Florida, Norwegian Cruise Line Fight Over Site Of ‘Vaccine Passport' Challenge

CBS Miami

August 2, 2021

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and the state of Florida are battling about which court should hear a challenge to the state’s ban on so-called “vaccine passports,” with the cruise operator fighting an attempt to move the case out of South Florida.

Miami-based U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams is scheduled to hear arguments Friday in Norwegian’s request for a preliminary injunction against the vaccine-passport ban, which would prevent the cruise line from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

But Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration last month filed a motion to move the case to the federal Middle District of Florida, where Tampa-based U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has backed the state in another lawsuit challenging Centers for Disease Control and Prevention restrictions on the cruise-ship industry.

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