Previously, testing was required for sailings of six nights or longer. Royal Caribbean Updates Requirements for Transatlantic Sailings That meant they required just about everyone on board to have their shots, with few exceptions allowed for young children and people who cant be vaccinated due to medical conditions or religious beliefs. As part of updated testing requirements, Royal Caribbean has added new guidelines for those guests who have previously contracted Covid 19. Other brands like Carnival Cruises and MSC Cruises followed suit with very similar updates to their testing protocols as Royal Caribbean. Your email address will not be published. That does not include voyages in Australia or trips that are 16 or more nights, and the changes are subject to local restrictions. Like what you see? A test may not be taken on boarding day. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. All rights reserved. The change comes as cruise travel is returning to normal more than two years after the pandemic brought the industry to a halt. Royal Caribbean Cruises Vaccination Requirements Royal Caribbean drops its vaccine requirement for some cruises starting with September 5th departures, not including FL sailings. Will these changes disrupt the cruise experience enough to outweigh the positive cruise experience or is it a matter of adjusting expectations and continuing with the vacation as planned? Here is what they said: Fully vaccinated guests will only have to show a test result at boarding if the sailing is 6 nights or longer. According to Royal Caribbean Internationals pre-cruise testing requirements FAQ with respect to Colombia, guests under the age of12 and fully vaccinated guests do not have any testing requirements.. Guests who are not fully vaccinated will need to bring a negative test result for any COVID-19 test taken within the three days before boarding day. Norwegian Cruise Line made headlines when it announced it would end its vaccine requirement. Now that they dropped them, we can do business again. Although Royal Caribbean will accept a Certificate of Recover that meets all of the noted requirements, many countries are not currently accepting them. The cruise line recommends those guests still test prior to departure. Tests may be taken up to three days prior to embarkation, and can be any type of PCR or antigen test, professionally proctored or self-administered at home without supervision. An antigen test result will not be accepted with a Certificate of Recovery. Just two weeks ago, Royal Caribbean published updates to its testing requirements. Answers for Your Vacation | Royal Caribbean Cruises Stay up to date with the latest cruise news and travel updates! Virgin Voyages saidit woulddrop its pre-embarkation testing rule. Vaccines must be approved for use by the country they are sailing from. So, will you need a vaccine to cruise? "We're highly focused on making sure that our guests and our crew are safe and healthy at all times," he said. Embarkation & Transportation. Royal Caribbean Group announced it would no longer require vaccinated passengers to take a coronavirus test before boarding voyages of six nights or less. The cruise line is working with the ports and says it will share information to travel agents and guests as it becomes available. This is an additional layer of precaution to ensure the safety of everyone onboard," Royal Caribbean said in a statement provided . Cruise lines have shifted their requirements for passengers, making cruising accessible to practically everyone. It can be professionally proctored at your doctor or drugstore, or it can be a test you administer to yourself at home without supervision. Virgin will also allow 10% of passengers to be unvaccinated on U.S. sailings, and travelerscan contact Sailor Services about booking. So when Royal Caribbean testing requirements changed today, guests who are booked on or are considering booking a cruise in the near future have options to consider. Effective November 9, 2022, all travelers on U.S. sailings regardless of vaccination status will no longer require pre-departure testing ,the email read. Royal Caribbean believes that even by allowing unvaccinated passengers onboard, their health protocols far exceed that of other forms of leisure travel, "We continue to maintain additional layers of protection that far exceed any other vacation experience. Follow along as we share our travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. Learn more. These changes also apply to sister brand, Celebrity Cruises. Royal Caribbean was one of the first cruise lines to allow at-home Covid tests to be used, but up until now they had to be supervised by a health professional. The cruise line has updated its health protocols for sailings from March 11, 2022, onward to better accommodate them. Royal Caribbean To Change Testing Policy on Shorter Cruises Joel is a co-owner of JJ Travel Associates (a Dream Vacations franchise), blogger-in-chief at JoelKnowsTravel.com, lover of all things travel (especially UNESCO World Heritage Sites), wannabe comedian, and the person you should call if you're thinking of planning a vacation. "MSC Cruises will continue to monitor pandemic conditions and port requirements outside of the U.S., with a goal to relax testing and vaccination protocols to open cruising to all guests, while prioritizing the health and safety of its guests, crew and destinations," MSC said in the release. There will be no testing or vaccinationrequirements for guests age 11 and younger. Now, Royal Caribbean drops vaccine requirements for some cruises as well. Are you happy with this change or did you like knowing that everyone onboard was vaccinated? NCL's policy also applies to sister brands Oceania and Regent Seven Seas. This revision does not apply to guests whose itinerary visits Canada or Bermuda. For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs new cruise newsletter. Travel Documents. Starting with September 5th departures guests regardless of their vaccination status, can cruise on the following itineraries, as long as they meet any testing requirements to board: Vaccination requirements remain in place until further notice for any homeport that is not mentioned above. Registration details will be provided onboard. Before you can board a Royal Caribbean ship you must answer whether you have been vaccinated, whether you have had your vaccine booster, and whether you have any symptoms of illness. Here are the pre-arrival testing requirements for the sailings that allow unvaccinated passengers onboard. Royal Caribbean No Longer Requiring COVID Testing on Short Cruises But MSC still recommendstesting within three days of embarkation. After more than 2 years under a COVID cloud, the answer is yes. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty spoke about the change during an earnings call with investors a few weeks ago and said the change is a move to be more like other forms of leisure travel, such as theme parks, casinos, or air . For all sailings, kids 5 years and younger have no vaccine or testing requirements. This is a telehealth option in which a proctor watches and guides you through the Covid test. Unvaccinated people should be allowed to sail out of Florida without feeling pressured. ", Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. For general information on testing, please refer to our article on cruise testing requirements. Call 800-825-3633 or book online at Vacation Outlet today. What vaccines are required to travel on a Royal Caribbean cruise? Guests that are not up to date on their vaccination per EMA standards will need to take a COVID-19 test aboard to get off in Greece or Spain, the company said. We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Here are the specific requirements for each cruise line: Due to local regulations, sailings to or from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, and Singapore still require that guests be vaccinated. Resources, laws. Just two weeks ago, Royal Caribbean published updates to its testing requirements. Vaccine requirements will remain in place, but the cruise line said it "is currently evaluating this policy and will announce further updates in the near future." the organization will continue to monitor and offer guidelines to ships. Search for appointments near you prior to the cruise to ensure you can get one booked. Those that participated agreed to follow the agency's recommendations on health and safety protocols such as testing and vaccination. For sailings from the United States (except Puerto Rico), on or after March 11, 2022,a Certificate of Recovery will be accepted for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding, but no more than 90 days ago. Pre Cruises Testing | Royal Caribbean Cruises What travel documents are required to board? Royal Caribbean Removes Testing Requirements. Guests will be notified onboard about how to register for this test. It only took 10s of thousands of lives to be lost for them to do it though. In addition to Royal Caribbean ships, Carnival Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, Viking Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and other lines also visit the port. Royal Caribbean counts tests by days, not hours, so there is no need to worry if it has been ~50 hours instead of 48 hours since your test by the time you board the ship. Unvaccinated guestsage5 and upneed to testwithin three days before boardingfor U.S. voyages. Required testing for all guests, regardless of vaccination status, can be completed using any type of PCR or antigen COVID-19 test. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. Pre-cruise test options for unvaccinated kids. However, Royal Caribbean has stated that it is likely that all guests will need to present a negative Covid-19 test. Exclusive! As our third quarter results clearly demonstrate the strength of our vacation platform, which includes our leading global brands, the best and most innovative ships in the industry Our entire fleet is operating globally in our key destinations, demand for our experiences was very strong, and we achieved 96% load factors overall with the Caribbean at close to 105% at record pricing and high satisfaction scores he added. Its understandable why many voyagers can get muddled on what they need to do in relation to COVID-19 vaccination requirements for their next cruise. The CBS Miami team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSMiami.com. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Shipslast month, cruise lines have announced changes to their health and safety protocols. The changes are subject to local rules at various destinations, and the cruise-line operator "continues to strongly recommend all guests be up to date on vaccination protocols and test at their convenience prior to travel," per the release. Norwegian, Cunard and more end pre-cruise COVID testing - USA Today ended its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships. For guests who dont want to follow these protocols, Royal Caribbean will provide a refund or move guests to a future sailing when circumstances may have evolved. . They are: Although not currently required by Royal Caribbean the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended Covid-19 vaccine booster doses for those eligible, prior to cruise travel. Effective November 9, 2022, all travelers on U.S. sailings regardless of vaccination status will no longer require pre-departure testing (excludes sailings to Colombia), the email read. In Honduras, Roatan island is a favorite port of call, visited by several cruise lines. Guests under 2 do not have to wear a mask at any time. That policy did not seem to be consistent, but it appeared that there was at least some level of verification . Vaccinated guests, regardless of age, no longer need to test for sailing lengths of 5 nights or less. On 10+ night cruises, all passengers vaccinated or not must provide a negative test within three days of their sailing date. If not, just leave blank, Royal Caribbean will accept certificate of covid recovery instead of pre-cruise test, Royal Caribbean names new Senior Vice President, Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean announces changes to Safety, Environment and Health Team leadership, Royal Caribbean named one of America's Best Employers by Forbes, Royal Caribbean receives perfect score as workplace for LGBT Equality, Royal Caribbean giving all of its employees a 5 percent salary bonus. Other brands like Carnival Cruises and MSC Cruises followed suit with very similar updates to their testing protocols as Royal Caribbean. (Or you could go buy it on Amazon. COVID-19 Protocols, Listed by Cruise Line | TravelAge West The Company does note that requirements may differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from or visiting destinations with specific local regulations, including but not limited to Canada, Greece, and Bermuda. Over the past several months, our teams have been very busy and focused on generating strong quality demand, combating inflation, and most of all, delivering the best vacations in the world as we return our business closer to historical load factors while maintaining price integrity and generating $3 billion in revenue and almost $750 million in adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter, he said. The agency said cruise lines should consider mandatingviral tests for travelers close to departure,"highly" recommending testing within one day of embarkation. Onboard: For sailings that are 5 nights or longer, unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test prior to debarkation. In reality, though, taking a Covid test before your cruise just requires a little planning upfront. Copyright 2023 Joel Knows Travel /JJ Travel Associates, all rights reserved. We're here help you make the most of your adventure. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. will drop all pre-cruise requirements for vaccinated passengers age 12 and older beginning Sept. 3. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Royal Caribbean will accept certificate of covid recovery instead of For sailings from the United States (except Puerto Rico), on or after March 11, 2022, a Certificate of Recovery will be accepted for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding, but no more than 90 days ago. Previously, pre-cruise testing was also required for all cruises visiting Haiti or Honduras, both popular ports of call with private resort destinations. Guests booked on any cruise line should stay in close communication for updates as their sailing date approaches, to be sure they are in compliance with any protocol or requirement changes that could impact their cruise. Unvaccinated passengers2 years and up musttest within three days of embarkation for all sailings from U.S. ports. This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification. Royal Caribbean has emailed guests booked on upcoming sailings with the updated health and safety protocols. According to an update posted to Royal Caribbeans website, a COVID-19 vaccination is not required for sailings departing from home ports in California, Louisiana or Texas on or after Sept. 5, 2022. Royal Caribbean drops the vaccine requirement from select U.S. homeports on departures from September 5, 2022. See testing r. What You Need To Know About Royal Caribbean Testing Requirements. These Cruise Lines Will Accept At-home Covid Tests for - Leisure I used to think the private island stops were the weak point of any cruise but Perfect Day has changed my perspective with so many free activities available (and really great upcharge activities and options). If not, just leave blank, Royal Caribbean drops vaccine requirement for certain cruise ship sailings, ended its Covid-19 program for U.S. cruise ships, CDC says travel for fully vaccinated people has "low risk", Wall Street: CDC to blame for cruises not resuming sooner, Royal Caribbean begins to release European cruise Covid protocols, CDC lowers warning level for cruise ships, Texas will ban cruise lines from asking for proof of a Covid-19 vaccine, It looks like Royal Caribbean will vaccinate its crew members. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Carnival Cruise Line will no longer require unvaccinated guests to apply for an exemption in order to sail as of Sep. 6, according to a news release. MSC Cruises no longer requires pre-embarkationtesting for vaccinated passengers on sailingsfive nights or fewer from U.S. ports, the cruise line said. All guests aged 2 and above, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative test result for a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 2 days before boarding day, or a self-administered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within 1 day before boarding, for sailings of any length. The next Royal Caribbean ship scheduled to call on Cartagena is Vision of the Seas, which will visit the port on November 20 as part of a 9-night roundtrip Southern Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale that will depart Florida on November 16. Beginning September 3, cruisers that are 12 or older who are unvaccinated or don't show proof of vaccination will be allowed onboard as long as they can show the results of a negative antigen or PCR test taken in the 72 hours before boarding. Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols. This ensures you can sail stress-free knowing you wont have your voyage cut short due to any cruise vaccination policy when entering another state or territory. Here are the websites of the current protocols by country: Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. / CBS Miami, MIAMI - Royal Caribbean announced Thursday that starting with August 8 departures, "we will revise our testing requirement for most U.S. Beginning September 5th, 2022, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, can now cruise on the following Celebrity Cruises sailings as long as they meet any testing requirements to board: All other sailings (and sailings departing before September 5, 2022), the old restrictions still apply. Kids under 5 sailing from the U.S. and kids under 12 sailing from Europe do not need to test prior to boarding. Resources, laws. Testing is not required for fully vaccinated guests on itineraries of 9 nights or fewer. Most lines only accept vaccines recognized and approved by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unvaccinated children should expect to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowded settings. Depending on your departure port and vaccination status, you will have to take a Covid test 1, 2, or 3 days prior to your sail date. All rights reserved. However, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas cruises, was the first to update its vaccination requirements in addition to testing requirements. CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. Tests must be arranged on your own and are at your own expense. Requiring testing for unvaccinated guests on all sailings, and for vaccinated guests on sailings that are six nights or longer. MIAMI - Royal Caribbean announced Thursday that starting with August 8 departures, "we will revise our testing requirement for most U.S. sailings." Fully vaccinated guests will only have to . Guests will now have the same test standard, regardless of vaccination status: You can show a negative test result from a supervised PCR or antigen test taken within the 3 days before your boarding day. First published on August 4, 2022 / 8:55 PM. Read Also: Cheap Cruises From Florida 2022. August 4, 2022 / 8:55 PM Several ships routinely visit Labadee each week. Children aged 5 to 11 are not required to be vaccinated, however, as they are eligible, Royal Caribbean recommends they receive their vaccine before sailing. Like what you see? Research what is offered in your local area far in advance to ensure you do not run into any surprises when trying to schedule a Covid test. In the U.S., kidsyounger than 5are exempt from testing and vaccination requirements. and New Orleans. As reported in September of 2021, Royal Caribbean had previously allowed guests who had recovered from Covid-19, to submit recovery letters for departures outside of the United States. Vaccinated guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within, Unvaccinated guests aged 2-11 must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within, All vaccinated guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within, Unvaccinated kids aged 2-17 must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within, All guests aged 2 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen)taken within, Unvaccinated kids aged 2-11 must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within, All guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (nasal swab or saliva test)taken within, If your cruise leaves on Sunday, you can take your Covid test Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, If your cruise leaves on Monday, you can take your Covid test Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, If your cruise leaves on Tuesday, you can take your Covid test Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, If your cruise leaves on Wednesday, you can take your Covid test Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, If your cruise leaves on Thursday, you can take your Covid test Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, If your cruise leaves on Friday, you can take your Covid test Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, If your cruise leaves on Saturday, you can take your Covid test Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, If your cruise leaves on Sunday, you can take your Covid test Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, If your cruise leaves on Monday, you can take your Covid test Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, If your cruise leaves on Tuesday, you can take your Covid test Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, If your cruise leaves on Wednesday, you can take your Covid test Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, If your cruise leaves on Thursday, you can take your Covid test Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, If your cruise leaves on Friday, you can take your Covid test Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, If your cruise leaves on Saturday, you can take your Covid test Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, If your cruise leaves on Sunday, you can take your Covid test Saturdayor Sunday, If your cruise leaves on Monday, you can take your Covid test Sundayor Monday, If your cruise leaves on Tuesday, you can take your Covid test Monday or Tuesday, If your cruise leaves on Wednesday, you can take your Covid test Tuesday or Wednesday, If your cruise leaves on Thursday, you can take your Covid test Wednesday or Thursday, If your cruise leaves on Friday, you can take your Covid test Thursday or Friday, If your cruise leaves on Saturday, you can take your Covid test Friday or Saturday. Unvaccinated guests can cruise with negative results from any commercially-available test, including self-tests. Matt Hochberg. In Haiti, Royal Caribbean ships frequently call on Labadee, the cruise lines private island on the northern coast. Royal Caribbeanasks that guests make a reservation before bringing their child to Adventure Ocean. 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 . Vaccinated guests cruising six or more nights"must show proof of a lab-administered negative COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or antigen) taken within 3 days of embarkation," the cruise line said in a news release. Click on your favorite cruise line below to find out. Carnival Cruise Line willonly require pre-cruisetesting for vaccinated passengerson trips 16 nights or more, or where local rules mandate it, startingSept. 6, according to a press release. Sailings longer than 10 nights may have additional onboard testing requirements. There was no thorough check or attempt to match the card to my identification but there was at least a perfunctory effort. NCL's rule change is subject to certain local guidelines, so cruises visiting Canada, Bermuda, or Greece will still require adults to be vaccinated. Have no fear, we provide all the relevant links and information you need for all of the major cruise lines below. What to know before your cruise from Singapore. Children under 12 will have no testing or vaccination requirements. Whats notably missing are Eastern Caribbean cruises, such as those that sail to the Bahamas. Guests sailing from the United States homeports (excluding itineraries visiting Canada or Bermuda) should adhere to the following guidelines: Testing requirement on all cruises regardless of length: Note: PCR tests for unvaccinated children are the only test to adhere to an hour requirement as opposed to days. Many Royal Caribbean itineraries sailing from US ports make a stop at Perfect Day at Coco Cay, a fun island owned by Royal Caribbean Group (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea). Certain countries and regions have relaxed Covid-19 requirements whereas others maintain more strict requirements. To avoid the chance of you missing your next cruise, whether domestic or international, we suggest being fully vaccinated. At that time, guests were required to produce a certificate that verified that either the guest was diagnosed with Covid-19 within the 90 days prior to their sail date or that they were sailing before the end date noted on the Certificate of Recovery. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Royal Caribbean Further Eases Restrictions for Two Destinations A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. Like what you see? 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Additionally, they said they are continuing to work with their destination partners to evolve and finalize other travel protocols. Vaccinated guests ages 12 years and over must take a PCR or antigen test no more than 2 days prior to sailing. As you know, last week, we shared that all sailing 5-nights and longer departing from U.S. homeports throughout the month of August would require proof of a negative COVID-19 test (antigen or PCR) as a requirement to board. What does "within X days of the sail date" mean? Princess Cruises will also begin welcoming a small amount of unvaccinated adults onboard. Royal Caribbean says it is working to allow unvaccinated on other sailings, but they need to coordinate with other countries first. They must test within three days of boarding. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? 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 Cruises from Australia. On sailings 10 night or longer, fully vaccinated guests age 5 and up must bring a negative test result for a COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day. Royal Caribbean cruises that don't require vaccination include sailings that leave from European ports, Los Angeles, Galveston, Tex. Effective on 3- & 4-night itineraries departing August 13 30, 2021, short cruises sailing from U.S. homeports will now requireallguests over the age of 2 years (regardless of vaccine status) to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, administered no more than three days prior to the sail date. We are collaborating with local governments throughout the Caribbean to align on vaccination requirements for additional itineraries, the spokesperson added. In addition to Royal Caribbean ships, Carnival Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, Viking Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and other lines also visit the port.