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). This article was originally published in May 2022; it was most recently updated on August 17, 2022, with current information. How Long Does It Take for the COVID-19 Booster To Be Effective? If you're not comfortable vaccinating your child under 12, hold off on buying them a ticket or get confirmation on a timeline for requirements from your desired cruise line. Starting March 11, 2023, proof of vaccination for sailings to or from Europe will no longer be required. All rights reserved. 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. Should there be an annual coronavirus booster? Bottom line: If you've been vaccinated against COVID-19 outside of the US, check with your cruise line to make sure they accept your vaccine before putting any money down. Here's what to know about setting sail without a COVID-19 vaccination. 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. Booster shots are not required. Unvaccinated guests are welcome but required to have a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, subject to local regulations. Starting with departures from October 8, 2022, guests who are vaccinated will no longer have to take a pre-boarding antigen test 48 hours before departure, if the itinerary starts in South America, the Caribbean, the United Arab Emirates, and the Mediterranean (with the exception of Greece). This could include but is not limited to proof of a specific negative COVID-19 test result or Booster. A cruise can be a fun way to visit certain areas of the world at a slower pace. Cruise ship travel during COVID-19. Simply enter your zip code, or city and country, and the website will display locations, contact information, and testing hours. Yes. We have increased intensive care units (ICU) capacity onboard and ICUs are equipped with infusion pumps, IV treatments, cardiac monitors, defibrillators, cardiac pacemakers and ventilators. That's because cruise ships, with their tight quarters, buffet-style living and international travel, can be a breeding ground for the coronavirus. Yes, we offer guests the option to purchase travel protection plans. This does not supersede country specific requirements - Travel Requirements by Country. While other cruise lines may not officially require vaccinations for kids that young yet, they may in the future. Royal Caribbean Reported a COVID-19 Outbreak on the World's Biggest Cruise Ship, A US Cruise Ship Had a COVID Outbreak Even Though Full Vaccination Was RequiredHere's What You Should Know, CDC Stops Reporting COVID-19 Cases on Cruise ShipsHere's How You Can Still Stay Safe. Additionally, some cruise lines require unvaccinated people to present a negative test taken within a few days of boarding. Those eligible for boosters are also required to have received them. 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? Otherwise, you will need a booster. Before you book -- and especially if you're looking at cruises months ahead -- it's important to consider the spread of COVID-19 in countries or ports where your ship will stop, and that's regardless of your vaccination status. Disney also highly recommends vaccines for younger kids. While much of the travel industry has returned to a pre-pandemic state, cruising has been slower to rebound from some of the tightest restrictions over the last two and a half years. Paul Gauguin CruisesVaccinations are required for all passengers over age 5. A line-by-line guide. This news is very exciting for us and our industry.. 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. It's also possible that cruise lines could ease up on their pandemic measures in the near future and stop requiring proof of vaccination for passengers. Requirements may differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from or visiting destinations with specific local regulations, such as Canada, Greece, and Bermuda. We strongly recommend that fully vaccinated guests . Onboard medical centres are also abundantly stocked with common prescription medications and remedies. First Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and MSC Cruises all announced they would eliminate precruise testing requirements for vaccinated guests on cruises of six nights or less, while hinting that there would be additional loosening of requirements once they got the necessary approvals from the governments of countries the ships visit. Small ship company Windstar Cruises said Monday it also will require passengers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, The Miami Herald reported. With Sail Safe, our industry leading Health & Safety Program, we will continue to put our guests and our crew members first by keeping everyone safe and healthy on board our ships and in the communities we visit. If you chose not to get a COVID-19 vaccine, can you still go on your favorite cruise vacation? This includes vaccines. Retesting three to five days after returning, and in particular, if symptoms have developed, is also advised, says Dr. Jasmin Valentin of Sameday Health. In addition, guests will be required to agree to abide by all of the cruise line's health and safety protocols and acknowledge the risks associated with COVID-19 during their voyage and shoreside experiences. 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. The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. And if you're not vaccinated, it's important to check the guidelines for your cruise line. - All other cruises still require proof of initial vaccination and a booster until further notice. You also might need to purchase travel insurance with emergency evacuation coverage if you have an unvaccinated guest in your party and you're departing from a Florida or Texas port. When cruise lines restarted operations in summer 2021, after being banned by the CDC from operating for 15 months due to COVID-19-related safety concerns, it was with strict CDC-imposed regulations. Precruise testing is required for all guests. 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. Vaccines must be approved for use by the country they are sailing from. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? What if I test positive for COVID-19 before my cruise? But now cruise lines are starting to drop those vaccine and testing requirements, making it easier for cruise-goers to sail the seas. To find out more, please. According to the CDC, "cruise ship travel presents a unique combination of health concerns.". So far, the CDC has approved nine ships for test cruises, operated by Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. As Disney Cruise Line (we, us) returns to sailing following the public health threat of COVID-19, we are changing some of our usual practices. Norwegian Cruise Line, which has not been approved to restart, has said it will initially require everyone on board to be vaccinated. For an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visitwww.TestForTravel.com. Drug-sniffing dogs and $500 fines: Carnival tries to tame cruises, Battery fire on Spirit flight to Florida sends 10 to hospital, In a crowded place, a face mask or respirator keeps the virus away, The investigation into covids origins must continue, Your questions about covid-19, answered by Dr. Leana Wen, Lab leak report energizes Republicans covid probes, We are asking the wrong question about the origins of covid, Doctors who touted ivermectin as covid fix now pushing it for flu, RSV, First combination home test for flu and covid cleared by the FDA. Related: Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? Cruise ships have been under the CDC's Conditional Sail Order since October 2020. The family-focused cruise line has been rolling out new regulations this month. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters. In the specific event that you have a child turning 5 during the voyage, check in with your cruise line before buying a ticket. Onboard medical consultations and standard treatments are provided for COVID-19-related illness at a charge. Not only will being fully vaccinated help protect you from getting seriously ill with COVID-19, but it can also help protect those around you,Thomas Russo, MD,professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo, toldHealth. Will any countries visited during the cruise require additional testing to enter the country? Viking will continue to do onboard testings for any passengers who report symptoms. The cruise line . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccinations are optional. However, since cruise operations have resumed, a large portion of social media comments and discussions among cruise travelers have centered around vaccinations, and COVID-19 restrictions more broadly. Most cruise lines kept requirements for vaccinations and precruise testing in place, but that changed in late July, after the CDC backed off even further from its monitoring of the cruise industry. 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. Carnival Cruise Line was very upfront about its motivations in announcing its decision to let anyone, vaccinated or not, to come onboard most of its sailings. Guests requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test to return to their home country are directed to visit a clinic near the disembarkation terminal or airport. Delivered on weekdays. Even if your particular cruise line does not have a pre-travel testing requirement, test one to three days before your trip anyway to minimize the risk to others. No documentation is required to board, but disclosure is required in advance, and those who are not vaccinated do still need to show a negative result on an antigen or PCR test within three days of departure. Our CareTeam will assist with daily wellbeing check-ins . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. COVID-19 shots are compulsory for all passengers cruising with Atlas, with proof of inoculation required before embarkation. All Contents Copyright 2022 Cruise Radio, Inc. | Website Designed by Insider Perks, Inc. Get the real facts delivered straight to your inbox, with trustworthy cruise related news. It's also important to consider who's coming with you. Otherwise, vaccines are required for passengers age 12 and up. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to verify vaccination will be required to undergo testing and follow other protocols, which will be announced at a later date.. Unvaccinated guests are welcome to sail on all voyages except for those in Australia or some that are 16 nights or longer. A tidal wave has followed, with other cruise lines announcing similar changes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The company also recently relaxed its mask-wearing policies, making them optional, even in indoor and crowded settings. Precruise testing is required for all guests. Health and safety is our top priority, and we will continue to modify our robust SailSafe program as the public health environment evolves. We encourage all guests to file a claim with their travel insurance carrier for reimbursement inquiries. Disney also highly recommends vaccines for younger kids. Guests can expect to provide the following: We are closely monitoring the evolving global public health environment and to the extent any itineraries are affected, we will notify impacted guests in a timely fashion and update our booking requirements. Disney Cruise Line. In order to facilitate pre-cruise testing requirements, Norwegian has partnered with Inspired Diagnostics lab to ensure that guests have access to a quick, efficient and easy way to access the required FDA-approved proctored in-home antigen test prior to embarkation from the comfort of their own home. Check your airline's protocols around testing, mask-wearing, vaccination, or quarantining if you're flying before or after the cruise. 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%. On most sailings, kids and teens ages 17 and under do not have a vaccine requirement. 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.. All passengers age 12 and up, who completed their primary vaccine series more than five months ago, are required to be boosted. If a guest tests positive for COVID-19 while on board, what costs are covered? Since 2009, Cruise Radio has provided the latest cruise news and industry analysis through informative articles, videos, and weekly podcasts.