Norwegian Cruise Line

Federal Judge Blocks Florida Ban on Cruise Line Vaccine Verification

Yesterday evening, Miami federal district court judge Kathleen Williams granted Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ motion for preliminary injunction in its lawsuit filed against Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees in July challenging Florida’s vaccine passports ban.

Florida prohibited businesses in Florida from requiring proof of a

Norwegian Cruise Line Challenges Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccine Passport Ban

The public dispute over requiring vaccinations for cruise travel took a serious turn yesterday. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (HCLH), the parent company for NCL, Oceania and Regent Cruises, sued Florida’s surgeon general, Dr. Scott Rivkees (as head of the Florida Department of Health), alleging that the

Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, received compensation in the staggering amount of $36,400,000 in 2020, consisting primarily of nearly $18,000,000 in stock awards, according to a recent Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing. The news was initially reported by the cruise trade publication Cruise Industry News.

CEO Del

Yesterday, Dr. Scott Gottleib stated on the Face the Nation program that the U.S. will experience a “difficult fall and winter” due to the expanding COVID-19 epidemic. Although medical care for infected patients has resulted in fewer fatalities, Dr. Gottlieb warned that “we’re still going to have a lot of death and disease by the

NCL’s Del Rio – It’s “Absolutely Safe” to Resume Cruising

Royal Caribbean – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)’s “Healthy Sail” Panel made its recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week in an effort to resume cruise operations. Travel magazines, cruise writers, travel bloggers, and even major newspapers excitedly reported on what

Yesterday’s zoom meeting for the tourism and ports committee brought executives for the major cruise lines together with Miami-Dade commissioners. Agenda item number one involved Miami-Dade County Tourism and Ports Committee Chair Rebeca Sosa discussing the “opening plan for the cruise line.”

The problem, of course, is that none of the Miami-based cruise lines in

Costa Favolosa and Costa Deliziosa Crew Members Test Positive for COVID-19

Three Costa Cruise seafarers tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Italian press today. In the last two weeks, over four dozen other crew members employed by AIDA, TUI and Hurtigruten have tested positive.

Costa Favolosa and Costa Deliziosa Crew Members Test Positive

Two

CDC Extends No-Sail Order Through October

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) extended its “No-Sail Order” until October 1st after finding that the cruise lines “continued to allow their crews to attend social gatherings, work out at gyms, and share buffet-style meals,” according to the New York Times. The CDC

Cruise Executives Oppose Reduced Passenger Capacity

Reducing the occupancy of ships once the industry is permitted to return to sailing is an integral first step toward combating the spread of COVID-19. But fewer passengers means fewer cruises fares sold. And most significantly, reduced occupancy means reduced onboard revenue from alcohol sales, casinos, gift shops, specialty

Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line recently announced that they hired a panel of former public health officials to advise the cruise lines regarding how to safely return to cruise operations. Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio announced that they created the “Healthy Sail Panel” to

NCL Consolidates Crew Members Aboard Norwegian Escape

According to crew members who wish to remain anonymous, NCL has assembled employees from several different NCL ships aboard the Norwegian Escape which is sailing to Miami this morning. NCL reportedly took this step to reduce costs involved in the repatriation process.

On Thursday, the company finishing what

Norwegian Gem Ship Doctor Dies Amid COVID-19 Concerns

A cruise ship doctor employed by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)  on the Norwegian Gem died yesterday morning, according to several crew members who wish to remain anonymous. NCL claims he had a heart attack in his sleep. But crew members say he was being treated for pneumonia

NCL CEO Frank Del Rio Earned More Than $17.8 Million in 2019

Norwegian Cruise Line Holding’s CEO Frank Del Rio (photo above, via CNBC, in happier times in 2019) collected $17,808,364 in compensation last year, including $12,201,324 in stock awards and $3,600,000 in incentive plan compensation according to SEC filings. His compensation was down from