Skelton Cline said the behaviour of the Florida Governor should not be applauded and celebrated and described it as ‘ignoramus’ behaviour.

“I hate to have to be crude about it but there’s no nice way to say this stuff. It’s just silly,” he said.

DeSantis recently signed an executive order banning the use of COVID passports in Florida, which is home to the largest and busiest cruise ports in the world.

According to the CNN, the order prohibits any government entity from issuing vaccine passports and blocks cruise lines from requiring any such documentation. Companies will be fine $5,000 for each passenger they ask to provide proof of vaccination.

The order states that individual COVID-19 vaccination records are private health information and should not be shared by a mandate.

DeSantis also reportedly said: “It’s completely unacceptable for either the government or the private sector to impose upon you the requirement that you show proof of vaccine to just simply be able to participate in normal society.”

Most of BVI’s cruise calls come out of Florida

Commenting on the issue on his Honestly Speaking radio show, Skelton Cline said most of the BVI’s cruises arrive from ports in Florida, including Miami and Cape Canaveral.

“Do you know what happens if a bunch of unvaccinated or half-vaccinated persons get on a ship?” Skelton Cline asked rhetorically. “We’ve seen this movie before. We saw this movie last February [and] March. We saw ships stranded on the oceans.”

“Now how in God’s name, how in good conscience are you going to now suggest or allow persons to get on a cruise ship unvaccinated?” Skelton Cline asked.

He said the public health system of whatever these cruise ports these ships eventually visit will continue to be at a heightened state as a result of the Florida Governor’s executive order.

He further argued that cruises should already be aware that it only takes one COVID-19 infected passenger to negatively affect the bottom line of a cruise line.

Skelton Cline said the BVI is already challenged to achieve herd immunity with its current vaccine rollout, and this would be an unnecessary additional burden to be added.

The BVI has approved the arrival of cruise vessels with fully vaccinated passengers and crew, starting this month.