Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Cruise Travel Updates | Royal Caribbean Cruises Sign In Find a Cruise FAQ Royal Caribbean Blog Royal Caribbean Group Back to Main Menu TRAVEL & ITINERARY UPDATES There are currently no travel updates. Adults-only cruise line Virgin Voyages also removed all vaccine and testing requirements for all its ships on Oct. 30, according to the company. 31 March monitoring of wastewater for fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 virus ceases. The cruise line also eliminated smoking in its casinos. OnJuly 18, theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention ended itsCOVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, and cruise lines that had opted into the program are no longer beholden to its guidance. Travel tips you can trust. Fully vaccinated guests and guests ages 11 and younger are exempt. 3) Regulations 2020, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations 2020, Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability (England) Regulations 2021, Coronavirus, Restrictions (No. Starting with September 5th,for Europe cruises that don't visit Greece: Starting September 5th, guests who are not vaccinated can also sail on European cruises. Additionally, Carnival will no longer require pre-embarkation testing on cruises that are less than 16 nights for vaccinated passengers who provide proof of their vaccination status. Restrictions for care homes in England are relaxed. On Celebrity Cruises, reservations can be made on the Celebrity Cruises App. He has been a journalist with the Los Angeles Times for more than 30 years, covering politics, transportation, travel, business and the outdoors. Cruises 6 days or more: All guests are required to take an official COVID-19 test before boarding. We'll send you a weekly newsletter to your inbox. "That person, if they're traveling by themselves or in a group, should have that conversation with their health care provider," she said. "Our ships have been sailing very full all summer, but there is still room for more of our loyal guests, and these guidelines will make it a simpler process, and make cruising accessible for those who were not able to meet the protocols we were required to follow for much of the past 14 months," Christine Duffy, the president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement. For European cruises that call on ports in Greece or Spain, for example, any travelers who are not considered up to date according to guidelines from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), must take a test onboard their ship prior to debarking. Royal Caribbean currently requires guests 12 and older to show proof of vaccination before they can sail from North America, according toits website. On Royal Caribbean, unvaccinated travelers 12 and older leaving from a U.S. or Caribbean port still have to get tested within three days of embarkation, according to the cruise line, but vaccinated guests are exempt from testing entirely. This means were transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us., Latest on the cruise comeback: Rogue wave incident | Overboard passenger saved | Covid hits Sydney cruise | Carnival fining unruly passengers | Unvaccinated passengers welcomed | Cheap cruises | No more CDC stats | Record bookings | Rape lawsuit | Carnival fire | Passenger bill of rights | CDC drops cruise warnings | Passenger overboard | Crystal ships seized, Local guides, travel tips and the latest industry news. 7 April Hospitals in England are under "enormous strain", with some so busy they are having to divert ambulances to other sites; 20 hospitals have issued such instructions in the past week. A sign on the Majestic Princess cruise ship docked at the Port of L.A. says masks are required in elevators. Spas and gyms remain open, but some cruise lines limit them to vaccinated guests. England follows Wales and Scotland in announcing that children aged between five and eleven will be offered a "low dose" COVID vaccine. 'More than I hoped for': This is what it's like cruising with a disability right now, A trip with an eclipse (literally): Watch a solar eclipse from the sea on this Ponant cruise. He is an avid outdoorsman, a proud father and die-hard Lakers fan. When Royal Caribbean announced a change to allow unvaccinated back onboard, all sailings from Florida and Bayonne were not included. Carnival recommends guests wear masks "while indoors, except when eating or drinking or in their own staterooms, and when in large congregate events outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained," according to its website. Anti-trans backlash against Bud Light has executives on the hot seat. You wont be lining up at the buffet for meals. Some people in England who are at high risk from Covid say they have been left out of plans to give vulnerable patients quick access to treatments. Travel health expert explains how to stay safe when taking a cruise. Cruises 6 days or more: All guests are required to take an official COVID-19 test before boarding. 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. Princess Cruises will also remove vaccination requirements on "most voyages of less than 16 days so that anyone can cruise" starting Sept.6,according to a news release Friday. This is a welcome simplification for many travelers, and permits more guests to set sail with the worlds largest cruise line. But cruising is back and all signs point to a turn of the tide for the industry: More cruises are scheduled to depart the Port of Los Angeles next year than in 2019. Major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line International dropped their vaccine requirements for many sailing in early September and eased. Children age 11 and under will not need to test. You received your final dose in your original vaccine series (or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson) no more than 9 months (270 days) ago, or a booster dose. Youngand her husbandhad mixed feelings about the changes, which happened just before their Sept. 10 cruise from Miami. Physical distancing is encouraged for all activities. on December 18, 2021 Last updated: 8:21 PM ET, Sat December 18, 2021. Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruises have changed their COVID-19-related protocols, becoming the latest cruise lines to simplify vaccine requirements or streamline testing rules. Is the cruise industry coming back? The Majestic Princess cruise ship docked at the Port of L.A. in October. "I did feel safe, and the sanitation measures that have been put in place have become kind of standard operating procedures," he said. Testing Requirements for Unvaccinated Passengers: All unvaccinated guests ages 2 and older are. The companyrequires vaccinated passengers to take a test only on sailings six nights or longer, buttesting is still required for unvaccinated passengers on all sailings. From 4am people in England who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to take a pre-departure COVID test before travelling abroad, while anyone arriving in England who has had both vaccines is not required to self-isolate while waiting for the results of a PCR test. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Travel Industry Calls on White House to End Covid-19 Testing Requirement for Travelers From Overseas, Carnival Cruise Ship Passengers Say COVID Overwhelmed Ship After Departing From Miami, Florida Principal Resigns After Sending $100K to Scammer Posing as Elon Musk, Check Your Change! Like what you see? Passengers who are unvaccinated or do not show proof of vaccination will still need to "present the results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation." Passengers are strongly encouraged to wear masks in public spaces and are required to do so in such indoor areas as elevators, stores, casinos and dining halls, except when eating or drinking. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. Two major cruise lines, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, have both tightened their policy on onboard face masks in the wake of a swift-moving Omicron. Many other lines have implemented similarmeasures. Royal Caribbean will require vaccinated guests 5 and older to test on U.S. cruises 10 nights or longer beginning Sept. 5, according to its website. Pools are typically still open on cruise ships. Children 12 and older who are unvaccinated must receive a PCR or antigen test up to 72 hours before sailing. "I don't know,I don't think so.". Here are some ways you can continue to stay safe. Do I have to be vaccinated to go on a cruise? The. Published on August 2, 2021. Children in England aged 511 and considered to be most at risk from being seriously ill with COVID become eligible for their first vaccine. "We are collaborating with local governments throughout the Caribbean to align on vaccination requirements for additional itineraries," the spokesperson added. Norwegian cruises to drop vaccination requirement, ease testing rules. Indoor dancing, karaoke and nightclubs are no longer allowed on many ships, including the Majestic Princess, which converted its karaoke area into extra room for spa treatments. - Only non-vaccinated guests will be required to present a negative test (an antigen test taken within 48 hours or a PCR test taken within 72 hours) to board. 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Thursday, the public health agency loosened its broad coronavirus recommendations even more. What has been your experience cruising after the drop in COVID-related requirements? It should be noted that Royal Caribbean, as well as other cruise lines, continues to work with port destinations with any changes, and will further adjust protocols as necessary. In recent weeks, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea Cruises said fully vaccinated travelers would need to show only proof of negative tests for cruises six nights or longer. The pool on the Majestic Princess cruise ship docked at the Port of L.A. in October. Beginning September 4, no fully vaccinated passengers will be required to test before sailing. On some ships, such as Carnival Cruises, unvaccinated passengers are not allowed to go onshore except with a pre-booked bubble tour, in which passengers travel with friends and family in a controlled environment.On other cruise lines, such as Holland America, shore excursions managed by the ship are strongly encouraged. Until now, Royal Caribbean only has allowed unvaccinated passengers under the age of 12 on its ships and only in limited numbers. 25 January Figures show that around one million children were absent from school in England on Thursday 20 January for COVID-related reasons. Guests who are up to date on their vaccinesand havereceived a booster when eligiblecantest within threedays before sailing. Next month, unvaccinated travelers 5 years old and older on voyages less than 16 days will have to get a PCR test or perform. Daniel Kline Apr 20, 2022. To be eligible, guests must meet the following requirements: . Viking does not require a pre-departure COVID-19 test unless it is required by a sailing's destination. Currently, Princess allows unvaccinated travelers to sail, but requires them to get a PCR test taken within three days of their departure as well as undergo a rapid antigen test at the terminal. What are cruise lines requiring of passengers? When cruise lines first started sailing in a post-pandemic world, many implemented strict testing and vaccination rules, in line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.