Last May, we posted about a threat by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) to pull its ships from Florida ports after the Florida legislature passed a law prohibiting businesses from asking whether employees or customers have been vaccinated against Covid-19, contradicting certain CDC guidelines to resume cruise operations. The law, championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, slaps businesses with a fine of $5,000 per violation for asking customers to prove they were inoculated against the coronavirus.

NCL’s intended policy is to require 100% vaccinations for guests and crew members in each port it sails out of around the world. NCL subsequently sued the State of Florida over the law.

On Sunday, a preliminary injunction was granted by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami to allow NCL to require that passengers show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination before boarding any of its ships in Florida.

NPR reports that Williams’ decision also allows Norwegian to proceed with its first trip from Miami since the pandemic widely disrupted the cruise line industry in March 2020. Norwegian Cruise Lines is one of several companies that sail from ports in Florida.

Confirmed coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Florida are at an all-time high as the delta variant surges around the nation and the world. On Sunday, approximately 1 in 4 hospital beds in Florida had a COVID-19 patient in it.