Starting March 11, 2023, proof of vaccination for sailings to or from Europe will no longer be required. READ NEXT: 18 Most Unique Cruise Ship Bars in 2022. Some may also require pre-board testing for unvaccinated people. Royal Caribbean announces cruises with no vaccine requirement - The The first is scheduled to depart Miami on July 2, with more joining the fleet through Aug. 23. 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. The pandemic after the pandemic: Long covid haunts millions of people. Retesting three to five days after returning, and in particular, if symptoms have developed, is also advised, says Dr. Jasmin Valentin of Sameday Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? All passengers age 4 and up must take a prearrival test and show a negative result to board. All Rights Reserved. Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail on most voyages, except for itineraries that feature destinations with local regulations that may continue to require vaccination including Australia. 2023 Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. 11-Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog, 14-Day Authentic Alaska - Northbound Cruise Tour | Norwegian Cruise Line, 14-Day Authentic Alaska - Southbound Cruise Tour | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line, 20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) & Alaska | Norwegian Cruise Line, 11 Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog. Yes. Since then, cruise lines around the world have been cautiously dropping their pre-embarkation requirements. Boosters are required for those age 18 and up who completed tests more than nine months prior to the cruise. Jessica is a writer on the Wellness team with a focus on health news. Norwegian Cruise Line will review reimbursement submissions in the event your insurance carrier denies the claim or you do not have travel insurance. Can I go on a cruise without being vaccinated or take a pre-boarding Specific destinations still require testing such as Canada, Greece, and Bermuda. Related: What happens if someone tests positive for COVID-19 on your cruise. This website uses cookies. Sarah has been writing about the cruise industry since 2015. 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. Disney also highly recommends vaccines for younger kids. Crystal Cruises. Cruisers have been patiently waiting and there is pent-up demand. Additionally, starting this week, vaccinated passengers no longer need to test before embarking. This doesnt apply to select destinations where local regulations vary, including Australia. Cond Nast Traveler does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Some cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, accept vaccines recommended or approved by the World Health Organization as well as the CDC. Our crew will continue to maintain our stringent hygiene protocols based upon the most up-to-date guidelines from the European Healthy Gateways, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and Greek health authorities.. Norwegian Cruise Line will require all passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before boarding at least through the end of the . Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 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. 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. While some cruise lines state they'll accept medical exemptions, others do not, and it also might depend on the port. People can also pick up pathogens from port visits and bring them back onto the ship, infecting others. For an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visitwww.TestForTravel.com. Hubs, The Best Time to View D.C.s Cherry Blossoms This Year Is Sooner Than You Might Think, Low-Cost Carrier Norse Atlantic Adds London Routes From 4 U.S. Cities, Damon Dominique Believes Youre Already a Global Citizen, Stay Here Next: The Muir Hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Stay Here Next: The Alpina Gstaad in Switzerland. Vaccinated and unvaccinated. The Crystal Symphony. Check out our variety of itineraries. If your cruise line does not have a specific testing requirement, get tested as close to time of cruise departure as possible (no more than 3 days before you travel). Do bivalent boosters work against XBB.1.5? (The only"mix and match" approach to COVID-19 vaccinesin the US applies to boosters.). After two years of first banning and then advising against cruising due to pandemic-related health and safety risks, in late March 2022, the CDC dropped its warning to travelers about the health risks of cruising during the COVID pandemic. Children under 5 leaving the U.S. or under 12 leaving Europe also dont need to test. With eased restrictions that went into effect September 6 for most trips up to 15 nights, vaccinated passengers over the age of five no longer have to test, and unvaccinated guests can use a self-administered test within three days of departureexcept in areas where local restrictions deem otherwise (like Canada, Greece, and Australia) and on certain itineraries (like Panama Canal crossings, trans-ocean trips, and certain remote locales). Delivered on weekdays. 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. Monitor yourself for symptoms after the trip, and isolate yourself if you have a positive test or develop symptoms. For additional information, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country. As of this month, the majority of cruise passengers are required to be both fully vaccinated and tested for COVID-19 before getting on a ship; some exceptions to the vaccination rules applied only for kids under age 12 and a very small number of adults seeking exemptions. As of today, 90 percent of all vacationers booking with Royal Caribbean are either vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated in time for their cruise.. 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. For those departing Europe or for longer U.S. itineraries, self-administered tests will be accepted (with the exception of those that stop in Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Greece or New Zealand). And as in the noncruise world, the changes in regulations are happening quickly and travelers will need to stay updated on the latest. And the CDC also recommends testing before boarding a cruise ship. Unvaccinated guests are welcome with a medically supervised or self-test within three days of sailing. Present one of the following: Negative COVID-19 antigen test within 24 hours of the embarkation date. Check the U.S. State Departments detailed COVID-19 travel information and country-specific advisories, which are updated regularly. Boarding Requirements FAQ | Royal Caribbean Cruises If you have a cruise booked, you should keep checking the cruise lines website or contact the line for the latest rules. Starting in September, a larger number of unvaccinated travelers will be allowed onboard cruise ships both big and small on select routes but will be required to be tested for COVID first. The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships. All guests, regardless of vaccination status, should expect to be tested for COVID-19 prior to boarding a cruise ship. For additional information, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country. SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (August 12, 2022) - Princess Cruises today announced updated COVID-19 protocols and guidelines, removing the vaccine requirement for most voyages of less than 16 days so that anyone can cruise, and adjusting pre-travel testing requirements to make it less complicated. Viking Cruises has decided to eliminate pre-voyage testing. Before your trip, you will need to review your cruise lines health and safety protocols. Two ships, operated by Royal Caribbean sister line Celebrity Cruises, will go straight to voyages with paying passengers since the company has said it will meet the vaccine threshold. Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail on all voyages except for those in Australia or some that are 16 nights or longer. "You really should get vaccinated," added Dr. Russo. All guests are required to accept the terms and conditions in our guest ticket contract. Read our. 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. Vaccine questions, answered. Some countries issue "certificates of recovery" if someone has been infected with COVID-19 and recovered, issuing a certificate that proves a positive COVID-19 test and recovery, instead of vaccination as someone's proof of immunity. Previously, the number was 95 percent for passengers. 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. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) is officially the first company to welcome unvaccinated travelers onboard its cruise brands Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises without any capacity limits, and the industry response is one largely of praise. A tidal wave has followed, with other cruise lines announcing similar changes. How Long Does It Take for the COVID-19 Booster To Be Effective? FDA proposes switching to annual coronavirus vaccine, mimicking flu model. They're also easing rules for pre-boarding testing, making it easier for cruise-goers to sail the seas. There are a few reasons why viruses and diseases can spread quickly on cruise ships. As to what percentage of his clients he thinks are unvaccinated and will be affected by this announcement, he estimates no higher than around 10%. Children as young as age 5 are now able to get vaccinated, so your ability to cruise may depend on whether you've chosen to get your child vaccinated. The big question is, what cruise lines allow unvaccinated guests to sail? 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.. Windstar CruisesAll passengers must be fully vaccinated. Local regulations may have vaccine requirements to enter certain countries make sure to checkTravel Requirements by Countryto understand country specific requirements about accepted vaccines. The company announced the requirement as it plans. Guests aged three and older may embark without testing or vaccination, if providing documentation that he/she has recovered from COVID-19 between ten to 90 days prior to the departure date. Lets get cruising! The change allowed more unvaccinated children who didnt yet qualify for a vaccine (currently those under the age of five) or had not obtained a vaccine to come onboard during the summer. Vaccination for sailings starting and ending in the U.S. is not required. Unvaccinated guests will only need to submit a self-administered test taken within three days of sailing. The company also recently relaxed its mask-wearing policies, making them optional, even in indoor and crowded settings. Children age 12 to 15 must have received two initial doses of the vaccination. Or will NCL offer testing onboard to meet travel requirements for guests flying back to countries that require negative COVID-19 test results to re-enter the country post cruise? Will any countries visited during the cruise require additional testing to enter the country? Note: There may be additional requirements if you are traveling internationally, and the rules can changesometimes overnight. Travel is making its grand comeback, and were looking forward to the continued momentum from consumers around the world, Celebrity President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said last month. These guidelines will make it a simpler process, and make cruising accessible for those who were not able to meet the protocols that we were required to follow for much of the past 14 months, Carnivals president Christine Duffy said in a statement last month. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But now cruise lines are starting to drop those vaccine and testing requirements, making it easier for cruise-goers to sail the seas. And you may have to be vaccinated or not. Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, shopping, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Womens Health, Self, Prevention, Forbes, Daily Beast, and more. Precruise testing is required for all guests. No precruise testing is required for vaccinated guests on sailings of five nights or less. (Unvaccinated guests will have to undergo special testing onboard to visit Spain or Greece.) Can You Get Omicron and Delta COVID-19 Variants at the Same Time? Still, there are exceptions. This article was originally published in May 2022; it was most recently updated on August 17, 2022, with current information. Ron DeSantis whose staff has said cruise lines could be fined $5,000 per violation for requiring proof of vaccination for their support and for helping crew get vaccinated.