DeSantis Wins – Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Drops COVID Vaccination Requirement

The battle over COVID vaccination passports in Florida came down to a reversal by Caribbean Cruise Lines yesterday.  After Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that fined companies $5,000 per incident for requiring COVID vaccination identification Royal Caribbean backed down from the fight.

MIAMI – Royal Caribbean International will no longer require any of its cruise passengers to be vaccinated for COVID-19 as it had previously planned to.

In a press release Friday announcing cruises for sale on eight of its ships from U.S. ports this summer, starting with Freedom of the Seas from PortMiami on July 2, the company said it will recommend passengers get the COVID-19 vaccine, but not require it. The announcement is a reversal from previous statements and vaccine protocols the company submitted to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month that said it would require all passengers at least 18 years old and older to be vaccinated.

[…] The about-face is an apparent submission to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has insisted that there will be no exception made for cruise companies to a newly passed Florida law that fines companies $5,000 each time they ask a patron to provide proof of vaccination. (read more)