What This Means For You
If youre considering booking a cruise this holiday season, assess your risk level based on your health status. If you do decide to set sail on a ship, take precautions before and during your trip to avoid getting sick. In the occasion of an outbreak on board, listen closely to instructions. If you feel sick, be sure to report your illness to the crew.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.
Carnival Cruise Line Removes Pre
MIAMI /PRNewswire/ — Carnival Cruise Line today announced protocol updates that meet public health goals but recognize the evolving nature of COVID-19. With these changes, America’s Cruise Line is making it easier for more guests to sail with simplified vaccination and testing guidelines, including no testing for vaccinated guests on sailings less than 16 nights, and eliminating the exemption request process for unvaccinated guests, who will only need to show a negative test result at embarkation. All new guidelines are effective for cruises departing on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 or later, and include:
- Vaccinated guests must continue to provide evidence of their vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required, except for cruises to Canada Australia , and on voyages 16 nights or longer.
- Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail and are no longer required to apply for a vaccine exemption, except for cruises in Australia or on voyages 16 nights and longer.
- 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.
- All policies are subject to local destination regulations.
Note: Guests under the age of five years are exempt from vaccination and testing requirements from the United States and under the age of 12 from Australia .
ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Visit: www.aida.de
Star Clippers Lifts Covid Vaccine Mandates For Cruise Passengers
Star Clippers announced a new set of health & safety protocols with regard to the prevention of COVID for their fleet of tall clipper ships.
The protocols are based on recommendations from the global government and health authorities.
Effective at the beginning of the winter Caribbean & Central American sailing season, the cruise line will no longer require passengers to be vaccinated against COVID.
Non-vaccinated guests will need to present “a negative antigen test, performed within 48 hours of embarkation, or a negative RT-PCR test, performed within 72 hours of embarkation.”
The COVID test must be administered by an authorized party. Home tests will not be accepted.
Passengers who are fully vaccinated with at least all COVID primary series vaccine doses are no longer required to present a negative antigen/PCR test upon embarkation. The company will require proof by way of the original COVID vaccination documents issued by the relevant health authority of the country.
The policy is issued in conjunction with continued advanced hygiene protocols including the use of air purifiers, regular disinfecting of public areas, and ongoing training of crew members for symptom detection/response.
Star Clippers adheres to the highest health & safety policy, closely following the United States’ Public Health guidelines.
Also Check: Greek Island Cruises From Athens
Why Cruise Lines Are Dropping Their Vaccine Mandates
At the end of May, Celebrity Cruises’ sibling brand Royal Caribbean announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all guests. But like Celebrity, this mandate was rolled back in early June for all cruises sailing out of Florida and Texas.
There’s one common reason for these reversals of vaccine mandates: the ban on vaccine passports in states like Florida and Texas, which has created a heated standoff between cruise lines and the states.
In April, DeSantis issued an executive order in Florida banning vaccine passports and prohibiting local business – including cruise lines – from requiring them. And one month later, the state passed a law to ban vaccine passports starting July 1.
This means any company that violates this proof-of-vaccination ban could be fined $5,000 for each customer.
“Gov. DeSantis has stated many times that allowing private businesses to require ‘vaccine passports’ for Floridians taking part in everyday life – attending sporting events, dining at restaurants, or even going on cruises – would create two unequal classes of citizens based on vaccination status,” Pushaw wrote in her statement to Insider. “This would be unethical and harmful for society.”
Read the original article on Business Insider
Carnival Cruise Lines Covid Requirements
Carnival allows unvaccinated guests to return to sailing. All unvaccinated guests ages 2 and older are required to receive a lab-administered PCR or antigen test up to 3 days before sailing. The following voyages require guests, age 12 and older, to be fully vaccinated. In addition, all guests, age 18 and older, who are more than 6 months past the last dose of their initial vaccine series must be boosted in order to sail:
- Carnival Pride® and Carnival Celebration Europe All 2022 departures
- Carnival Splendor® 23-day Carnival Journey September 6, 2022
- Carnival Spirit® 16-day Carnival Journey September 20, 2022
Other cruises have limited space for vaccine exempt guests through December 2022. Vaccine exemptions are limited to a small number of guests who are over age 5. Each sailing is unvaxxed capacity-controlled based on the total number of vaccinated guests projected to be on board. Children under five are not required to apply for a vaccine exemption. However, they must still follow requirements for unvaccinated guests, including pre-cruise and onboard testing. Requests are not guaranteed and will be processed after the booking is paid in full, in sailing date order, and once we have finalized the estimated vaccinated guest count.
Vaccinated passengers still must present a medically supervised negative covid antigen or rapid pcr test before sailing.
Find an update to carnival covid-19 requirements here.
You May Like: How Long Does It Take To Cruise To Hawaii
What You Need To Know
- Check if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before cruise ship travel.
- If you have a medical condition or are taking medication that weakens your immune system, you might NOT be fully protected even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk before travel. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking precautions.
- The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships. If the virus is spreading on board a cruise ship, passengers and crew are at risk for infection.
- Check directly with your cruise line about their testing or vaccination protocols before travel.
- If your cruise line does not have a testing requirement, get tested for current infection with a COVID-19 viral test as close to time of cruise departure as possible .
- Get tested again with a COVID-19 viral test 3-5 days after your cruise.
Virgin Voyages Updates Protocols And Removes Vaccine Mandate
Virgin Voyages updates its protocols to align with other cruise lines operating from the U.S. and allowing unvaccinated guests to sail.
Following the example set by a majority of cruise lines in the past weeks, Virgin Voyages has made various updates to its health and safety protocols. The cruise line will no longer require guests to be fully vaccinated, with only unvaccinated guests needing to provide a negative test result.
Virgin Voyages became the first cruise line to remove pre-cruise testing in July 2022 but seemed to have waited to see how other cruise lines fared with removing the mandatory vaccination status. The new protocols will come into effect later this month.
Read Also: What To Pack For Alaska Cruise
Carnival Corporation & Plc
Carnival Corporations cruise lines have amended their own vaccine and testing requirements.
Carnival Cruise Line amended its requirements for a second time on August 24, going into effect for sailings beginning on September 6. Fully vaccinated guests on cruises 16 nights or less no longer need to test, while unvaccinated guests over the age of five can cruise as long as they provide a recent negative COVID-19 test result. Self-tests without medical supervision are now welcome on most cruises, except those in destinations that require other requirements, like in Fiji or Bermuda.
There may be restrictions or exceptions to both rules depending on specific destinations.
Princess Cruises will make it easier for travelers to meet its testing and vaccination requirements beginning September 6. Like Carnival, guests taking a Princess Cruise sailing under 16 nights long will only need to provide proof of full vaccination, while unvaccinated guests are required to test and upload proof of their result prior to embarkation.
As always, there are countries where all guests will be required to be vaccinated and even provide COVID-19 tests before entering, like Canada, Greece and Australia. Guests booking these cruises will be notified of the requirements.
Children aged four and under do not need to adhere to any of the above rules.
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.
Don’t Miss: What Cruise Lines Sail Out Of Tampa Fl
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line requires all guests 12 and older to be fully vaccinated and present proof of vaccination.
Cruisers ages 3 through 11 must provide negative Covid test results from a PCR test taken within 72 hours of sailing and take an antigen test at the cruise terminal on embarkation day at their family’s expense. The cost is $75 per person for this test at the terminal.
If guests are unable to provide a PCR test, one can be done at the port. The cost of this is $150 per person non-refundable and will be charged to their onboard account.
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s original policy was that unvaccinated travelers should get tested at least three days before their trip, as well as after. The cruise line recommends all unvaccinated travelers self quarantine for a week after travel.
In addition, the Bahamas requires Cruise & Stay and one-way travelers to Freeport to present a Bahamas Health Travel Visa.
A Quick Cruise Line Guide To Covid Requirements
Heres a rundown of the basic rules for some leading cruise lines. Note: There may be additional requirements if you are traveling internationally, and the rules can changesometimes overnight. Be sure to review the latest requirements prior to boarding.
American Queen VoyagesOn this lines river, ocean, Great Lakes and expedition ships, all passengers are required to be vaccinated. A precruise test is no longer required on the river ships. On ocean, lakes, and expedition ships that visit Canada, there is a free COVID-19 test at the precruise hotel check-in on the day prior to embarkation until further notice. Guests may also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test by an accredited third-party with results from within two days of embarkation, if they choose.
Celebrity CruisesBeginning September 5, all passengers regardless of vaccination status can cruise from the U.K., Europe, and Los Angeles. Otherwise, vaccines are required for passengers age 12 and up. No precruise testing is required for vaccinated guests on sailings of five nights or less. Testing is required on sailings of six nights or more. Unvaccinated guests are required to be tested.
CunardAll guests age 16 and up must be vaccinated, including with booster shots. Children age 12 to 15 must have received two initial doses of the vaccination. All passengers age 4 and up must take a prearrival test and show a negative result to board.
You May Like: American Cruise Lines Columbia And Snake River
Celebrity Cruise Lines Covid Requirements
As of August 8, 2022 only children under 12 are welcome as unvaccinated guests on Celebrity cruise lines when leaving the United States. Otherwise all guests must be fully vaccinated 14 days before departure. For those who are unvaccinated, pre-embarkation testing is required
Testing is still required for some cruises. For all sailings 5 nights or less, no testing is required for vaccinated guests. For all sailings 6 nights or longer, vaccinated guests must present a digital or physical copy of a supervised and negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken within 3 days prior to sailing. Antibody tests are not accepted.
Vaccines Masks And Testing: What Cruise Lines Require Now
Cruise lines have begun modifying their vaccination and testing policies surrounding COVID-19, with numerous cruise lines once again allowing unvaccinated passengers to set sail as of September 2022, provided they test negative for COVID-19 first.
Also, fully vaccinated passengers now no longer need to provide a negative COVID-19 test prior to setting sail on many voyages.
Keep in mind, however, that policies on testing and vaccination requirements vary from cruise line to cruise line, and that sailings to, from, or calling on ports in Canada, Bermuda, Greece, Australia and New Zealand will still require most passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
As protocols change rapidly, here is our rundown of current cruise line COVID-19 practices and policies:
Don’t Miss: Cruise America Salt Lake City
Unvaccinated Guests Return To Cruising
Starting September 3, 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line Parent company is adjusting the required pre-cruise testing and vaccination protocols for all cruises, with the new guidelines taking effect September 3, 2022. The new guidelines effect NCL, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas. Under the new rules, Unvaccinated passengers ages 12 and older must still present a medically supervised negative PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hours before sailing. Children under 12 will not have to present negative Covid-19 tests, regardless of vaccination status. Do note, that some countries still require covid-19 testing for sailing. If this is the case, you still need a negative test or be vaccinated. Be sure to double check or work with a travel agent to ensure youre meeting the requirements of the cruise you are considering.
Some cruise lines are still limiting the number of unvaccinated guests onboard. Its important to note if the cruise line has a limit of unvaccinated guests. Especially if you are unvaccinated. The industry is still recovering and working under a patchwork of regulations. Below are the current requirements, as August 9, 2022 by cruise line.
Disney Cruise Line Dropping Vaccine Mandate For All Passengers
Disney Cruise Line will soon be dropping its vaccination mandate one of the last large-ship cruise lines to do so. Starting October 14 for Disney Wonder, Dream, Fantasy, and Wish and November 7 for Disney Magic, the line will no longer require that any guests are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing.
All passengers ages five and older who are not fully vaccinated will need to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken one to two days before embarkation day to sail. Kids four and younger do not require testing.
To be exempt from testing requirements, fully vaccinated guests must upload proof of vaccination to the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website no later than midnight prior to embarkation day.
Unvaccinated guests must upload a negative COVID-19 test result to the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day.
For upload, parents or legal guardians will need to use their own account to provide this information on behalf of minors. It does not need to be done for kids four and younger.
Passengers should also bring a copy of their proof of vaccination or negative test result with them to the port, although this isnt required.
MORE: Canada Will Soon Drop Its COVID-19 Entry Requirements
You May Like: Should You Get Cruise Insurance
Find Out The Cruise Vaccination Requirements For Your Next Voyage
Its understandable why many voyagers can get muddled on what they need to do in relation to COVID-19 vaccination requirements for their next cruise. As with any rapidly changing scenario like this one, laws, and regulations change at a rapid pace, and this often affects your cruise vaccination requirements as well. In turn, each operator has prepared their own cruise vaccination policy that is designed to work across all destinations they service. If you want to ensure you have a worry-free voyage, we strongly suggest reading these cruise health policies carefully. Not sure where to go? Have no fear, we provide all the relevant links and information you need for all of the major cruise lines below.
What To Know Before You Cruise
Vaccine and pretrip testing requirements can be confusing, especially if you are cruising internationally. Cruise lines have their own rules countries have their own rules. And the rules are constantly changing.
Before your trip, you will need to review your cruise lines health and safety protocols. You may be required to arrive at your ship with a negative COVID-19 test result in hand or not. And you may have to be vaccinated or not. Depending on the cruise line, fully vaccinated can mean having received the original series at least 14 days prior to your cruise, or the original series plus a booster shot.
In you are an unvaccinated adult, some cruise lines will now let you sail, others will not. If you are allowed onboard, you will need to be tested precruise, which is required for unvaccinated children as well.
Don’t Miss: What’s The Best Cruise Line For Families
Cruise Vaccine Requirements & Policies
Before you sail away on your next adventure, we at Cruise Guru strongly recommend you check that youve met all cruise vaccine requirements well before the voyage. With much discussion about cruises and vaccines, it can quite become quite confusing to determine your specific cruise vaccination requirements. Not to worry, we provide a complete breakdown of your chosen cruise lines cruise vaccination policy below.