Cruise Lines Require Vaccinations Tests Amid Virus Surge
MIAMI Joel Steckler was eager for his first cruise in more than a year and a half, and he chose the ship that just two months ago became the first to accept passengers again after a long pandemic shutdown.
Steckler was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and that was enough to resume cruising, under initial guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Now, the 63-year-old from Long Island, New York, is going to postpone the trip he had planned for Saturday amid new, tighter guidelines prompted by the delta-variant-fueled surge in cases and breakthrough infections.
You just have to make a personal decision, said Steckler, who takes medication that suppresses his immune system and changed his plans after consulting his doctor. You dont want to be in a position where you are sick on a cruise and you have to fly home or somehow get home.
Some cruise lines and cruise destinations are also revising their own guidelines.
The companies are also once again requiring masks in indoor areas of the ships and other places where people gather.
Cruise Lines That Dont Require Covid Vaccines
Do you have to be vaccinated to go on a cruise? The answer is quickly changing, but it depends.
The long answer is that vaccine requirements vary by cruise line, cruise ship, and departure port/destination. Currently, major cruise lines are re-evaluating their Covid protocols, including requiring passengers to be vaccinated. This is largely in part due to Covid becoming far less deadly, and society’s desire to move past the lockdowns and restrictions.
Many U.S.-based cruise lines restarted cruises with mainly vaccinated guests, and the vaccination requirement remains in place for these lines. Some lines have even begun requiring children be vaccinated, such as Disney Cruise Line. Royal Caribbean, on the other hand, allows unvaccinated kids on their ships. However, lines that planned to welcome unvaccinated adults have had to get stricter about vaccine requirements to adhere to new government policies.
Heres the current list of cruise lines that do not require Covid vaccines to sail, for travelers who cannot or choose not to get the shot.
August 22, 2022
Grand Circle Cruise Line
Where they sail: Grand Circle Cruise Line sails small ships and river cruises all over the world, including an extensive list of European itineraries. The company plans to start sailing again in August, including to Greece, Turkey, and Italy.
Who needs the vaccine: All guests and crew are required to be fully vaccinated with the booster shot.
What other safety measures are in place: All ships have been equipped with High Efficiency Particular Air filters and buffets have been eliminated. The cruise line states some itineraries will require proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to travel, and that instructors will be sent out 30 days prior to travel.
Find out more: Grand Circle Cruise Line
Read Also: Where Are Disney Cruise Ships Now
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.
Norwegian Cruise Line Vaccine Policy
Starting September 3, 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line no longer requires passengers to be vaccinated to sail.
After that date, all passengers under 12 years and younger will be free to sail without needing a vaccine or requiring a test before boarding. In other words, it will be just as it was before the pandemic for kids
Passengers over 12 years old will no longer require a Covid test to cruise if they are vaccinated. If unvaccinated, passengers are now able to still cruise but must have a negative test taking within 72 hours of embarkation.
Note that there are still vaccine/testing requirements from ports including Greece, Canada, and Bermuda.
You can view NCL’s latest policies here.
Recommended Reading: What To Do On St Thomas From Cruise Ship
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.
Shutterstock
Can I Get The Shot The Day Before I Sail Or Just One Dose
No. Cruise lines make it clear that passengers must be fully vaccinated. That means having both doses of a two-dose shot 14 days before embarking on the ship. A single shot of the Johnson & Johnson dose is ok, but still requires receiving it well in advance of sailing.
In other words, this is not something you want to put off until the last minute.
Also Check: Galveston Texas Hotels Near Cruise Port
How Do I Prove That I’m Vaccinated If It’s Required
In many cases even though passengers can now sail without the shot, proof is still needed if you are vaccinated. That’s because passengers with the vaccine often don’t need to test before sailing, while those without it still need to test negative before sailing.
The easiest way to show you’ve been vaccinated is to hang on to the white CDC vaccination card you should have received when you got the shot. We suggest keeping the original in a safe place and also making a copy so that you can always have a version should something happen to the original.
Some cruise lines will accept a digital record of your dose or an image of your shot card. To be sure, however, all cruise lines will accept the paper card, making it the easiest way to prove you’ve had the vaccine.
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.
Read Also: What Cruise Lines Match Loyalty Programs
Can I Go On A Cruise Without Being Vaccinated Or Take A Pre
Jeannine Williamson
Thursday September 22 2022, 11:52am
Most major cruise lines still require passengers to be fully vaccinated, including having the relevant booster jabs. Norwegian Cruise Line*, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean* International, for example, are all headquartered in the US, which means they must follow the guidelines set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even when theyre sailing outside of the country. Vaccine requirements are starting to change, however. The CDC updated its guidelines on July 18 so that vaccination is no longer a requirement instead, its merely recommended. A number of cruise lines have reviewed their policies following the change. Heres what you need to know.
Main photo: a cruise ship docked near Grand Turk Island
*This article contains affiliate links.
All products and brands mentioned in this article are selected by our writers and editors based on first-hand experience or customer feedback. We feature properties from a specially selected list of trusted operators who are of a standard that we believe our readers expect. This article contains links which are ads and if you click on a link and buy a product we will earn revenue. These links are signposted with an asterisk. The revenue generated will help us to support the content of this website and to continue to invest in our award-winning journalism.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Where they sail: Regent Seven Seas offers all-inclusive luxury cruises around the globe, which include perks like free airfare, free excursions, and complimentary unlimited drinks on board.
Who needs the vaccine: All guests are now welcome. Unvaccinated passengers will be required to test 3-days before embarkation.
What other safety measures are in place: Pre-departure testing may not be necessary depending on the port. Currently cruises leaving from Bermuda, Canada, and Greece will require a test.
Also Check: What Is The Best Cruise For Kids
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.
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
Read Also: Best Room On Cruise Ship
American Queen Steamboat Company
Who Needs to Be Vaccinated: All passengers, no exceptions, need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Are Any Unvaccinated Passengers Able to Sail? No.
Is A Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Test Required? All passengers will undergo a complimentary COVID-19 test during the pre-cruise hotel stay prior to embarkation.
Is A Pierside, Pre-Embarkation COVID-19 Test Required? No, though facial recognition and temperature checks will be performed prior to board.
Masks and Physical Distancing Requirements: Masks are not required.
Crew Vaccinated?: Yes — American Queen is even vaccinating its shoreside employees.
Virgin Voyages Welcomes Unvaccinated Passengers
The three major cruise lines sailing from U.S. ports — Royal Caribbean International , Carnival Cruise Lines CCL, and Norwegian Cruise Line NCLH — still require pre-cruise covid tests taken no more than two days before your cruise and that all guests ages 12-and-over provide proof of vaccination.
Virgin Voyages, a fledgling cruise line sailing one of its two ships, the Scarlet Lady, out of Miami, dropped the pre-cruise testing requirement after the CDC stopped monitoring covid on cruise ships. Now, the cruise brand owned by billionaire Richard Branson has quietly decided to allow some unvaccinated “sailors,” as it calls its passengers, on its upcoming voyages.
The company shared that information in an email that was sent to people booked on upcoming sailings.
“Were still requiring that the majority of Sailors be vaccinated, but were opening up our voyages for a limited number of unvaccinated Sailors to join us. Our Crew will remain fully vaccinated as they are now. As always, your safety is our first priority, so we will continue with our other protocols to keep you well while enjoying your relaxing vacation,” the cruise line shared in the email.
Don’t Miss: How Much Are Cruises On Average
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.
Travel Health Insurance And Evacuation Insurance
You should check with your regular health insurance company to see if your policy will cover any medical care you might need in another country or on board the ship. If not, you can purchase travel health insurance to cover you during your trip.
Also, look for gaps in your insurance coverage. For example, your health insurance might not cover medical evacuation if you cannot receive needed treatment where you are. Evacuation by air ambulance can cost $50,000$100,000 and must be paid in advance by people who do not have insurance. You can buy medical evacuation insurance to be sure you will have access to emergency care. See more information on travel health insurance.
Also Check: Which Cruise Lines Go To Hawaii
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.
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.
Don’t Miss: Cruise Lines Without Vaccine Requirements
Disney Cruise Line Update: No Covid Vaccine Requirement Opens Travel To Everyone
Disney Cruise Line joins the majority of cruise operators that have done away with COVID-19 vaccination requirements on some ships.
The cruise line said COVID vaccines will no longer be required for passengers 12 and older on the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Wonder cruise ships starting on Oct. 14. The Disney Magic cruise ship will make the change on Nov. 7.
Disney rolled back its COVID vaccine requirement for passengers aged 5 to 11 in early September. Disney said that changes to the policies are subject to local rules.
With the update, Disney will require passengers aged 5 and older who are unvaccinated to provide a negative COVID test taken one to two days prior to embarkment. The cruise line said it will accept an antigen, PCR, or Nucleic Acid Amplification Test test.
For passengers who are 5 and older and fully vaccinated, a COVID test is not required, but proof of vaccination is needed. Children who are aged 4 or younger do not need vaccination proof or a COVID test.
Disney Cruise Lines joins Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, and Holland America Line, which no longer require vaccinations on most sailings. Costa Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea Cruises have also dropped their vaccination policies with some exceptions.
Also Check: Best Hotels Near Miami Cruise Port