Are All Unvaccinated Travelers Eligible To Apply For An Exemption
No. In many cases, vaccine exemptions are reserved for children too young to be vaccinated and adults who are ineligible to get the vaccine for medical reasons.
For example, the above holds true for all Carnival cruises to the Caribbean from Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, and Texas homeports. However, Carnival cruises from Long Beach will allow exemptions for kids and as required by law .
If you have simply decided not to get the vaccine at this time, you are ineligible to request a vaccine exemption to go on a cruise.
Do You Have To Be Vaccinated To Go On A Cruise
The rules keep changing when it comes to cruising during Covid. The number of unvaccinated cruisers allowed onboard, mask mandates, and testing requirements are constantly in flux. Plus, different cruise lines and destinations have differing health policies and protocols.
Below weve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about cruising during a pandemic. We will update this story as cruise lines revisit their sailing requirements. The guidance is based on U.S. travelers departing from U.S. homeports, except where noted.
Royal Caribbean Sets 2021 Cruises In Florida Texas And Alaska
- The cruise line said all crew members will be vaccinated against Covid-19.
- Passengers 16 and older on cruises to Alaska will also be required to be vaccinated.
- The requirement will be expanded to cover Alaska-bound passengers 12 and over starting Aug. 1.
In this article
Royal Caribbean International said Friday that eight of its ships will resume U.S. voyages in July and August with trips leaving ports in Florida, Texas and Washington state.
The cruise line said all crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Passengers 16 and older on cruises to Alaska will also be required to be vaccinated. The requirement will be expanded to cover Alaska-bound passengers 12 and over starting Aug. 1.
For other trips passing through U.S. water, Royal Caribbean said that passengers are “strongly recommended” to get vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers must be tested for the virus and follow other measures that will be announced later, the company said.
Royal Caribbean said that its first U.S. sailing since March 2020 will leave Miami on July 2 on the Freedom of the Seas.
The company said that over the following six weeks, five other ships will sail the Caribbean after leaving from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral, Florida, and Galveston, Texas. Two ships will sail from Seattle to Alaska.
Summer cruises to Alaska have also been
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Portmiami In Miami Florida
Aerial view of PortMiami
Thanks to its diverse cultural influences, stunning beaches, and exhilarating neighborhoods, Miami is the perfect place to set sail to a variety of destinations. PortMiami is conveniently located within 30 minutes of Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale Airport. Hosting more than 20 cruise lines, PortMiami makes it easy for you to find a ship and an itinerary that works for you.
You can sail from the vibrant city of Miami as early as July 2021 aboard Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and MSC Cruises. All three cruise lines are offering from three up to seven-night sailings on beautiful shipsideal whether you need a short escape or a full week of adventures.
For the latest updates regarding PortMiamis reopening, please visit the ports official website.
When Will More Unvaccinated Cruisers Be Allowed Onboard Cruise Ships
Its unclear. The cruise lines follow guidance from the CDC and the governments of the destinations they visit, and update their health and safety protocols accordingly.
At press time, Royal Caribbean plans to follow its existing vaccination and testing protocols through November 1, 2021 Carnival and Norwegian have extended theirs through December 31. Princess and Holland America will have current protocols in place through February 28, 2022. Disney and MSC dont have end dates listed on their health advisory web pages.
Its highly unlikely that cruise lines will relax restrictions on unvaccinated travelers in 2021, especially as they must adhere to the guidance set by the ports of call. However, if Covid numbers start to improve worldwide in 2022, its possible that cruise lines will begin to open their doors to more travelers.
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Norwegian Escape Will Sail From Port Canaveral On Nov 13
Daniel Dahm, Digital Content Manager
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. Norwegian Cruise Line announced additional voyages on Monday, including from Port Canaveral, as part of its plan to resume sailing after an industry-wide shutdown due to COVID-19.
Additional voyages are scheduled to set sail from New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
The Norwegian Escape will sail from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean on Nov. 13.
With these additional itineraries, were providing travelers with more opportunities to set sail from some of their favorite homeports and to some of their preferred destinations, Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line said.
The cruise lines deployment plans, expected to begin in the summer of 2021, include:
- Norwegian Gem seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean beginning August 15 and a four-day voyage to the Bahamas in November from Miami
- Additional itineraries on Norwegian Breakaway to Bermuda starting September 26 from New York
- Norwegian Bliss on October 24 to the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles
- Norwegian Escape on November 13, 2021 to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral
- Norwegian Encore, the newest ship in the lines fleet, will make her debut on the West Coast, taking the place of the previously announced Norwegian Bliss for the 2021 summer Alaska cruise season
Key West Tours Shore Excursions Hotels
City Tours and Shore Excursions
Next are listed the most popular Carnival Cruise Lines tours in Key West, with USD prices per adult:
- catamaran and snorkeling tour
- Butterfly Conservatory
- Trolley and Train tours
- History tours
- biking tour
- boat rides
Port Key West cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port’s schedule lists all ships with cruises going to or leaving from Key West, Florida. To see the full itineraries and their lowest rates just follow the corresponding ship-link.
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Are The Kids Clubs Open To Unvaccinated Children
Kids clubs for the under-12 crowd are closed on Carnival and Princess. Norwegian is not welcoming kids onboard in 2021, so obviously it is not utilizing its kids clubs at this time.
Disneys Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab for kids ages 3 to 12 are open, but kids must wear masks at all times. The nursery is currently closed. On Royal Caribbean, both the kids club and the nursery are operational. MSC Cruises is running its youth activities program, as well.
Tween and teen clubs are operational because travelers ages 12 and up must be vaccinated to cruise.
Which Cruise Lines Do Not Require Vaccines
All major cruise lines require vaccines for the majority of travelers. Most offer exemptions for a small number of unvaccinated guests.
On several lines, such as Carnival, you would need to apply for and wait to be granted an exemption it is not guaranteed. On others, such as Disney and Royal Caribbean, theres no limit to the number of unvaccinated children allowed onboard, but all cruisers 12 and up must be vaccinated.
Only Norwegian and Holland America do not allow any unvaccinated passengers onboard.
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Themed Cruises From Florida
MSC Cruises hosts a variety of themed cruises that depart from Florida. The Holistic Holiday at Sea takes place aboard the MSC Divina, which departs from Miami, the port city thats often considered the cruising capital of the world. While the itinerary changes from year to year, the Holistic Holiday at Sea often goes to the Caribbean and Mexico, among other destinations. Its a dynamic vegan cruise that focuses on health and wellness, offering presentations from a variety of medical doctors, nutritionists, authors and animal rights activists. Three well-balanced, plant-based and creative meals are served each day for the duration of the cruise, and everything from morning massages to vegan ice cream parties are available for cruisers.
Weight Watchers offers cruises that depart from Miami through MSC Cruises, too destinations include the Caribbean islands. Along the way, guests are fed meals and snacks that adhere to the Weight Watchers program. They also can attend onboard meetings, attend lectures, go to social events, take classes and go to cooking demonstrations.
Another themed cruise that departs from Florida, the Rock Boat, was created for rock music fans, hosted by the Norwegian Pearl. This cruise leaves from Tampa, and its like a full music festival at sea with several bands performing every day. Rock fans have the chance to interact with band members onboard the cruise and participate in planned activities.
Sail Away Into The Sunset On One Of Florida’s Many Boat Cruises And Tours
After spending a long, hot day at the beach, taking in Floridas mansions and other shoreline vistas from a deck chair could be the perfect recipe for Florida day cruises.
St. Augustine Scenic Cruises – scenic-cruise.comSt. AugustineRelax and take in the sights aboard Victory IIIs one-hour, 15-minute cruise. The tour, narrated by the captain, shows off the beauty of the city with its natural and historic landmarks, including the Bridge of Lions.
Dolphin Cruise – southernstardolphincruise.comDestin Relax on a two-hour tour aboard this million-dollar cruise ship with Captain Steve. Children are allowed to steer the 80-foot glass-bottom boat, which has a snack bar and restrooms.
Captain Memos Pirate Cruise – captainmemo.comClearwaterWater-gun battles and treasure hunts are just some of the kid-friendly activities offered during this two-hour family fun cruise. Complimentary beverages are also available.
Hubbards Marina – hubbardsmarina.com Johns Pass, Madeira BeachThe catamaran Big Blue tour boat not only takes you out to see the dolphins but also showcases a wide variety of birds, including osprey and pelicans. During sunset tours, enjoy free drinks while you cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway, past Treasure Island and through Blind Pass, returning by way of the Gulf of Mexico.
Clearwater Beach and St. PetersburgLunch and dinner cruises are available aboard Starlites two vessels, the Majesty in Clearwater Beach and the Princess in St. Petersburg.
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Handy Guide To The Five Cruise Ports In Florida
Florida has the longest coastline in mainland USA and sits on a peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. To most Americans the name Florida is almost synonymous to sun, fun and cruising.
There are five cruise ports in Florida that host a number of world famous cruise lines. Each year thousands of cruising enthusiasts leave the Florida Port of Calls for the Eastern, Southern and Western Caribbean, to Europe and to the Panama Canal.
When it comes to planning a cruise, it can be quite overwhelming if you do not know the location of the port for embarkation. These are three questions that are often asked by cruisers planning their next cruise:
1. Where are these cruise ports in Florida?2. Which is the nearest airport to fly into for my cruise?3. What is the cheapest way to get to the port?
Here is a handy guide to help answer the three common questions:
Five cruise ports in FloridaYou can choose from five of these ports in Florida:Miami: Port of Miami in South East Florida.Fort Lauderdale: Port Everglades in East Florida Cape Canaveral: Port Canaveral in East Florida Jacksonville: Jacksonville Port Authority in East Florida
Airports closest to the cruise ports in Florida
Cruise lines do offer a fly, transfer and cruise package for passengers. It is convenient to have all your travel arrangements done by the cruise professionals. However it comes with a higher cost. If you are looking to save money, its best to book your flights separately.
Which Cruise Lines Sail From The Different Cruise Ports In Florida
This list focuses on cruise lines that have ships that homeport from the following locations at least part of the year. This means that passengers can embark on a cruise and start their journey from the port. As opposed to, ships that stop by a port once the sailing has already started. So, for instance, 11 cruise lines have ships that homeport from Port Miami at least part of the year. While an additional 8 cruise lines have ships that include Port Miami as a port of call on itineraries.
Note: Many of the cruise lines listed below offered sailings that featured Cuba. But, pursuant to a change in government regulations, all cruise travel to Cuba was suspended on June 4, 2019. Check individual cruise line websites for the most up-to-date itinerary information.
Of the cruise ports in Florida, Port Miami has the most number of cruise lines overall. At last count, 11 different cruise lines ported out of Miami. And, they sailed collectively a total of 39 different ships.
PORT EVERGLADES
While Port Everglades may host the second largest number of different cruise lines of the cruise ports in Florida, it actually hosts the most number of actual cruise ships. The nine cruise lines porting from Port Everglades collectively sail a total of 43 different cruise ships.
- Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line sails Bahamas itineraries.
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Cruise Ship Terminal Directions And Parking
- From North – take I-95 South, drive eastbound I-395 . Continue driving on I-395 East . The entrance of Port Miami Tunnel is on the left. Follow the signs to your Cruise Terminal.
- From North – take I-95 South. Exit 3B-Bayside. Drive south to Northeast 5th Street, turn left. 5th Str leads onto PortMiami Bridge. Continue over the bridge and follow the signs to your terminal.
- From South – take SR-826 North to SR-836 East. Drive eastbound on SR-836 to I-395 East . Continue driving on I-395 East . The entrance of Port Miami Tunnel is on the left. Follow the signs to your Cruise Terminal. You can also take I-95 North and drive eastbound I-395 .
- From South – take I-95 North. Exit at Northwest 2nd Street. Drive straight to NW 5th Street, make a right. 5th Str leads onto PortMiami Bridge. Continue over the bridge and follow the signs to your terminal.
- From Miami Beach – take I-395 , drive westbound, exit on Biscayne Blvd ramp and make U-turn on North Bayshore Drive to enter MacArthur Causeway eastbound. Then continue on I-395 East .
- Parking rates – USD 20.00 per day. All parking lots are outdoor and located in front their corresponding terminals. Special arrangements are offered for cruise passengers with disabilities.
Miami port, besides its 9 cruise terminals also has facilities to handle cargo ships and dry dock facilities for marine vessel refurbishments and repairs.
Reaching The Florida Cruise Port In Tampa
What about Tampa? The Tampa cruise terminal is less busy than its sister cruise ports. For one thing, because of logistics, the largest cruise ships cant sail from that port. But nevertheless, in 2018, traffic for the Tampa cruise port hit over 1 million passengers for the first time.
The distance from the Tampa airport to the Tampa cruise port is 10 miles . The distance from the Orlando International Airport to the Tampa cruise terminal is 86 miles .
As for the other two major Florida cruise ports, flying into Tampa does not provide much of a viable option, unless you really have as one of your goals exploring more of the state of Florida. The distance from Tampa International Airport to Port Everglades is just under 4 hours and the distance to Miami is about 4 hours and 15 minutes.
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Port Nola In New Orleans Louisiana
Aerial view of New Orleans downtown, Louisiana
Surrounded by the popular French Quarter, and only a short drive from downtown, the port of New Orleans is conveniently located near countless attractions and activities catering to different tastes and interests. New Orleans, also known as The Big Easy, is famous for its multi-cultural heritage, vibrant jazz and street music scene, delicious cuisine, and of course its Mardi Gras festival. Various cruise lines sail year-round from this port, so when youre done exploring this unique city, you can continue the adventure onboard.
Sailings from New Orleans start as early as July 4, 2021, with Carnival Glorys 7-night Caribbean cruise, visiting the ports-of-call of Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. The next available sailing is scheduled for July 11, 2021, also be aboard the Carnival Glory, stopping at Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.
For the latest updates regarding Port NOLAs reopening, please visit the ports official website.
Cruise lines continue to announce new sailings and destinations that you can book now and set sail as soon as this June. Stay up to date with our latest new sailings announcements.
*Please note, conditions to board vary per cruise line and per country of residence. All travel is subject to frequently changing governmental restrictionsplease check government advisories before scheduling trips.
Miami Cruise Terminals B C D E F G H J
- port address – “1741,1751 Africa Way, Dodge Island, Miami Florida 33132”
- location – 8 mi / 13 km from Miami International Airport, 25 mi / 40 km from Fort Lauderdale International Airport
- Port entrance is via Biscayne Blvd .
- Terminal address – “zzz Cruise Boulevard, Port of Miami, Miami, FL 33132”
- In the above address replace “zzz” with the corresponding address listed below:
- “Terminal A” – here dock Royal Caribbean ships only. Berth length is 1300 ft .
- Terminal B – here dock NCLH-Norwegian ships only
- Terminal C
- Terminal D – here dock Carnival ships only.
- Terminal E – here dock Carnival ships only.
- Terminal F
- Terminal G – here dock Royal Caribbean ships only
- Terminal H – for Resorts World Bimini .
- Terminal J Terminal J is primarily for docking luxury cruise ships from the fleets of Azamara, Crystal, Oceania, Regent. This terminal underwent an USD 3 million refurbishment which upgraded the furniture, more lounge seating was added, along with new check-in counters.
Terminals D and E are the newest and can berth the world’s largest cruise ships with capacity up to 5000 passengers. Their buildings are 3-story facilities , airline counters, conveyor baggage system.
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