TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The state of Florida stands by its "vaccine passport" ban and will fine Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings if it demands the COVID-19 vaccination status of passengers, the Governor's Office said in a statement Wednesday.

Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in South Florida seeking a temporary injunction to the state of Florida’s vaccine passport ban so it can resume sailing from Miami on Aug. 15.

The 19-page complaint filed by Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings against the Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, in his official capacity and as head of the Florida Department of Health, states that requesting passengers' vaccination status is designed to protect the health and safety of its personnel and passengers and that it can and will by requiring proof of the shots. The complaint states NCLH could stop operating in the state if a judge does not issue an injunction against Florida’s ban on "vaccine passports."

The company said in its lawsuit that Florida’s vaccine passport ban places the Miami-based company in an "impossible dilemma as it prepares to set sail from Florida: NCLH will find itself either on the wrong side of health and safety and the operative federal legal framework, or else on the wrong side of Florida law."

NCLH is the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Lines, Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises. The company also has ships that sail out of Port Canaveral.

In its response to the lawsuit, the Governor's Office did not back down from its vaccine passport ban.

“In its upcoming sailings Norwegian Cruise Line has made the disappointing and unlawful choice to join the CDC in discriminating against children and other individuals who cannot be vaccinated or who have opted not to be vaccinated for reasons of health, religion, or conscience," Press Secretary Christina Pushaw said in an email statement.

"... Norwegian’s meritless lawsuit relies upon the continued existence of the CDC’s Conditional Sailing Order that has kept its business closed all year. Additionally, and most importantly, a federal court recently struck down the CDC’s Conditional Sailing order as an egregious abuse of federal power."

The statement went on to say, "This Administration will not tolerate such widespread discrimination. Therefore, Norwegian faces a $5,000 fine from whom they demand a vaccination status.”

Cruise travelers and travel agents said they would be disappointed but not surprised if NCLH moved its cruises from Florida.

“It might have a slight economic impact on Florida," travel agent Vici Sheffield said. "We would certainly miss the NCL ships if they are not coming into Port Canaveral or Port of Miami. I do believe there is enough of the cruise ships that will fill up that and fill that void.”

Marie Pecorella, who has taken more than 30 cruises, said she is vaccinated and does not mind showing proof of her shots but is not surprised by Norwegian’s recent lawsuit over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' order banning companies from asking about passengers' COVID-19 vaccination status.

“They are regimented in terms of (how) people get to dinner, how to leave the ship, and giving instruction," said Pecorella, who has been on Norwegian cruises twice and says she cannot wait to take her next cruise out of Port Canaveral. "It doesn't surprise me that they want the sameness out of all their passengers.”

Florida has challenged the U.S. government’s requirement of so-called vaccine passports, with which passengers prove they have received a COVID-19 vaccination.

DeSantis in April issued an executive order that banned local governments and state businesses from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for services. DeSantis said he signed the ban to protect Floridians’ rights to medical privacy.

Despite an increases in the COVID-19 positivity rates in Florida and the United States, some other cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, are allowing unvaccinated people on board. However, they must follow strict guidelines and will be required to have travel insurance.

Sheffield said she does not believe the lawsuit or restrictions for unvaccinated passengers will push more people to get vaccinated.

“People feel strongly one way or another," she said. "In this case, I don't think it will (change) that. The cruise lines are cruising and allowing unvaccinated people to cruise.”

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Sajid Chaudhary encourages anyone going on cruise ships to be vaccinated.

“It's a confined space," Chaudhary said. "(If) even one case is infected, it's definitely going to infect other people on the cruise.”

Read it: Norwegian sues Florida over vaccine passport ban