Before boarding, you may need to present a vaccine waiver, wear a mask, or provide a negative test. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Most major cruise lines require proof of vaccination for all passengers age 12 and up, and some require them for kids as young as 5 years old (Pfizer's vaccine was authorized for kids ages 5 to 11 at the beginning of November). The new, simplified protocols recognize the evolving nature of COVID-19 while still ensuring we protect the health of our guests, team members and the communities we visit.. Present one of the following: Negative COVID-19 antigen test within 24 hours of the embarkation date. There are a few reasons why viruses and diseases can spread quickly on cruise ships. To board Carnival ships, unvaccinated guests need to show a negative PCR or an antigen test within three days of boarding (self-tests are now accepted by Carnival for boarding purposes). And as in the noncruise world, the changes in regulations are happening quickly and travelers will need to stay updated on the latest. As delivering the best experience for our guests is always a top priority, after working closely with our destination partners, we anticipate that guests will be free to explore certain ports of call on their own. In May, the CDC scaled back slightly on its tough restrictions for cruise lines by allowing ships to declare themselves as highly vaccinated if 90 percent of passengers and at least 95 percent of crew were vaccinated. Get tested for COVID-19 one to three days before your trip and three to five days after your trip, regardless of your vaccination status. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. C.D.C. Issues New Guidance for Cruise Lines - The New York Times Sarah has been writing about the cruise industry since 2015. The testing and masking requirement specifics may differ by cruise or length of sail, but everyone age 2 and older should be prepared to be tested for COVID-19 before boarding, or during the journey when applicable, regardless of vaccination status. Atlas Ocean Voyages Vaccine required? Check your airline's protocols around testing, mask-wearing, vaccination, or quarantining if you're flying before or after the cruise. It's also important to know that while all adults in the US are now eligible for boosters, the definition of "fully vaccinated" hasn't changed and you don't need an extra shot to be considered fully vaccinated. No, we do not currently have any restrictions or limitations for guests with pre-existing health conditions. "We have been waiting a long time for this moment to arrive, Oceanias president and CEO Howard Sherman said in a statement. Please note: Anti-viral COVID-19 therapeutics are readily available onboard and will be charged to the guests' account. Starting March 11, 2023, proof of vaccination for sailings to or from Europe will no longer be required. Additionally, starting this week, vaccinated passengers no longer need to test before embarking. Simply enter your zip code, or city and country, and the website will display locations, contact information, and testing hours. Carnival Cruise Line is joining Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line in dropping its COVID-19 vaccine requirement.. However, we encourage all guests to follow the vaccination and testing guidance outlined above. Still, there are exceptions. American Cruise Lines requires COVID-19 vaccine for cruises through For guests departing outside of the US who are cruising with Royal Caribbean, they may present a certificate of recovery. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Paul Gauguin CruisesVaccinations are required for all passengers over age 5. Viking CruisesAll passengers and crew are required to be vaccinated on Vikings river and ocean shipswithout exception. These U.S. Cruise Lines Will Require Passengers Be Vaccinated - Travel Will I be required to take a COVID test to disembark the vessel? New Details Released, What to Know About Riding on the Alaska Railroad, 14 of the Best New Cruise Ships Launching in 2023, Katmandu Park Punta Cana Is Opening March 15, The Top Hotels in Mexico for a Romantic Getaway. Yes, we welcome all guests to sail with us, regardless of vaccination status and age, and with no testing or masking requirements. All passengers age 12 and up, who completed their primary vaccine series more than five months ago, are required to be boosted. But this past July, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dropped its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, letting individual cruise lines set their own standards. But like the latter lines, it'll still make you show proof of one for some sailings. People can also pick up pathogens from port visits and bring them back onto the ship, infecting others. Travel tips you can trust. Guests can rest assured that their health and safety are our top priority and measures will be communicated in a timely manner ahead of our return to sailing., Latest on the cruise comeback: Rogue wave incident | Overboard passenger saved | Covid hits Sydney cruise | Carnival fining unruly passengers | Unvaccinated passengers welcomed | Cheap cruises | No more CDC stats | Record bookings | Rape lawsuit | Carnival fire | Passenger bill of rights | CDC drops cruise warnings | Passenger overboard | Crystal ships seized. Cruise Lines Eliminate COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements & Pre-Cru Cruisers have been patiently waiting and there is pent-up demand. Masks and social distancing are now also optional, but surgical masks are still required for the first seven days of trans-oceanic and World Tour itineraries. Our CareTeam will assist with daily wellbeing check-ins . At long last, cruise lines are finally starting to drop their vaccine mandates and allow all passengers inoculated or not to sail on their ships. The Greece-based company announced this week it will remove all COVID protocols for sailings starting on or after March 2, 2023, with the exception being if the local regulations of a destination deem otherwise. Outbreak updates for international cruise ships. But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ships didn't have the best reputation for being disease-free. Vaccine and pretrip testing requirements can be confusing, especially if you are cruising internationally. Do Cruise Lines Require Proof of a COVID-19 Vaccination? - WorldTravelBlog The just-announced cruises will depart from Florida, which has passed a law prohibiting companies from requiring proof of vaccination, and Texas, where lawmakers just passed a similar bill, according to the Texas Tribune. This includes an increase in intensive care unit capacity, new and upgraded equipment, onshore medical institution partnerships, telemedicine capabilities and additional robust consultation and treatment options. Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail on all voyages except for those in Australia or some that are 16 nights or longer. Starting Sept. 6, vaccinated guests sailing on voyages of less than 16 days will no longer have to test . Self-tests are accepted in some cases, but it's best to check the specifics on the site. COVID-19 requirements may differ in destinations that have specific mandates, such as Canada, Greece and Bermuda. Carnival, for example, says it'll accept some vaccine exemptions from those ages 12 and younger, as well as adults who have "written confirmation from their medical provider" that they can't be vaccinated -- but only at their Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, South Carolina and Alabama ports until the end of March 2022. The cruise lines join Saga Cruises, a company catering to passengers 50 and older, which said last month it would require all guests to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding. Carnival Cruise Line Only passengers on sailings to Canada, Bermuda, Greece and Australia, plus cruises of 16 nights or more, need to be fully vaccinated. We know from our advisors that their unvaccinated clients have been waiting for this announcement, and I have no doubt that we will see a spike in cruise bookings. For an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visitwww.TestForTravel.com. Medical centers will be equipped to test for COVID-19 onboard and if a positive case is identified, contact tracing for that individual will begin immediately and occur at the same time as treatment. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, FDA, CDC expand Pfizer & Moderna bivalent vaccines to kids 6 months and up with Sandra Fryhofer, MD, Outbreak updates for international cruise ships. CDC's COVID-19 Guidance to Become Optional for Cruise Lines What to Know The new protocols do not apply to itineraries for countries where local regulations may vary, such as Canada, Australia, and Greece. All guests, regardless of vaccination status, should expect to be tested for COVID-19 prior to boarding a cruise ship. You can keep up with her on Instagram at @IAmSarahJaneB. Many say this move has to do with the CDC not wanting to get into a legal battle with Florida, the largest cruise hub in America. Also enacted earlier this month on September 3, the Miami-based company will now allow guests over the age of 12 who are not vaccinated to board if they have a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours of embarkation. Norwegian still strongly recommends that all guests be up to date on their vaccination status and test at their convenience before travel. Were thrilled that NCLH has updated their sailing guidelines to welcome unvaccinated guests and adjust testing requirements.. Cruise ship travel during COVID-19. (Rapid antigen tests are not accepted.) The first is scheduled to depart Miami on July 2, with more joining the fleet through Aug. 23. "Traveling Party" means (1) your family members living with you in the same household and (2) traveling companions assigned to your stateroom on the ship. Medical news, pregnancy topics and health hacks that don't cost money. More than 14 months after cruising restarted following a long pandemic pause, and with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) having last month ended the intense monitoring of the cruise industry that began in March 2020, major cruise lines are dropping both vaccine requirements and precruise testing of vaccinated passengers. Can I buy travel insurance through Norwegian Cruise Line? All rights reserved. In addition to requiring our crew to be up-to-date with all their vaccinations, we will continue to evolve our already robust science-backed program to broaden our cleaning, sanitation and air filtration technologies across our fleet. Vaccinated guests are required to provide proof of negative COVID-19 test in addition to vaccination documentation, as listed above, only when embarking in Australia. In a statement, the cruise lines president and CEO, Michael Bayley, thanked elected officials including Gov. Jessica is a writer on the Wellness team with a focus on health news. If a guest follows health and safety protocols and tests positive during their cruise, the Cruise Line will help coordinate necessary onboard COVID-19-related medical consultation, standard/common prescription drugs, and required land-based quarantine.