Norwegian Cruise Line CEO says he’s ‘disappointed’ by lack of government Covid vaccine mandates

  • "I'm so disappointed in government at the local level, state level, federal that we don't have mandates," Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Frank Del Rio told CNBC on Wednesday.
  • Del Rio's company is currently engaged in a legal battle with the state of Florida over its desire to require passengers to be vaccinated against Covid.

Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Frank Del Rio told CNBC on Wednesday he's disheartened by a lack of Covid vaccine mandates by government officials as the delta variant spreads.

"I'm so disappointed in government at the local level, state level, federal that we don't have mandates. Whatever happened to good old leadership in this country? There is a pandemic going on," Del Rio told CNBC's Jim Cramer.

Del Rio not only expressed disappointment at government officials in the U.S., but also around the world.

"We now live in a global world and it doesn't do any good if we're doing one thing everybody else is doing the next," he said in an interview "Mad Money."

Del Rio's comments come after a federal judge ruled Norwegian can require passengers to show proof they are fully vaccinated against Covid, after the cruise operator challenged a Florida law banning such a practice. Florida appealed the ruling. Del Rio told CNBC he was "dumbfounded" by the state's decision to extend the legal tussle.

A number of large corporations have announced vaccine mandates in recent days, including McDonald's on Wednesday for its corporate employees.

"It's got to stop and if we don't take leadership here, this is going to go on forever and ever and ever," Del Rio said. "One way to stop it is to have 100% vaccination in different venues."

To be sure, there have been some government entities taking hardline stances on vaccinations. For example, New York City made headlines last week after announcing it would require proof of vaccination for customers and employees of certain indoor businesses like restaurants, gyms and entertainment centers.

And on Monday, the Pentagon said it would attempt to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for service members no later than mid-September, a move which President Joe Biden supports.

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