Youll find expert advice for experienced and first-time cruisers, as well as port and destination guides. Olsen passengers are required to wear a mask onboard when not in their staterooms, eating or drinking, or seated in a deck . Some people waited to cruise until masks were no longer required while others wont step onboard until every covid-related protocol goes away. As the United States has opened up again following the worst of the pandemic, many people have returned to a normal way of life. Aida Cruises, Ama Waterways, American Queen Steamboat Company, Azamara, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Viking are all open or planning to open soon. As always, your safety is our first priority, so we will continue with our other protocols to keep you well while enjoying your relaxing vacation, the cruise line shared in the email. On voyages that visit Greece or Italy, they are required on the ship when indoors. Carnival, for example, says itll accept some vaccine exemptions from those ages 12 and younger, as well as adults who have that they cant be vaccinated but only at their Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, South Carolina and Alabama ports until the end of March 2022. 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. As of last week, masks arent required for vaccinated guests on Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean made headlines a week ago when it announced that it would begin sailing from Florida in early July with ships where vaccinations would be recommended but not required. Our Crew will remain fully vaccinated as they are now. The cruise line has a limited but growing presence in the U.S., with cruises from Florida and New York. 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 line's. Pre-boarding tests are not required for vaccinated guests. First and foremost, unvaccinated passengers of any age are allowed to sail the cruise line without having to first apply for an exemption as was previously required. While the pandemic has made most of us equate vaccine with Covid-19, depending on where you travel, protecting your health by getting or boosting vaccinations for things hepatitis, yellow fever and other diseases may be required or recommended. On Alaska voyages between Whittier and Vancouver, they are required on the ship when indoors. In the fall of 2022, many popular cruise lines dropped the requirement for passengers to be up-to-date on Covid-19 vaccinations. Some cruise lines encourage vaccination even though they dont require it. Read Also: Cruises In April 2022 From Florida. Most major cruise lines do not require guests to be vaccinated unless they're traveling from or to a destination that requires it. Its almost unheard of for a vaccinated person to get seriously ill with Covid-19, she said in an email. Many other cruise line operators and brands made similar protocol changes, including Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. Which Cruise Lines Require That Kids Be Vaccinated? Testing is required on sailings of six nights or more. Heres what you need to know. Vaccine requirements are starting to change, however. All guests aged 4 and older are required to have a negative COVID-19 test before boarding. This article was originally published in February 2022. Free expert cruise tips and news from Cruise Hive! Vaccine requirements are starting to change, however. The question for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian becomes which changes will lead to the most passengers on their ships? The cruise line will still administer a COVID-19 antigen test to each guest prior to boarding, free of charge, and masks are required in public areas. 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. That number has come down from 95% and it was generally believed to be a number to account for kids too young to get vaccinated to be onboard. Also, fully vaccinated passengers now no longer need to provide a negative COVID-19 test prior to setting sail on many voyages. Were still requiring that the majority of Sailors be vaccinated, but were opening up our voyages for a limited number of unvaccinated Sailors to join us. Cruise lines have their own rules countries have their own rules. The cruise line said COVID vaccines will no longer be required for passengers 12 and older on the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Wonder cruise ships starting on Oct. 14. Costa Cruises will also allow unvaccinated travelers to board sailings 14 nights or shorter in the Caribbean and Mediterranean beginning Oct. 8. Australia has been one of the more strict regions of the world with respect to pandemic cruise travel restrictions. Some may also require pre-board testing for unvaccinated people. Generally, proof of inoculation must include your name, the type of vaccine you received and the dates on which you received all required doses. Mask-wearing requirements were common on cruise ships through much of 2021 and into early 2022 as COVID-19 spread across the globe in several major waves. Carnival Cruise Line only restarted Australia guest operations in the past several weeks, first with Carnival Splendor setting sail on October 1, followed by Carnival Luminosas first sailing on November 6. You can keep up with her on Instagram at @IAmSarahJaneB. Passengers are encouraged to wear them . Other sources include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travelers Health site that maintains up-to-date information on current health situations around the world, general healthy travel tips and help in finding a travel health clinic. It was most recently updated and republished on June 17, 2022. Testing is still required for some cruises. As well, Sir Richard Bransons new cruise line Virgin Voyages also dropped its masking policy as of yesterday, February 28. No. Vaccinated travelers will not need to test before embarkation. When asked how Carnival intends to handle Floridas new law, a spokesperson did not comment on the decision to break from the law and instead referred NBC News to its frequently-asked-questions page, which states that guests will be asked to confirm their status as fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and provide proof of vaccination in advance of boarding, unless a vaccination exemption is given in advance. Guests who have certain pre-existing medical conditions . Carnival Cruise Line Carnival has joined the CDC programme so, effective with cruises departing March 1, masks on board will be recommended but not required on US sailings. Be sure to review the latest requirements prior to boarding. Disney Cruise Line joins the majority of cruise operators that have done away with COVID-19 vaccination requirements on some ships. Policy: In general, masks are not required onboard. Carnival Cruise Line. Testing is not required of vaccinated guests. When the first cruises allowing Americans restarted in spring 2021, all major lines were sailing with at least 90% of passengers vaccinated against COVID-19. If you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider about the risks of traveling. View Best Prices on Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line For cruises that depart on or after September 6, 2022, Carnival Cruise Line will allow all guests to once again sail on their Fun Ships. Is A Pierside, Pre-Embarkation COVID-19 Test Required? Masks and Physical Distancing Requirements: Masks are not required. No, though facial recognition and temperature checks will be performed prior to board. Carnival Cruise Line will no longer require pre-cruise testing for vaccinated guests on voyages that are five nights or fewer beginning Aug. 4, the cruise line said Friday. Guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if they are eligible, said Royal Caribbeans news release. 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. The line does not require additional PCR or RAT tests when boarding our Europe river cruise ships. Hell of a Cruise:Highlighting the panic, failures of the COVID early days. Masks are also now required in outdoors for any large crowded events where guests cannot appropriately distance, such as during deck parties, as well as while on shore tour buses or tenders, or while indoors on any shore excursion. It must be noted that at this time, this policy only impacts Carnival cruises in Australia, and masks are not required on any Carnival ships in other regions. The company shared that information in an email that was sent to people booked on upcoming sailings. Virgin Voyages, a fledgling cruise line sailing one of its two ships, the Scarlet Lady, out of Miami, dropped the pre-cruise testing requirement after the CDC stopped monitoring covid on cruise ships. While most cruise lines require adults to be vaccinated right now, unvaccinated readers want to know when the vaccine mandate may go away. 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. Therefore, people who are vaccinated should not be worried about getting infected from those who arent. DeSantis To Appeal Preliminary Injunction Allowing Norwegian Cruises To Require Vaccines. MSC is a popular choice for passengers looking for relatively affordable fares. One of the trickier questions to tackle is do cruises require vaccinations? Sarah has been writing about the cruise industry since 2015. A precruise test is no longer required on the river ships. This isn't an easy decision, because it's partially about people's health and partially about keeping your business healthy. Main photo: a cruise ship docked near Grand Turk Island. Additionally, it's important to check the latest travel advisories and restrictions for your destination before booking a cruise. fred o. Fred. Those requirements would not be necessary on the same cruise without a stop in Colombia. MSC Cruises As of September 1, 2022, MSC Cruises no longer requires U.S. citizens to be vaccinated. 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. However, before they cruise, those without the shot will need to have a negative test taken within three days of cruising . Also Check: Best Hotels Near Miami Cruise Port. If Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian allow for unvaccinated adults but keep the 90% vaccinated number that could limit how many families can book cruises on those lines, which are marketed as family cruise lines. All guests will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to boarding. Is A Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Test Required? 3 things to know before stepping foot on the ship, When Can You Book Excursions On Disney Cruise, Spirit Of Washington Dc Sunset Dinner Cruise With Buffet, Toyota Fj Cruiser Trail Teams Ultimate Edition For Sale. Keep in mind, however, that policies on testing and vaccination requirements vary from cruise line to cruise line, and that sailings to, from, or calling on ports in Canada, Bermuda, Greece, Australia and New Zealand will still require most passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For the most up-to-date policies, always double-check with your cruise line of choice, as protocols change rapidly. But now, little more than a year later, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has withdrawn its opt-in guidance for cruise lines, and many are now allowing more unvaccinated passengers to sail. For passengers who are 5 and older and fully vaccinated, a COVID test is not required, but proof of vaccination is needed. 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. What was true for your friend who took a Viking cruise in fall 2022 may not apply to the cruise you booked for a 2023 voyage on Carnival. Costa Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea Cruises have also dropped their vaccination policies with some exceptions. There is no definitive answer as to when a vaccine requirement to go on a cruise ship may go away, but at the very least it stands to reason not until the public health emergency ends. Note: There may be additional requirements if you are traveling internationally, and the rules can changesometimes overnight. Children age 12 to 15 must have received two initial doses of the vaccination. Yes. Just a few weeks prior, the line had opened its ships up to unvaccinated kids under 5.