That means, as of July 1, the Florida state government could . If not, just leave blank, Royal Caribbean drops pre-cruise testing requirement for almost all cruises, Royal Caribbean Group CEO says decision will be made if covid vaccine will be mandatory to cruise, Royal Caribbean has not decided on any more cancellations following Norwegian Cruise Line announcement, Two crew members with coronavirus evacuated from Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean stock surges after COVID-19 vaccine tests are more than 90% effective, Royal Caribbean bolsters financial situation with $3.48 billion in backup financing, You might have to take a COVID-19 test to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the future. These restrictions include wearing a mask in most public spaces and limitations on areas and services unvaccinated passengers can access. Crew will be tested regularly while on board. Four major cruise lines are dropping their vaccination requirements for some sailings next month, the . 1:03 Royal Caribbean International is resuming cruises aimed at U.S. vacationers this summer - with a twist. The cruise line's vaccine mandate will apply to guests who are at least 16 years old aboard ships sailing from the US or the Bahamas, according to Royal Caribbean's frequently asked questions page. St. Maarten / St. Martin : open to vaccinated and unvaccinated . Cruise officials said any cruise guests departing before then must adhere to the current protocols in place, which differ depending on where you are leaving from. Royal Caribbean no longer requires vaccinated guests to take COVID test Both crew members and guests over 16 years old will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to sail on the . One of the world's biggest cruise companies says coronavirus vaccinations will be needed to get on its ships. User @FunTimeFred1 wrote: "I'm 100% with you, Simone Any company that make this a requirement will go bust," in a reply to the message by @drsimonegold. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Beginning December 1, 2022, the line will waive vaccination requirements for all passengers on Europe and Caribbean itineraries, except where required by local regulations. 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. According to Viking's COVID-19 protocol, select at-home tests will meet Viking's travel requirement, provided they include a laboratory-certified proof of result. The update on the health protocols for Royal Caribbean ships came in a letter sent to travel agents, which are now also available online. As cruises drop vaccine rules, they're seeing 'huge spike' in bookings Vacation cruising has nearly returned to normal. Hawaii. Royal Caribbean Internationals sister brand Celebrity Cruises (both owned by Royal Caribbean Group) is still requiring all passengers 16 years old or older be vaccinated on its seven-night Caribbean cruises that are restarting from Port Everglades on June 26. What Cruise Lines Need To Admit To Unvaccinated Passengers - Forbes Norwegian cruises to drop vaccination requirement, ease testing rules COVID-19 Vaccine Card Question : r/royalcaribbean - reddit In recent weeks, several cruise lines have been forced to cancel sailings (and some have implemented stronger mask policies) amid the emergence of the omicron variant. The post has had over 7,200 likes since it was first shared on Monday. 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). | Become a News 6 Insider (its free!)]. Previously, certain areas onboard. You're supposed to take a covid test two days before either at a testing center or with a proctored testing kit that they sell on their website and the test kit does have an app to show your results. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. In the past when Royal Caribbean relaxed travel requirements, they've reinforced their ships are still a step ahead of other travel in terms of protocols, "We continue to maintain additional layers of protection that far exceed any other vacation experience. Cruises from Australia are also not included in this policy change. Eager cruisers looking to resume sailing with Royal Caribbean will now have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to updated guidance from the major cruise line. In the testing area, they were each given an on-site rapid antigen test. Cruise Ship Travel During COVID-19 | CDC The Miami Herald reported that Royal Caribbean International previously planned to only allow vaccinated passengers onto its ships, but announced in a Friday press release that they were. Without very high vaccination rates among passengers and crew members, it can be difficult for a cruise ship to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) once the virus has made it on board. Image source: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. Learn more. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Most major cruise lines require proof of vaccination for all passengers age 12 and up, and some require them for kids as young as 5 years old (Pfizer's . If they are more likely, then you could easily end up on a ship where less than half of the passengers are fully vaccinated. Royal Caribbean Informs Guests of Updated Protocols - Cruise Hive The graphic below, produced by Statista, illustrates the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Newsweek, in partnership with NewsGuard, is dedicated to providing accurate and verifiable vaccine and health information. Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? A line-by-line guide First and foremost, it's worth noting that. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Unvaccinated travelers (who are 5 and older on most U.S. sailings and 12 and older on select European sailings) will be required to get tested within three days of boarding. The new Florida law can leave businesses like cruise ship lines caught between a rock and a hard place. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Wristbands were also diligently checked in spaces intended for vaccinated cruisers. Crew members were also positioned at the entrances to restaurants, the theater and even at the Freestyle soda machines to push the buttons for passengers. With NewsGuard's HealthGuard browser extension, users can verify if a website is a trustworthy source of health information. Royal Caribbean announces cruises with no vaccine requirement - The "Cruise passengers are at increased risk of person-to-person spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, and outbreaks of COVID-19 have been reported on cruise ships," the CDC warns. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. The CDC dropped its cruise covid-19 reporting program last month, prompting cruise lines to announce they would loosen testing requirements for vaccinated passengers and in most cases . 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.. Cruise giant Royal Caribbean is dropping its COVID-19 vaccine Enrollment required. Starting Sept. 5, Royal Caribbean will welcome both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers of all ages, according to the cruise line. Prior to this sweeping vaccine mandate, Royal Caribbean had been announcing select "fully vaccinated" cruises. Offers may be subject to change without notice. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley shared some numbers the CDC had given to him, during his remarks to passengers on the 2022 President's Cruise, Royal Caribbean Blog first reported. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. For more information, please see here . In Nassau, vaccinated passengers were allowed to explore however they wished, but unvaccinated cruisers were required to take ship-sponsored excursions to leave the ship. The cruise company's new sailings from the Bahamas will require all adult guests "to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. To find out more about the new guidelines issued, click here. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. Passengers also had to select specific check-in times for embarkation day, ensuring that crowds stayed thin at the terminal during the boarding process. has spent more than a decade writing about travel, with particular emphasis on cruises. Vaccines, however, have clearly helped limit the number of severe cases onboard, and showing vaccination cards is a much smaller ask of passengers than requiring them to get tested no more than two days before their cruises. Royal Caribbean reversed course on its vaccine policy last week, making the jab optional for most of its cruises after the company initially planned to require it. Royal Caribbean Cruises Additionally, Celebrity Cruises will allow unvaccinated travelers starting Sept. 5 on all cruises that depart from a U.S. or European port, excluding cruises that visit Canada, according to the company. guests must review and accept the I am a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order. Stay up to date with what you want to know. People still get covid, as do crew members, but only two people have died, and very few have gotten seriously ill. In order to board these ships, all adults, including the crew, will be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. While vaccination is not required for guests under 12, we kindly ask that you fill out their status below. These Countries Require It for Entry, Where Can Americans Travel Right Now? When Will Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian End Vaccine Mandate The company had originally required guests 18 years and older to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and provide proof of vaccination to board their ships. Each person sailing was required to download the Royal Caribbean app. Royal Caribbean International's sister brand Celebrity Cruises (both owned by Royal Caribbean Group) is still requiring all passengers 16 years old or older be vaccinated on its seven-night. Where was one of the first places that SARS-CoV2 outbreaks were being noticed? Now, Royal Caribbean drops vaccine requirements for some cruises as well. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. This includes unsupervised testing. The CDC may not be directly saying that it's done all it can, but the cruise lines clearly have taken reasonable precautions, and given the state of covid in the U.S., that's all that anyone can reasonably expect. User @drsimonegold tweeted: "WOW: @RoyalCaribbean cruises is now requiring you to get an experimental vaccine to book a cruise with them. Royal Caribbean International Updates Health Protocols - Cruise Hive ", Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Royal Caribbean has announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for guests. No testing is required for vaccinated passengers on voyages of nine nights or fewer. You can read more about our, Chef Ethan Stowell buys a historic Seattle dive bar, 4 steep Seattle stair climbs to get you in shape for WA hiking season, WA volunteer details Colchuck Peak avalanche search-and-rescue effort, How one Ballard newbie became pinballs international rookie of the year, Restaurant review: Itsumono is making some of Seattles best food and great drinks, too, Norwegian sticks to vaccine rule despite Floridas prohibition, Seattle-Alaska cruises to resume in summer, boosting local economy, Mask mandate in WA health care, correctional facilities to end, Fauci should be jailed over COVID lies and mandates, Cruz tells CPAC, Final state emergencies winding down 3 years into pandemic, Troops who refused COVID vaccine still may face discipline, A condition called POTS rose after COVID, and patients cant find care, Coronavirus origins still a mystery 3 years into pandemic, Lab leak likely caused COVID pandemic, Energy Dept. Under the voluntary program, the CDC had been tracking covid levels on ships, assigning color levels based on positive tests and exposures. If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits Labadee, Roatan, or somewhere in Colombia, then unvaccinated will still need to test. #BoycottRC pic.twitter.com/5xSNzyz0It. Vaccinated travelers will be exempt from testing on cruises that are shorter than 10 nights, while unvaccinated travelers 5 and older will have to show proof of a negative test taken within three days of embarking on a sailing. Thats After all, enormous amounts of open space may not be the first thing that you think of when it comes to cruise ships. Travelers to be Screened for COVID-19. The cruise line will still require unvaccinated guests and vaccinated guests embarking on cruises six nights or longer, to take a COVID-19 test within three days of their departure date. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. All of this have prompted a fair number of tweets to use the words petri dish. For example: Think back to February 2020 right before the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak officially became a pandemic.