As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to evolve, so do the protocols and regulations for cruise lines. In mid-June, Viking Cruise officially stopped requiring passengers to take a negative Covid-19 test before the cruise. However, most cruise lines still require it to ensure that everyone who boards the ship is unlikely to have an active infection. The cruise industry has less influence within the government than other forms of leisure travel that enjoy much more public pressure on its part.
This has seen how protocols are mainly eroding, along with the decline in the number of Covid cases and less deadly variants. Celebrity Cruises implemented new protocols for guests traveling from the U. S. UU.
And European ports simplifying testing guidelines. Fully vaccinated guests no longer need to take the test to board trips from the U. Nine nights or less (excluding trips to Canada and Bermuda). A negative result of a simple, unsupervised, self-administered test will be accepted for all trips (except trips visiting Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Greece or New Zealand).
Children under 5 years old sailing from the U. And guests under 12 traveling from Europe don't need to take the test before boarding. Unvaccinated guests (2 years and older) must show proof that the COVID-19 viral test (NAAT or antigen) performed in the laboratory was negative within 3 days of boarding before boarding. It is important to note that, due to local regulations, all passengers on all cruise ships, regardless of their length, who stop at any port in Bermuda, the Bahamas or Grand Cayman, are still required to test. Short cruise ships that visit other countries without a stop at the ports mentioned above do not require a COVID test, such as Western Caribbean cruises to Mexico or Honduras. Travel insurance is no longer a requirement for unvaccinated guests, unless required by a destination, such as Bermuda.
Starting August 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated travelers on all trips and for vaccinated travelers only on trips of six nights or more under the Royal Caribbean Group brands. Unvaccinated passengers will still be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test before the flight departs (no more than one day before departure). The cruise line also recommends that vaccinated guests continue testing before departure. Virgin Voyages became the first major cruise line to abandon pre-cruise testing in the U. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required for travel from the U.
Starting July 27 and 24 for Mediterranean cruises. For cruise ships from the United States, 10 percent of passengers will now be able to sail without being vaccinated. If you're sailing on a Norwegian cruise line, you won't need to get tested for Covid-19 before the cruise unless the country from which the ship sails requires it. The NCLH confirmed that pre-cruise COVID tests will remain in effect for trips departing from Greece. Holland America eliminated pre-cruise testing for some trips aboard Rotterdam. Guests sailing on July 17th and 24th must not show a negative Covid test result before boarding.
P&O Cruises, based in the United Kingdom (and owned by Carnival Corporation), has removed its requirement for testing on the Iona ship if guests are fully vaccinated. During this period, guests who are considered fully vaccinated will no longer need to purchase or have a lateral flow (antigen) test before boarding the ship. Viking's vaccination mandates remain in effect for both passengers and crew members. These are the cruise lines that still require a Covid test before the cruise to be able to sail, regardless of vaccination status and length of travel. Anyone who goes on a cruise ship is curious to know if the pre-cruise test mandate will soon disappear, and the answer is perhaps. As the threat of Covid-19 begins to diminish, it seems logical to end pre-cruise testing, given that the U. The requirement for a pre-flight COVID test for international travel has been removed.
While many pharmacies and urgent care centers offer testing....
