Before your trip, you will need to review your cruise lines health and safety protocols. Where they sail: Grand Circle Cruise Line sails small ships and river cruises all over the world, including an extensive list of European itineraries. 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.. Cruise lines have begun to get rid of their COVID-19 vaccine requirement that they have mandated over the past 15 months since cruises have restarted. 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. Thats been one of the biggest questions in a return to sailing. Unvaccinated passengers will be required to show a negative test for all trips. On Alaska voyages between Whittier and Vancouver, they are required on the ship when indoors. While some cruise lines have relaxed their mask policies, others may still require them. For those who are unvaccinated, pre-embarkation testing is required. Masks and Physical Distancing Requirements: Masks may be required in public areas on the ship . Most lines only accept vaccines recognized and approved by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means receiving a final primary dose and an updated booster shot, which became available for people older than 12 on September 2, 2022. Policy: Masks are not required onboard, except in the medical center. Prospective guests of any cruise lines with upcoming sailings in Australia should stay in close contact with their cruise line for health and safety protocol updates and requirements. 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. Thats a relative word, however, as your normal and my normal may not be the same. All products and brands mentioned in this article are selected by our writers and editors based on first-hand experience or customer feedback. Policy: In general, masks are not required onboard. The CDC updated its guidelines on July 18 so that vaccination is no longer a requirement instead, its merely recommended. In other words, this is not something you want to put off until the last minute. Those passengers or those who are partially vaccinated will need to provide results of a negative antigen or molecular PCR test taken within 48 hours of embarkation, according to a news release. Masks and Physical Distancing Requirements: Masks are not required. This article was originally published in February 2022. Norwegian Cruise Line takes Florida to court over vaccine mandate ban, Celebrity Cruise Lines will not require proof of vaccination. If you have received one of these shots, then you should be good to go. Thats because the short answer is, it depends! The company requires vaccinated passengers to take a test only on sailings six nights or longer, but testing is still required for unvaccinated passengers on all sailings. If you want to ensure you have a worry-free voyage, we strongly suggest reading these cruise health policies carefully. Treat those flights as domestic travel. 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. Costa Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea Cruises have also dropped their vaccination policies with some exceptions. However, with certain destinations still enforcing vaccine and/or testing requirements, be sure to research your cruise itinerary thoroughly before booking if you want to avoid potential restrictions in countries that have still not fully reopened to all travelers. 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. Cruise Industry Recovery: Is It Time to Set Sail Again? In an abundance of caution in response to recent cases reported onboard cruise ships, Carnival Cruise Line has reintroduced mandatory mask wearing policies for the cruise lines sailings in Australia. Furthermore, all cruise travelers should be aware that any cruise line has the authority to update protocols in any region, for any sailing, at any time, should it be deemed necessary for public health and safety and the health and safety of those aboard a ship. Masks will now be required in all indoor public spaces or in any crowded venue, indoors or outdoors, regardless of vaccination status. According to the Australian governments Department of Health and Aged Care, the country is experiencing a slight uptick in overall cases compared to previous months, with more than 54,000 new cases reported in the past week. Click on your favorite cruise line below to find out. Major cruise lines that continue to have a masking policy in place for indoor public areas of their ships include Azamara, Cunard, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Viking. In you are an unvaccinated adult, some cruise lines will now let you sail, others will not. Younger passengers are not subject to any vaccination requirements or testing protocols. Princess Cruises will remove vaccination requirements on Sept. 6 for most voyages that are less than 16 days. If you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider about the risks of traveling. Here, we go over the major cruise lines in the U.S. and tell you which ones are currently requiring face coverings onboard. Since the Australian restart, however, several ships have reported large numbers of COVID-19 cases, including cases among both guests and crew members. All guests will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to boarding. Pre-boarding tests are not required for vaccinated guests. Health and safety are always our first priority in fact, we were the health and safety leaders from the very start of the pandemic, said Harry Sommer, Norwegian Cruise Line president and chief executive officer. It also varies based on different rules for cruise ships or territories, and evolving guidance from the CDC. The cruise line said it will accept an antigen, PCR, or Nucleic Acid Amplification Test test. This includes vaccines such as AstraZeneca and Sinovac. Olsen passengers are required to wear a mask onboard when not in their staterooms, eating or drinking, or seated in a deck . View Best Prices on Celebrity, Read Also: Last Minute Cruise Deals Tampa. Disney said that changes to the policies are subject to local rules. Some cruise lines encourage vaccination even though they dont require it. Most major cruise lines do not require guests to be vaccinated unless theyre traveling from or to a destination that requires it. In fact, apart from vaccines and testing, the onboard experience has returned to exactly what it was before the pandemic. Since 2009, Cruise Radio has provided the latest cruise news and industry analysis through informative articles, videos, and weekly podcasts. You May Like: Are Greek Island Cruises Worth It. A precruise test is no longer required on the river ships. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Cruise vaccination requirements will vary by cruise line, where you embark from and which ports of call you choose. Carnival has also removed the mask mandate from its ships. The cruise industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is some good news on the horizon. Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Cruise Line. As protocols change rapidly, here is our rundown of current cruise line COVID-19 practices and policies: There are a number of vaccines available around the world. Youll find expert advice for experienced and first-time cruisers, as well as port and destination guides. Who needs the vaccine: All guests and crew are required to be fully vaccinated with the booster shot. As the health situation evolves, cruise lines are always adjusting their health and safety policies including whether guests need to wear masks onboard. Go to Boards. View Best Prices on MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line was the first major cruise line to announce the elimination of a COVID-19 vaccine requirement. For Royal Caribbean, the changes include sailings from Los Angeles, New Orleans, Galveston and Europe. Masks continue to be required for unvaccinated guests in indoor public areas. : Yes American Queen is even vaccinating its shoreside employees. Heres what you need to know. Now, a recent shift has led to cruise lines removing those hurdles as well. The cruise line has a limited but growing presence in the U.S., with cruises from Florida and New York. Cruising is a popular way to explore the world, and many travelers are eager to get back on the open seas. In addition to staying up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines, the CDC recommends that people who plan to cruise do the following: Dont Miss: Which Cruise Line Gives The Best Military Discount. For general information on testing, please refer to our article on cruise testing requirements. Royal Caribbean Group, parent company of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity, also rolled back its testing requirements this month, following the end of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships. Keep in mind that even though face masks are no longer required for ships from the above cruise lines, they still may be required in specific venues such as the theater or kids clubs. 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. Can I Travel if I've Been Exposed to COVID-19? A single shot of the Johnson & Johnson dose is ok, but still requires receiving it well in advance of sailing. Therefore, people who are vaccinated should not be worried about getting infected from those who arent. So, will you need a vaccine to cruise? This article contains links which are ads and if you click on a link and buy a product we will earn revenue. 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. Many travelers have been patiently waiting to take their long-awaited vacation at sea and we cannot wait to celebrate their return.. Check your cruise lines website for more details. Check out our recap of youth immunization policies for details on cruise vaccination requirements for kids. Also called a bivalent booster, the updated booster became available for people aged 511 on October 12, 2022. Carnival Cruise Line. Editors note: This post has been updated with new information. As Australia sees a rise in COVID-19 cases, policies are changing once again to try and prevent the spread of . Now that policy has changed to 90% of passengers, allowing 10% of those onboard to sail unvaccinated with an exemption. Carnival will now allow all passengers including those who are unvaccinated to sail freely as of September 6, 2022. The question for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian becomes which changes will lead to the most passengers on their ships? However, some cruise lines have recently revoked the obligation to wear masks on certain ships this summer. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Travelers can get tested three days before departure for trips six nights or more. CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. All passengers age 4 and up must take a prearrival test and show a negative result to board. Carnival Cruise Line is now requiring all guests and crew to wear masks aboard two vessels, and other cruise lines are doing the same. And you may have to be vaccinated or not. Celebrity Cruises Otherwise, vaccines are required for passengers age 12 and up. A number of cruise lines have reviewed their policies following the change. You May Like: How Big Are The Disney Cruise Ships. Others have eliminated both Covid vaccination requirements and testing requirements for some, but not all, passengers based on itineraries or cruise lengths. On Royal Caribbean, theyre also required for all kids two and older (regardless of vaccination status) in the Adventure Ocean kids program.