Disney Cruise Line Ending Tests For Vaccinated Guests
Disney Cruise Line will soon be ending all testing requirements for fully vaccinated guests! This covers details on the dropping of health safety protocol, exceptions to the rule change, answers to frequently asked questions, and our commentary.
In a statement, Disney Cruise Line prefaced its announcement by offering a reminder that beginning on September 2, 2022, for sailings departing U.S. and Canadian ports, Disney Cruise Line will only require Guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
This comes about one month after the CDC ended its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships. In their place, theres new CDC Guidance for Cruise ships on the Mitigation and Management of COVID-19. The key distinction between the two is that the latter is exactly what the name suggestsguidelines, rather than binding rules. This means that cruise operators like DCL are free to create their own policies.
With that in mind, beginning September 23, 2022, for Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish sailings departing the U.S., fully vaccinated Guests are no longer required to participate in COVID-19 testing.
Unvaccinated Guests will need to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken 1-3 days before the sail date. Unvaccinated Guests will no longer be required to complete a second COVID-19 test at the terminal on embarkation day.
Back-to-Back Sailings
Former Fda Chief Talks When Vaccine Requirement For Cruise Ships Might End
Currently three of the major cruise lines, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line require that guests older than five years of age be fully vaccinated in order to cruise. However, as more amenities return to, and reopen, on cruise ships, there are more and more talks on when cruise lines might end their requirement for proof of vaccination.
On these particular cruise lines, passengers are no longer required to wear facial coverings onboard when indoors while being fully vaccinated. The overall feel of a cruise vacation is slowly returning to that of pre-pandemic times.
Guests are additionally required on many cruise lines to provide a negative COVID-19 test in addition to proof of vaccination. Most cruise lines will accept a negative COVID-19 test that has been taken no more than two days before the cruise sailing.
These requirements are likely to change at some point in the future according to Former Food and Drug Administration Chief Scott Gottlieb, I think that it’s likely to be a requirement that is in place through this fall and winter. Im talking more about CDC and the policy environment. I think that the public health officials – CDC – is going to want to see what the epidemiology of this disease is when it gets to a quote, unquote, normal state, Said Gottlieb in a statement.
The former Food and Drug Administration Chief is also a physician who serves as a chairman with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Sail Safe Council.
What Is The Vaccination Required For My Cruise
Most major cruise lines have dropped or loosened their COVID vaccination policies.
| Cruise line | |
| Carnival Cruise Line | Unvaccinated guests or those who do not provide proof of vaccination must present the results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation. |
| Disney Cruise Line | For sailings departing U.S. and Canadian ports, Disney Cruise Line requires guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing. Fully vaccinated guests must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken one to two days before setting sail to be exempt from embarkation testing at the terminal. |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Guests ages 12 and older will be allowed to board unvaccinated. Unvaccinated guests age 12 and older will be required to show proof of a medically supervised negative PCR or Antigen test taken no more than 72 hours prior to embarkation. |
| Princess | Unvaccinated guests or anyone who does not provide proof of vaccination will need to self-test within three days of sailing and upload proof of a negative test into the MedallionClass app before boarding. |
| Royal Caribbean | Fully vaccinated guests must bring a negative test result for a COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day on sailings that are 6 nights or longer only. Testing is not required for fully vaccinated guests on shorter itineraries. |
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Royal Caribbean Vaccine Policy
As of September 5, 2022, Royal Caribbean will no longer require passengers to be vaccinated to sail if departing from ports in California, Louisiana, and Texas. As well, no vaccine will be required if sailing from Europe. No special request or exemption is need to sail unvaccinated.
Cruises from Florida and other ports of departure will still require the shot for those 12 and older in order to sail for the time being. According to Royal Caribbean’s website, the cruise line is “working with local governments in the Eastern Caribbean to align on vaccination requirements for more itineraries.”
As well, even if not required, Royal Caribbean asks that you still bring proof of vaccination to your cruise.
Carnival Royal Caribbean And Celebrity Cruises Are The Latest To Relax Coronavirus Protocols
Three giant cruise companies are dropping vaccine requirements for some ships, following a wave of recent moves to ease pandemic-era restrictions that precluded some travelers from boarding.
Sister cruise lines Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises said on their websites that as of Sept. 5, everyone regardless of vaccination status would be able to sail on specific cruises as long as they met testing requirements.
For Celebrity, that means cruises leaving from Los Angeles, the United Kingdom and Europe . Royal Caribbean cruises that dont require vaccination include sailings that leave from European ports, Los Angeles, Galveston, Tex. and New Orleans.
Bahamas and Caribbean cruises that leave from Florida ports the busiest in the world still have vaccine rules in place.
Carnival Cruise also announced Friday that unvaccinated guests are welcome on board starting Sept. 6, though they will still need to provide a negative coronavirus test result taken three days before sailing. Proof of vaccination will remain required for cruises to Australia and voyages longer than 16 nights.
Vaccinated guests will no longer need to test, Carnival said, with the exception of sailings to Canada, Bermuda, Greece and Australia, per local guidelines, and on cruises longer than 16 nights.
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Major Cruise Line Drops Vaccine Requirement From Us Ports
- Publish date: Jul 22, 2022 5:26 PM EDT
As the cruise industry has made its way back from its covid-related March 2020 through July 2021 closure, a lot of people have put off cruising until it returned to “normal.” That’s a relative word, however, as your normal and my normal may not be the same.
Some people waited to cruise until masks were no longer required while others won’t step onboard until every covid-related protocol goes away. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control stopped tracking the presence of covid on ships and issued a new set of guidelines for the cruise industry. These included recommendations that ships continue to require pre-cruise testing and for passengers to be vaccinated.
Here’s what the CDC currently recommends when it comes to vaccines.
“CDC recommends all eligible travelers be up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines. In addition to the protection COVID-19 vaccines provide to individual travelers in preventing severe illness or death from COVID-19, having a high proportion of travelers on board who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines reduces the likelihood that cruise ships medical centers are overwhelmed by cases of COVID-19.”
The guidance also makes it clear that 90% is what a “high proportion” of travelers means. That number has come down from 95% and it was generally believed to be a number to account for kids too young to get vaccinated to be onboard.
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Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
All guests on all sailings through the end of 2022 with Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection are required to be fully vaccinated. Booster shots might also be required for entry into the specific country of embarkation as well as the destinations along the itinerary.
Children who are not old enough to be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine must present a negative antigen or PCR test result taken within 72 hours of embarkation.
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Will Cruise Lines Drop Their Vaccine Requirement
While most cruise lines require adults to be vaccinated right now, unvaccinated readers want to know when the vaccine mandate may go away.
There is no definitive answer as to when a vaccine requirement to go on a cruise ship may go away, but at the very least it stands to reason not until the public health emergency ends. As long as Covid-19 remains a pandemic, it seems unlikely cruise lines will change protocols.
As the threat of Covid-19 begins to diminish, there is a possibility cruise lines may relax health protocols, including allowing unvaccinated people to go on a cruise ship.
For now, none of the cruise lines that have a vaccine requirement have announced any plans to rescind that rule in the future.
If Cruises Sail With Vaccinated & Unvaccinated Passengers Is Everything Back To Normal
Even before the dropping of vaccine requirements, the passenger experience on the ship was largely back to normal. Now that vaccine requirements are dropping for many lines, you can say that cruising is now like it was before the pandemic.
Want to have a drink at the bar and chat up your fellow passengers? You can do that. Enjoy dinner, shows, the casino, ports of call, and more. While much has changed behind the scenes, the experience on the ship is largely identical to what it was before.
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Lyan Sierra-Caro, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean International, said the plans to require passengers be vaccinated that the company submitted to the CDC only applied to its test cruises. According to CDC rules, cruise ships that dont meet certain vaccination thresholds for passengers and crew must first do a successful test cruise before they can restart revenue cruises.
Our intention is to comply with all federal, state and local laws, she said via email.
On May 26, the cruise line updated its website to say that passengers 16 years old and older on its cruises from Seattle and The Bahamas are required to be vaccinated. Previously, the website said passengers 16 years old and older on all of the companys U.S. cruises had to meet the requirement.
Do I Need A Vaccine To Cruise Policies For Major Cruise Lines
Do I need a vaccine to cruise? Thats been one of the biggest questions in a return to sailing.
And the good news for many people? The restrictions requiring vaccines are dropping quickly.
As the United States has opened up again following the worst of the pandemic, many people have returned to a normal way of life. That includes things like visiting restaurants or movie theaters, going to a sporting event, and of course, travel.
The good news is that given the vaccines, a milder variant, and prior cases, the amount of serious illness seems lower. As a result, people are able to get back to the things they love and cruises have had a successful restart with millions heading back to sea.
In fact, apart from vaccines and testing, the onboard experience has returned to exactly what it was before the pandemic. Now, a recent shift has led to cruise lines removing those hurdles as well.
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When You Cruise You Have Almost No Rights
If anything, Sublabans case underscores the fact that you have almost no rights when you take a cruise. Your ticket contract gives the cruise line a broad license to add and delete any new rules it wants to. You have practically no remedies.
The cruise industry doesnt want anyone to know about your lack of rights. For example, earlier this year it managed to downplay the most significant revisions of the Passenger Vessel Act in a century. The update forced cruise lines to refund a cruise if delayed by more than three days.
I reviewed the comments on the federal rulemaking, and its clear that someone went to great lengths to bury this rule. Had more people known about it, then the cruise lines wouldnt have gotten such a sweetheart deal a refund after only a three-day delay. Imagine if your airline did that!
What kind of rights do passengers deserve? Well, thats easy.
Cruising With Unvaccinated Kids
Children may or may not be able to cruise, depending on the ship. Norwegian Cruise Line doesn’t allow children under the age of 5 to cruise, for example, because they can’t get vaccinated yet. In the specific event that you have a child turning 5 during the voyage, check in with your cruise line before buying a ticket.
Looking for a family cruise on Disney’s cruise line? Disney Cruise Line became the first cruise line to require passengers as young as 5 to be vaccinated for sailings starting Jan. 13.
While other cruise lines may not officially require vaccinations for kids that young yet, they may in the future. If you’re not comfortable vaccinating your child under 12, hold off on buying them a ticket or get confirmation on a timeline for requirements from your desired cruise line. Remember: Vaccine exemptions and refunds are not guaranteed.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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Carnival Cruise Line Vaccine Policy
Carnival will now allow all passengers — including those who are unvaccinated — to sail freely as of September 6, 2022. This simplifies the requirements to sail.
First and foremost, unvaccinated passengers of any age are allowed to sail the cruise line without having to first apply for an exemption as was previously required. However, before they cruise, those without the shot will need to have a negative test taken within three days of cruising .
There are a few exceptions. Cruises from Australia — or those 16 nights or longer — do still require a passenger be vaccinated to sail.
Vaccinated passengers don’t need to test unless visiting Canada, Bermuda, Greece or Australia and on trips of 16 nights or longer.
You can view Carnival’s latest policies here.
The Current Rules On The Major Ocean Cruise Lines
Note that in some cases, the restrictions may depend on your departure point and the ships home port so always check before sailing. Vaccines are also required to be administered at least 14 days prior to travel.
Azamara*Passengers no longer need to take pre-travel Covid tests except where required by local restrictions. All passengers over the age of 12 must be fully vaccinated. Booster jabs are required where eligible and are considered effective immediately. However, from December 1, 2022, Azamara will no longer require proof of vaccination for sailings starting and ending in the US or sailings starting and ending in Europe. All other sailings require proof of vaccination and booster until further notice.
Carnival Cruise LineFrom September 6 only passengers on sailings to Canada, Bermuda, Greece and Australia, plus cruises of 16 nights or more, need to be fully vaccinated. Vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers can go on all other cruises, with unvaccinated guests showing proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation. Pre-boarding tests are not required for vaccinated guests.
From September 5, passengers sailing from the UK, Europe and the US will no longer need to be vaccinated. However, a pre-travel Covid test is required for those who are unvaccinated. A pre-travel Covid test is still required for all sailings longer than six nights.
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Can A Cruise Line Force You To Get Vaccinated
But wait, can a cruise line or any travel business force you to get vaccinated? Can it keep your money if you dont comply with a new rule?
A look at NCLs latest ticket contract suggests the answer is yes:
Agreement to Abide by Current COVID-19 Policies and Procedures.
Carriers COVID-19 Policies and Procedures are subject to guidance and directives of established health authorities in the U.S. and other destinations where the Vessel visits, including the CDC and other international, national and local health agencies when the Vessel is within those agencies jurisdiction.
Guest acknowledges that these directives may change from time to time and that Carriers COVID-19 Policies and Procedures may therefore change. Guest expressly agrees to comply not only with the COVID-19 Policies and Procedures as they are described herein, but also as they are set forth on Carriers website at https://www.ncl.com/safe, at all times including pre-embarkation, while onboard, during port calls and shore excursions and/or final disembarkation. In case of any conflict between the COVID-19 Policies and Procedures described herein or on Carriers website, the website governs.
Guests agreement to abide by Carriers COVID-19 Policies and Procedures constitutes an integral part of this Ticket Contract.
But that wasnt the ticket contract he agreed to in 2019 when he originally booked the cruise. In fact, there was no mention of COVID-19.