We finally got to a place that brings us much closer to where the rest of society is in terms of freedom to operate responsibly," the CEO said, according to a Travel Weekly article. When it comes to the select European cruises, unvaccinated guests will have to take a test onboard to be allowed ashore in Greece or Spain. Therapeutics will play an important role, too, and Gottlieb thinks they'll become widely availableand continue to evolve and become more effective. . Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. All rights reserved. - As of July 25, 2022, the line no longer requires pre-cruise testing unless . Fortunately, the CDC has also indicated that it is evaluating the situation, which may lead to welcome changes for cruise travelers. Vacation cruising has nearly returned to normal. Most Americans have a strong opinion on vaccines -- strong to the point that the topic has caused family rifts and led friends to stop speaking to each other. Those requirements are spelled out in more detail at the companys Have Fun. Looking at 2022, it's likely that cruise lines will continue to require crew to be vaccinated. But there's a catch: Unvaccinated passengers - or those unwilling to show proof of the vaccine - will face onboard restrictions, extra COVID-19 tests, and additional costs, according to the cruise line. Well hopefully get our first glimpse of that this year. NCL's last two Prima Plus ships will accommodate green methanol, Moving forward on multiple sustainability fronts: Insights from NAPA. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Before boarding all three cruise lines, passengers must show their original vaccination cards. All rights reserved. This means $178 worth of COVID-19 tests, strict mask requirements, seating restrictions in areas like theaters and casinos, and the possibility of not being able to go ashore, depending on local restrictions. Azamara, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Viking were among the first to do so, where permitted. On a recent communication to travel agents, Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley recently said,For those clientsbookedafter August 14, 2022,please await the specific protocol details from us related to those sailings. I expect that RCI will be dropping the vaccination requirements. The NCL covid rules are among the most flexible for unvaccinated passengers on cruises leaving the United States. Unvaccinated guests are welcome on most voyages, except for those that visit destinations where local regulations vary, including Australia. If you have a question or would like to make a press inquiry, please contact: Scott Mackenzie NCL's last two Prima Plus ships will accommodate green methanol, Moving forward on multiple sustainability fronts: Insights from NAPA. Especially if you are unvaccinated. And, even when that ban was lifted, the cruise lines had to operate under a strict set of rules that no other industry had to follow. In late July the CDC relaxed Covid requirements for the cruise industry. Voyages 16 nights and longer will continue to have vaccination and testing requirements that are specific to the itinerary. For cruises of five or fewer nights from Los Angeles, vaccinated passengers won't need to test for COVID. Youll find expert advice for experienced and first-time cruisers, as well as port and destination guides. For those who are unvaccinated, pre-embarkation testing is required. Children 5 and under are not . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has removed its "cruise ship travel health notice" after two years of warning travellers about COVID-19 infections linked to boarding a cruise ship. Cruise lines and Florida have been in a heated standoff over vaccine passports. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, how vocal some potential customers and cruise lines, Margaritaville at Sea Gears Up With Travel Advisors in Mind, Its a Summer of Record-Breaking Cruise Sales. Whats notably missing are Eastern Caribbean cruises, such as those that sail to the Bahamas. Shes been on 10 cruises and counting, and her favorite onboard activities include trying out the water slides, spending time in the spas thermal suite, eating lots of food, and attending the love & marriage show. Unvaccinated guests are welcome on most voyages. We know you like itthats why youre here. The big question is, what cruise lines allow unvaccinated guests to sail? Lines and paragraphs break automatically. The parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line says passengers are still splurging on luxury trips. The CDC's new opt-in cruise program reduced isolation/quarantine times for highly vaccinated ships. These protocols include that fully vaccinated guests do not need to provide proof of a negative test result. As any client who has cruised recently knows, the logistics of requiring COVID-19 testing before, during or right after a trip can be daunting. Close to home: Climate change in Long Beach. Unvaccinated passengers or those who do not provide proof of vaccination must present the results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation . Copyright 2023. Carnival Cruises no longer requires that passengers get vaccinated against COVID-19 for most voyages of less than 16 days, the company announced on Friday. Starting September 3, 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line Parent company is adjusting the required pre-cruise testing and vaccination protocols for all cruises, with the new guidelines taking effect September 3, 2022. Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC. There are also excursion rules and limited capacity. The cruise line will drop the vaccine requirement on select sailings from the U.S. and Europe. CDC relaxed Covid requirements for the cruise industry, ry Azova for a inexpensive effective option, reach out and Im happy to help find you a cruise, Covid-19 Vaccination Recipients Will Receive Vaccine Card, CDC Relaxes Covid Requirements for Cruises, Saying Goodbye To Princess Cruise Lines' Captain Stubing. (Note: Since the initial announcement, the CDC has released new guidance for cruise ships on the mitigation and management of the virus. This can be a PCR or antigen test supervised in person or by telehealth professional. Starting October 14, Disney Cruise Line will drop the vaccine mandate for all guests and introduce relaxed testing requirements for fully vaccinated guests. Although cruises from the US may not require covid vaccination, a port on the cruise may. Royal Caribbean Vaccine Requirement Update. Find an update to carnival covid-19 requirements here. In addition, all guests, age 18 and older, who are more than 6 months past the last dose of their initial vaccine series must be boosted (if eligible) in order to sail: Other cruises have limited space for vaccine exempt guests through December 2022. Check with Carnival for specific cruise requirements. "We're going to announce very . Starting Sept. 6, vaccinated travelers on cruises under16 days will no longer have to test before embarking and only need to upload proof of vaccination while getting OceanReady. The agency . Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Free Report, Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) - Get Free Report, and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Free Report find their companies in the middle of this debate. Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. Disney Cruise Line will be changing its vaccine and testing requirements beginning September 2 for all cruises departing from ports in the United States and Canada. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Covid-19 guidance will soon become optional for many cruise ship lines. Starting September 3, Norwegian Cruise Line will experience a major change in health and safety . Two Summer Itineraries Modified for Disney Cruise Ship, Passenger Accused of Using Stolen Credit Cards for Royal Caribbean Cruise, Royal Caribbean Makes Major Updates for Loyal Guests, Holland America Line Gears Up For Alaska Travel Expo. (That mandate does not include a booster shot.) The following voyages require guests, age 12 and older, to be fully vaccinated. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is extending its passenger vaccine mandate "indefinitely," the company's CEO said on Wednesday. For cruises from Barcelona, both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers have to present a negative test taking within one day before embarking. Currently, all three major U.S. cruise lines require all passengers to provide proof of a negative covid test taken no more than two days before their cruise and all passengers ages 12 and over must also be vaccinated. As mentioned, the first vessel where Disney implements the new procedures is Disney Wish on October 14, a 3-day Bahamas cruise to Nassau and Castaway Cay, sailing from Port Canaveral. Unvaccinated passengers ages 12 and older must present a medically supervised negative PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hoursbefore sailing. Disney Cruise Line is one of the last cruise lines to make these changes. New Details Released. We shall see this expanded for future cruises. The cruise line is working with the ports and says it will share information to travel agents and guests as it becomes available. abruptly stopped any covid-related regulation. All guests 18 and older must be vaccinated to sail, plus one booster shot if eligible. Guests without vaccination will be provided a test by Disney Cruise Line. For departures five nights or less out of Los Angeles and Galveston, unvaccinated guests aged 2 and over must show a negative test result to sail. The rules will vary by port, but an awful lot of sailings would be covered simply by adopting this rule change. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess drop vax mandate for many cruises, Cunard eases testing. For the next 12 months, he believes a lot of people are likely to get a booster to take them through the fall and winter. And one month later, the state passed a law to ban vaccine passports starting July 1. Share. Disney Magic will be the last ship to make changes on November 7, sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Check with Seabourn for protocols on your specific sailing. On October 16, it is Disney Wonders turn to implement the new protocols, sailing from San Diego on a 5-night Baja California cruise. On shorter cruises that . The options available to unvaccinated guests continue to expand. The short answer to the question is: I think this is kind of a springtime thing from a CDC policy standpoint. Over time, Gottlieb thinks COVID will become like flu: 'If you get infected, stay home,' he said, adding the hope that employers will 'help people do the right thing,' There will also be less mandatory testing so fewer people who are asymptomatic will be detected. Please be aware that health and safety measures may change at any time. Clients are booking now and into the future, and he believes the cruise lines are mostly getting back to normal operations and looking at long-term planning. A cruise ship in Florida. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity mentioned herein. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone:(201) 902-2000. Instead, the cruise line will introduce these on a rolling basis across the fleet. For cruises out of Galveston and New Orleans that visit Grand Cayman, only passengers that show a valid vaccination record can go ashore. Eventually, those rules were loosened and the CDC's program became voluntary, and now, the federal agency has abruptly stopped any covid-related regulation or tracking of the cruise industry. Keep in mind the world is one world but not one place. Carnival allows unvaccinated guests to return to sailing. Those 16 and older must be vaccinated. ", Read the original article on Business Insider, See more stories on Insider's business page, Chicago police chief, U.S. attorney resign after Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection. Frank Del Rio has no regrets. Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. "The booster vaccine is causing the most challenges for my agency as far as clients not wanting to get an additional booster shot in order to sail in some parts of the world . Testing is still required for some cruises. These new guidelines apply to all Cunard cruises from Southampton and all other departure points, with the exception of countries where government regulations and protocols vary including Canada and Australia. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. Making travel easier for all guests. Cruise lines will lift their mask mandates as they shift to a series of relaxed regulations under the CDC's voluntary Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships operating in U.S. waters. Children under 5 (from the US) and under 12 (from Australia) are exempt from vaccination and testing requirements. Here's why. Also starting Sept. 5,Celebrity Cruises will discontinue its vaccination mandate for sailings from Los Angeles, the UK and Europe (but not Iceland). At this time, no changes have been made to our health and safety protocols for voyages originating in the U.S. as we look forward to reviewing the details of the CDCs planned guidelines for public health operations on cruise ships.. Royal Caribbean Group which owns Silverseas and Celebrity is hinting at unvaccinated cruises later this year. Passengers no longer have to wear masks onboard while they are indoors, and while capacities have not returned to 100% . Find out when the conditional sailing order expires. Fully-vaccinated . Thats why were asking readers like you to support our independent, fact-based journalism. The Uniglobe travel agency says most cruise lines are making the same call: to keep the guidelines. Commercially available tests will be accepted, including self tests. Hyperlocal news is an essential force in our democracy, but it costs money to keep an organization like this one alive, and we cant rely on advertiser support alone. This takes effect Sept. 6. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lowered the travel advisory for cruise ships, indicating the agency thinks conditions have slightly improved from late last year. 'This a transition year then they'll decide whether they want vaccinations in congregate settings like cruising, whether this becomes part of the childhood immunization schedule,' Gottlieb said. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Coronavirus. Now that is being further expanded as cruise lines try to return to normal. Unvaccinated passengers or those who do not provide proof of vaccination must present the results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation, the company announced. This content has not been approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Be sure to familiarize your self, or reach out and Im happy to help find you a cruise that meets you and your family needs. Some safety measures will stay in place, which Transport Canada noted was in line with U.S. requirements. webpage. Children ages four and younger do not need to be vaccinated, nor do they need to provide a negative test result. Though . 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. The changes are nuanced, depending on embarkation ports and destinations and, in some cases, by cruise length, and vary by . Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a physician who serves as chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line's SailSAFE Council, on March 3 spoke on the possibility of cruise lines being able to drop vaccination requirements. Testing requirements for sailings in Europe are unchanged. However, Azamara still lists Miami as a port requiring COVID-19 tests, and Viking has yet to remove its testing in the U.S. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. parent to the Norwegian, Oceania and Regent brands also confirmed that they would keep health and safety protocols in place for ships operating in U.S. waters with the following statement: We welcome the decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to end the CDC COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships operating in U.S. waters. "CDC continues to evaluate the latest science and state of . Currently, guests with a certificate of recovery within 90 days of travel are welcome to cruise. The cruise line has announced a further easing of its protocols by dropping the vaccine requirements on select sailings from September 5, 2022. If thats the case, then everyone on the cruise will need to meet the vaccine requirements. 2023 TheStreet, Inc. All rights reserved. Del Rio asked where this policy may be heading? Each sailing is unvaxxed capacity-controlled based on the total number of vaccinated guests projected to be on board. Unvaccinated travelers still need to apply for an exemption to cruise in Australia or on voyages 16 nights and longer. On July 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the elimination of its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships sailing in U.S. waters, a first-of-its-kind move that would allow each individual cruise line to manage its own COVID-19 mitigation programs. But there's a catch: Unvaccinated passengers - or those unwilling to show proof of the vaccine - will face onboard restrictions, extra COVID-19 tests, and additional costs, according to the cruise line. If you are unvaccinated and looking to cruise, be sure to work with a travel partner, such as Scott & Thomas, who is familiar with the individual cruise lines policy. "This would be unethical and harmful for society. Since 2009, Cruise Radio has provided the latest cruise news and industry analysis through informative articles, videos, and weekly podcasts. The Miami-based cruise line also announced that starting Sept. 6, vaccinated passengers sailing on voyages of less than 16 days will no longer have to test before boarding. It will also . The industry is still recovering and working under a patchwork of regulations. Subscribe to RSS Family cruises will be a bit easier in Europe now as Celebrity Cruises has become the first line to drop the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement for guests under the age of 18. Unvaccinated children under 5 do not require pre-cruise testing. The cruise lines are already set up to self-manage with all protocols necessary to keep their guests in the safest environment possible, as they always have been.. But Gottlieb does have a timetable in which he expects the agency to act. Three months ago, on December 30, it was moved to the agency's highest-risk Level 4 category of travel advisories as the . The cruise industry is also being affected by the change in requirements as ship passengers will no longer need to have pre-boarding COVID tests, be vaccinated, or use ArriveCAN, the agency said. If so, vaccination may be a tool to keep around, like annual flu shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its definition of what it means to be a highly . The three major cruise lines sailing from U.S. ports -- Royal Caribbean International ( RCL) - Get Free Report, Carnival Cruise Lines CCL, and Norwegian Cruise Line NCLH -- still require pre . When it comes to cruises that are six nights or more, all guests aged 2 and over must present a negative test result taken within three days before departure. Cruise planners call for Baltic 'reimagining,' sustainability support, Natalya Leahy succeeds Josh Leibowitz as Seabourn president, Carnival Corp. & plc arranges new forward starting $2.1b credit facility, Former Genting Hong Kong ship World Dream reported sold to Cruise Saudi, Port Canaveral overtook Miami as world's busiest cruise port in 2022 (updated), NCLH issues $250m 9.75% notes, amended Apollo deal has option for up to $650m notes, Court temporarily blocks Crystal/A&K from employing Lira, using Silversea info, reduced isolation/quarantine times for highly vaccinated ships, Allowed HTML tags: . Voyages that are 16 nights and longer will continue to have vaccination and testing requirements that are specific to the itinerary for all passengers aged five and older, Carnival announced. This news comes as the cruise industry starts to relax its protocols and aligns with other travel sectors, such as flights. Earlier this week, Carnival and Norwegian cruise lines relaxed their mask rules as well. That means three pillars of the government's made-in-Canada COVID-19 vaccine procurement strategy have failed or could soon fail. Vaccinated passengers still must present a medically supervised negative covid antigen or rapid pcr test before sailing. He has close to three decades of experience in journalism leading numerous investigations and long-form journalism projects for the OC Weekly and other publications. (That mandate does not include a booster shot.). Travel insurance. More travelers will soon be able to book a cruise when Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. becomes the first cruise company to drop vaccination requirements starting Sept. 3, 2022. As of now, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian have not made any major covid rule changes on their namesake brands sailing from the U.S. That could change when the cruise lines release their August protocols. Vaccine exemptions are limited to a small number of guests who are over age 5. Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. RELATED: NCLH Drops COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements, Welcomes Everyone to Sail. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. The new guidelines effect NCL, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas. Vaccinated guests, regardless of age, no longer need to test for the shorter sailings. Here Are the Updated COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Each Major Cruise Line For many, testing and vaccination requirements have made cruising more confusing than ever He also predicted a quiet spring and summer 2022 since many people have been vaccinated or infected so immunity in the US . Then theyll make decisions about whether or not they continue to require vaccines in certain settings," he added. In all cases, the protocols may vary on a particular sailing if the destination has different rules than the . On 5 April, the proposal was amended to lift the age threshold to 60 years. Cruise lines have adopted very strong Covid protocols partly because of the CDC and partly because of the optics of an outbreak on a cruise. This positivity rate is still a small fraction of what it is in society at large, and nearly all cases on board were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms.". When will vaccination no longer be required to cruise? The protocol changes come right on time for unvaccinated guests to experience the ever-popular Halloween on the High Seas cruises onboard the Disney ships in October. Getty Images. Rocky started blogging on his own website When Doublewides Fly to share information about flying around the world on a dime. Unvaccinated passengers will face onboard restrictions, COVID-19 tests, and extra costs. Some cruise lines already let children and a select few customers travel unvaccinated. This site is for entertainment purposes only. The line said it still strongly recommends vaccination. Other fun experiences include a Mickey Mouse-querade Party, a family costume party where kids can meet their favorite Disney characters, Halloween-themed movies, and even ghostly ship announcements. Carnival, the largest cruise operator in the world, operates three vessels out of Long Beach. Copyright 2023. That's what the three major cruise lines had to do. Carnival Cruise Line removed testing for vaccinated passengers on sailings less than 16 nights, and eliminated the exemption request process for unvaccinated travelers, who will only need to show a negative test result at embarkation. Copyright 2023. The vaccine-mandate reversal is the latest update in a heated battle between cruise lines and the state, which has banned vaccine passports. For the sailings from California, Louisiana, Texas and Europe, Royal Caribbean passengers won't need to show documentation of vaccination but the line will ask for vaccination status atcheck-in and recommended travelers carry their vaccination cards in case authorities or businesses in destinations ask to see those. "Gov. Starting Sept 3, 2022, Unvaccinated Guests are welcome to cruise with no capacity limits. Carnival Cruises. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. None of them want to be. Princess Cruises, which sails out of the Port of Los Angeles, also announced similar changes to their vaccination guidelines on Friday. ), This announcement is the most significant to date, and is another step to greater consumer confidence in travel, Tolkin said. Currently, the island nation requires all cruise ship passengers 12 and over to be fully vaccinated to enter the port. April 5, 2021. On October 15, the procedures will be implemented onboard Disney Dream. Currently, vaccinated guests departing on cruises from . "Cruise lines, the all-inclusives in the Caribbean everyone has a set of protocols. No business wants to make a choice -- or in this case have choices made for them by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- that alienates potential customers. will cruise lines lift vaccine mandate