Florida’s ban on vaccine passports is a new problem in the return of cruise lines. Florida’s law prevents cruise lines from asking passengers about their vaccination status. However, Florida isn’t the only state that banned vaccine passports. Texas is also following Florida’s move.
Texas Governor Greg Abbot was asked what he thinks about cruises leaving Florida and sailing out of Galveston. He tweeted that he signed a new law that prohibits businesses from asking for proof of vaccination. This law is a follow-up to the executive order in April that also prevents organizations and state agencies from asking for vaccine information. Unlike the executive order in April, this new law will include private companies.
He tweets: “I’m signing a law today that prohibits any business operating in Texas from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information”. He added that “Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements”.
Proof of Vaccination Needed to Avoid Simulated Voyages
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires ships to have a certain percentage of vaccinated passengers and crew members. If cruise lines can’t have 95% of passengers and 95% crew fully vaccinated, they will have to conduct a simulated voyage before sailing with paying passengers.
Cruises are in a tricky situation since they want to restart their operation without being labeled as a super spreader event.
Carnival Cruise Line is set to return in early July in Port Galveston. Carnival Cruise Line announced that the trips will only be available to guests that received complete doses of the COVID19 vaccine at least 14 days before the start of the cruise. Plus, they will also require proof of vaccination.
Norwegian, on the other hand, is returning to Florida by August. Similar to Carnival, Norwegian is in the same tricky situation since they also require guests and crew to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before departure.
