Precruise testing is required for unvaccinated passengers. Effective for sailings 10/4/22 and beyond, all guests regardless of vaccination status are able to sail and with no testing requirements. Chances are if you're unvaccinated, you'll need to book a specific tour with the cruise line, such as Carnival's "bubble tour" for unvaccinated guests, which is mostly families with children who are too young to be vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers are welcome to sail on all cruises departing from Europe and the U.S. Vaccination continues to be required on voyages to or from Australia, New Zealand, and the Galapagos Islands. Here's a quick breakdown of vaccination and testing policies as of December 2022 at several major cruise lines: At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020,cruise ships experienced major outbreaksof the SARS-CoV-2 virus as it spread across the globe. This article was published more than1 year ago. A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources. Even so, Celestyal suggests all guests test prior to travel, regardless of vaccination status, but test results will no longer be checked next year. I believe that eventually all cruise lines will drop as many restrictions as they can, Jones adds. 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. If you're an adult in the US, the answer is probably not, unless you're one of the few people with a medical or religious exemption (and whether you'll be offered an exemption depends on the cruise line). Crystal Cruises. Cruise Lines Eliminate COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements & Pre-Cru When people are in a small space, keeping distance from one another is more difficult. What happens if I get sick whilst onboard? Consequently, most cruise lines opted to make masks optional. American Cruise Lines requires COVID-19 vaccine for cruises through But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ships didn't have the best reputation for being disease-free. Lets leave the covid origin mystery to scientists, Covid, flu, RSV declining in hospitals as tripledemic threat fades. Onboard medical centres are also abundantly stocked with common prescription medications and remedies. Now many brand loyalists are chatting about jumping ship, so to speak, to a Norwegian company if their otherwise preferred cruise line does not also do away with vaccine requirements in the near future. Lindblad Expeditions is among the shrinking number of cruise lines that continue to require vaccination and testing. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kashif J. Piracha, MD, FACP, FASN, FNKF, is a practicing physician at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. The cruise line . That's because cruise ships, with their tight quarters, buffet-style living and international travel, can be a breeding ground for the coronavirus. But the CDC still maintained a close watch, publishing a color-coded chart of ship outbreaks that it updated regularly. Unvaccinated passengers will need to test via a rapid or lab-based PCR or nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). We strongly recommend that fully vaccinated guests . As is true for most travel restrictions these days, your ability to book a cruise may depend on your vaccination status. The added Florida requirement comes on the heels two unvaccinated passengers under age 16 tested positive for COVID on board the cruise line's Adventure of the Seas ship and after sister. Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail on all voyages except for those in Australia or some that are 16 nights or longer. Travel Requirements by Port & Country - Norwegian Cruise Line Sarah has been writing about the cruise industry since 2015. Should You Test for COVID Before Your Omicron Booster? Guests who fail to agree to these terms and conditions will not be permitted to board. Confused about changing COVID-19 rules for cruise ships? Here's All guests are strongly advised to monitor current travel requirements and advisories for their home countries. But now cruise lines are starting to drop those vaccine and testing requirements, making it easier for cruise-goers to sail the seas. Royal Caribbean will require vaccinations for some cruises: ships leaving Seattle for Alaska this summer, those sailing from the Bahamas and ships leaving from other international ports. As of June 10, Viking highly recommends, but no longer requires, a pre-departure COVID-19 testunless one is required by the destination, Viking said in an updated statement about health and safety protocols. We encourage all guests to file a claim with their travel insurance carrier for reimbursement inquiries. Purchasing in-home testing kits is simple. These U.S. Cruise Lines Will Require Passengers Be Vaccinated - Travel Unvaccinated guests are welcome on most voyages. Overall, it's just better to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before going on a cruise, said Dr. Russo. The company announced the requirement as it plans. What You Need to Know About Norwegian Cruise Lines Premium+ Drink Package, 12 Things to Know Before Sailing Royal Caribbean, Carnival Drops Pre-Cruise Testing & Vaccination Requirements, NCLH Drops COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements, Welcomes Everyone to Sail, Cruise News Recap | Week of February 5, 2023, Philippines Welcomes First International Cruise Ship in Three Years, Pre-Cruise Entertainment Reservations Now Available on Norwegian Cruise Line. For an easy to use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visit www.testfortravel.com. Guests over the age of six will need to show a negative rapid antigen test within 48 hours, or a negative PCR test within 72 hours. 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. Some cruise lines encourage vaccination even though they don't require it. Also called a "bivalent" booster, the updated booster became available for people aged 511 on October 12, 2022. Trips that are 16 days or longer will still require a medically supervised COVID test with written results within three days of travel.Our guests have been excited to return to cruising, and these changes will make it easier for more guests to explore the world in a safe and enjoyable environment, the companys president Gus Antorcha said in a statement last month. Our guests have been excited to return to cruising, and these changes will make it easier for more guests to explore the world in a safe and enjoyable environment, said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, in announcing that the cruise line would be dropping its vaccine requirements as of September 6, 2022. In order to keep our guests as safe as possible, we highly recommend taking our company organized shore excursions as a more controlled environment for you to enjoy your time in each of the destinations. Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. The requirement was initially going to last until Oct. 31. Simply enter your zip code, or city and country, and the website will display locations, contact information, and testing hours. If you have a weakened immune system, talk with your healthcare provider about your cruise travel plans. Unvaccinated guests are permitted to sail on most MSC voyages. CunardAll guests age 16 and up must be vaccinated, including with booster shots. Destination specific requirements will still need to be met. Disney also highly recommends vaccines for younger kids. People . It depends. Midway COVID tests and daily temperature checks have also been eliminatedhowever, there are exceptions for itineraries that include Spain, Barbados, St. Maarten, St. Vincent, and Morocco. All vessels will have COVID-19 testing capabilities on board and results onsite. The big question is, what cruise lines allow unvaccinated guests to sail? On ocean, lakes, and expedition ships that visit Canada, there is a free COVID-19 test (antigen) at the precruise hotel check-in on the day prior to embarkation until further notice. While guests over the age of five previously had to be vaccinated, starting in early September, unvaccinated passengers under the age of 12 are now allowed to board. Can You Get Omicron and Delta COVID-19 Variants at the Same Time? Children may or may not be able to cruise, depending on the ship. Vacationers can finally plan to take their precious time off this summer and truly get away after what has been a challenging time for everyone.. All guests will continue to receive a COVID-19 test just prior to embarkation, arranged by Lindblad, and all guests must test negative to board. CDC, FDA Investigating PotentialBut 'Unlikely'Link Between Pfizer Booster and Stroke Risk, This Year's Flu Shot Is a 'Good Match,' CDC SaysBut Cases and Hospitalizations Continue to Rise, Omicron vs. Delta: How the 2 COVID-19 Variants Compare, Omicron Boosters Could Save 90,000 Lives This WinterBut Only if People Get Them. Guests on cruises longer than 16 nights will have to test if stopping in destinations that require tests locally (like Canada, Bermuda, Greece and Australia; these destinations require the tests to be supervised). As Guidelines Change, Heres What Its Like to Cruise Right Now, The 2023 Cruise Itineraries to Book Before They Sell Out, The Best New Cruises in the World: 2022 Hot List, These Airlines Are Finally Letting Families Sit Together, Free of Charge, A Proposed Federal Law Could Give Bumped Airline Passengers At Least $1,350 in Compensation, dropped its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, guests who are vaccinated will no longer have to take a pre-boarding antigen test. (Unvaccinated guests will have to undergo special testing onboard to visit Spain or Greece.) That means receiving a final primary dose and an updated booster shot, which became available for people older than 12 on September 2, 2022.