doesn’t allow NCL to enforce vaccines. 

Good for Mr. Del Rio, and I hope he sticks with his statement.  Florida shouldn't have that right-if they try I won't even be cruising out of Florida.  That's just my opinion and my right to choose how and where I spend my money.

[rcandkc]

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

Good for Mr. Del Rio, and I hope he sticks with his statement.  Florida shouldn't have that right-if they try I won't even be cruising out of Florida.  That's just my opinion and my right to choose how and where I spend my money.

I totally agree!  I don’t want to be on a cruise unless vaccines required.  Actually, it would be too risky.  They are private companies...why should a governor decide. 

[BBWC]

1 hour ago, rallydave said:

Well doubt any other home ports in the US will work for the 7 day NCL Caribbean trips so soundl like a Caribbean home port making getting there much more difficult and more expensive fir customers.   Anyone else got any good ideas about alternate home ports??

On the NCL board, they are saying that they are talking to port officials in Savannah and Charleston.

[cscurlock]

On 5/6/2021 at 3:15 PM, rallydave said:

What is interesting about the article is that the article states that likely Federal Law will usurp the state law regarding not asking if people have been vaccinated as the reason ships might be able to sail from Florida while the Florida law is in effect.

 

Problem is that the White House has already announce that they too will not allow the question about vaccinations to be asked either so the Feds are in agreement with the Florida law so no asking at least for now and if so no ships sailing from Florida as well as Texas and who knows else.

This is true to an extent but at the end of the day the cruise lines did not want to jump through the unvaccinated hurdle that has been presented to them for a while now.  So the cruise lines asked the CDC what if everyone was vaccinated and the CDC gave them the option which is easier than going the unvaccinated route.  I am sure the cruise lines could have told the CDC we will jump through hoops but that is money and they don't want to do that.  The cruise lines asked for this NCL CEO was specifically asking this question in March or April.  

[Got2Cruise]

8 hours ago, BBWC said:

On the NCL board, they are saying that they are talking to port officials in Savannah and Charleston.

Yes. And they can always leave out of New York or Baltimore. They’ll adjust the itinerary if they have to. The ball is in DeSantis court ...

[seaknots]

11 hours ago, rallydave said:

Anyone else got any good ideas about alternate home ports??

Havana

[Hanoverian]

Port of Virginia at Norfolk?

[rallydave]

11 hours ago, BBWC said:

On the NCL board, they are saying that they are talking to port officials in Savannah and Charleston.

 

3 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

Yes. And they can always leave out of New York or Baltimore. They’ll adjust the itinerary if they have to. The ball is in DeSantis court ...

2 hours ago, seaknots said:

Havana

 

1 hour ago, Hanoverian said:

Port of Virginia at Norfolk?

I was talking about "Home Porting" which would be for NCL doing weekly cruises all year to the Caribbean out of Florida.  Havana is a non starter Ha Ha. and the others would add at least a day or two each way to and from the Caribbean and in a 7 day cruise nonstarters.  New York/Baltimore/Norfolk would work for weekly cruises to Bermuda or up the New England Coast but, not Canada  Savannah/Charleston might work for northern Caribbean like Bahamas  but, not a good variety as an NCL Home Port.

 

That said any of the ports would work for Regent and Oceania as they don't run the same or similar cruises year around but, not Home Ports which fdr clearly said he was looking to change.  Lots of flies in the ointment for moving out of Florida

 

Alabama and Mississippi on the Gulf Coast might work for less than optimal itineraries for the Home Ports as well but, not Galveston as our Governor has issues an Executive Order similar to DeSantis banning asking for vaccination information.  Lots of changes required if fdr changes home ports outside of Florida.

[broberts]

Cozumel, St Thomas, and San Juan might work as a home ports. The last two have the advantage of being US. All suffer from requiring passports to reach.

[rallydave]

5 minutes ago, broberts said:

Cozumel, St Thomas, and San Juan might work as a home ports. The last two have the advantage of being US. All suffer from requiring passports to reach.

Possibilities but no passports for US Citizens to St Thomas or San Juan.as the are US Territories.  Significant issues for passengers; no driving to port, expensive flight costs and lack of significant number of flights to those destinations.

 

For NCLH increased costs to provision ships in those ports and possibilities of lack of significant docking as those ports are in use for many others and nowhere near the number of docks as in Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral.

 

Really no good answer for NCL weekly cruises and only good answer is for DeSantis and Abbott to allow businesses to ask for proof of vaccination and for the US Government join the rest of the World in developing a tamper proof "Vaccine Passport" or join the EU in their Passport currently close to complete.  It is more than the CDC causing scheduled cruises out of the US from sailing.

 

 

[cwn]

16 minutes ago, rallydave said:

 

 

I was talking about "Home Porting" which would be for NCL doing weekly cruises all year to the Caribbean out of Florida.  Havana is a non starter Ha Ha. and the others would add at least a day or two each way.......

 

Alabama and Mississippi on the Gulf Coast might work for less than optimal itineraries for the Home Ports as well but, not Galveston as our Governor has issues an Executive Order similar to DeSantis banning asking for vaccination information.  Lots of changes required if fdr changes home ports outside of Florida.

I thought Abbott’s order only applied to business fund state and federal monies, not private business. I would cruise serval times a year if Regent offered something out of Galveston.