Cruise Lines Eliminate COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements & Pre-Cruise Testing

Updated December 19, 2022 - Multiple cruise lines have announced they will eliminate COVID-19 vaccine requirements and pre-cruise COVID testing requirements later this summer as a part of their health and safety protocols. 

Norwegian Cruise Line was the first line to announce they would eliminate the COVID vaccine requirement, starting Sept. 3. Since this time, most major cruise lines have also revised their vaccination and testing policies. 

The following are the current vaccine and testing policies by cruise line: 

Azamara Cruises

Starting December 1, Azamara Cruises will no longer require proof of vaccination for sailings starting and ending in the U.S. or sailings starting and ending in Europe. All other sailings require proof of vaccination and booster until further notice. At this time, Azamara will continue its policy of not requiring a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding unless this is required by local country regulations.

Explore Azamara's health and safety policies here. 

Carnival Cruise Line

As of October 25, 2022, Carnival Cruise Line has the following COVID protocols in place for most savings (excluding voyages from Australia): 

Cruises 15 Nights or Less

• Vaccinations: Although vaccines are not required, we encourage all guests 5 years of age and older to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, when eligible, and carry proof of vaccination. Guests are considered fully vaccinated if they have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the sailing day (not counting embarkation day).
• Testing: Although not required for either vaccinated or unvaccinated guests, we encourage all guests 5 years and older to take a pre-cruise test within three days of their cruise. 

Cruises 16 Nights or More

• Vaccinations: All guests, age 18 and older, must be vaccinated, and boosted if they are more than 6 months past the last dose of their initial vaccine series. Unvaccinated guests will need to apply for a vaccine exemption when we are ready to start accepting requests for 2023.
• Testing: Guests ages 5 years and older have to present a PCR or antigen test taken within 3 days before sailing (unsupervised self-tests are not accepted).

Explore Carnival Cruise Line’s health and safety protocols here. 

Celebrity Cruises

All guests, regardless of vaccination status, can now sail with Celebrity Cruises on most sailings from the U.S. and Europe. Exceptions include select otherwise specified sailings. Regardless of vaccination status, all guests will no longer be required to provide proof of pre-departure testing, except for specific sailings where vaccination or testing are required by law. Exceptions include: Galapagos sailings, Australia/New Zealand sailings, Transatlantic/Transpacific sailings, select Caribbean itineraries (those visiting Grand Turk or Labadee), and select South America itineraries (those visiting Roatan or Cartagena). 

Explore all of Celebrity Cruises' health and safety protocols here. 

Costa Cruises 

Costa has adopted the following COVID health and safety policies: 

• Caribbean cruises: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers are able to sail with the line. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is required unvaccinated and partially vaccinated guests ages 5 and older. 
• Western Mediterranean cruises: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers are able to sail with the line. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is required unvaccinated and partially vaccinated guests ages 5 and older. 
• Eastern Mediterranean cruises: All guests 12 years and older on Eastern Mediterranean itineraries must be fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or classify as recovered. Unvaccinated guests are unable to sail with Costa on Eastern Mediterranean cruises. All guests ages 5 and older are required to present a pre-cruise test taken 48 hours before cruising. 
• South America cruises: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers are able to sail with the line. A 48-hour pre-cruise test is required unvaccinated and partially vaccinated guests ages 5 and older. 
• Emirates cruises: Only fully vaccinated guests may sail with Costa on Emirates cruises.  A 48-hour pre-cruise test is not required. 
• Transatlantic/World/Repositioning cruises: Only fully vaccinated guests may sail with Costa on Transatlantic, World, or Repositioning cruises. All guests ages 5 and older are required to present a pre-cruise test taken 48 hours before cruising. 

Cunard 

Cunard requires all guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Children ages five to 11 years must be fully vaccinated or provide a negative PCR result prior to sailing, and children aged four years and under are exempt from pre-travel vaccination and testing.

Pre-cruise COVID testing for vaccinated guests will become 'highly recommended' (as opposed to previous guidelines stating it was 'mandatory'). This will be in effect on sailings from Southampton and all other departure points except for countries where government regulations and protocols may vary including Canada and Australia, and sailings of 16 nights or more or more complex itineraries. 

Explore Cunard's health and safety protocols here. 

Disney Cruise Line

For Disney Cruise Line guests of all ages, vaccination is not required but highly recommended. Beginning November 14, 2022, for sailings departing from the United States, Disney Cruise Line will no longer require its guests (regardless of vaccination status) to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to sailing. The cruise line encourages unvaccinated guests to take a COVID-19 test two days prior to sailing.

More detailed information on Disney Cruise Line's vaccine and testing requirements by country can be found here.

Holland America Line

Holland America Line will welcome back all passengers, regardless of vaccination status on select cruises 15 nights or less. The cruise line will institute the following policies in regards to pre-voyage testing for cruises15 nights or less (ages 5 and older, not including full Panama Canal transits, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages):

• Vaccinated guests must provide proof of vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.
• Unvaccinated guests must provide results of a negative medically supervised or self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

Protocols for cruises 16 nights or longer (plus full Panama Canal transit, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages, ages 5 and older):

• All guests will be required to submit a medically supervised COVID-19 negative result. Test must be taken within three days of embarkation.
• ALL guests (five and older) must be vaccinated or request an exemption.  

Explore Holland America’s policies and updates here.

Margaritaville at Sea

Vaccinated guests will no longer be required to present a negative pre-cruise COVID test before boarding Margaritaville at Sea. Unvaccinated travelers need no approval before booking, but they must present a negative antigen COVID-19 test taken one day before sailing to board the ship. More information can be found here. 

MSC Cruises

Guests sailing from U.S. ports with MSC Cruises:

• Vaccination and pre-cruise testing are recommended, but not required, on most cruises.
• For guests sailing from a U.S. port with stops in Cartagena (Colombia) - Vaccination is recommended but not required. Guests must show proof of vaccination at embarkation and are recommended (but not required) to test for COVID-19 prior to their vacation. Unvaccinated guests ages 5 years old or older are required to submit a negative test at embarkation.

Guests sailing from Non-U.S. ports with MSC Cruises: 

• Vaccination is recommended, but not required, on most cruises.
• Vaccinated guests must show proof of vaccination at embarkation and are recommended but not required to test for COVID-19 prior to their vacation.
• Unvaccinated guests are required to submit a negative test at embarkation.

Explore MSC Cruises’ current health and safety protocol here. 

Norwegian Cruise Line 

Norwegian Cruise Line has eliminated all pre-cruise testing, vaccine requirements, and masking protocol. This applies to guests of all ages. Some specific country requirements will apply, you can find details by country here. 

Read Article: Norwegian Cruise Line First to Eliminate COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement, Welcomes All Guests Back and Norwegian Cruise Line to Eliminate COVID Requirements for All Guests

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises has welcomed guests of all ages back regardless of vaccination status. All Oceania officers and crew will continue fully vaccinated and boosted and undergo regular, routine testing. Certain destinations such as Canada, Bermuda, and Greece may have very specific requirements that will result in slightly different protocols that will impact some Oceania voyages. These voyage and destination requirements will be communicated to our guests as needed.

Vaccinated travelers will no longer need to test to sail. Unvaccinated travelers may embark by providing proof of a negative Antigen or PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before boarding. Guests of all ages as children under the age of 12, will also be welcomed without any vaccination or testing requirements.

Explore Oceania’s current Sail Safe policies here. 

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises has eliminated all COVID health and safety measures. Guests of all ages traveling with Princess will no longer be subject to vaccination or pre-cruise testing requirements. This policy applies to all voyages, except those where destinations on the itinerary have varying government regulations and select voyages which have enhanced vaccination/testing requirements.

Explore Princess Cruises' most up-to-date policies here. 

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas will welcome guests of all ages back regardless of vaccination status. At this date, Regent will adopt the following pre-cruise testing requirements, subject to local regulations:

• Vaccinated travelers will not need to test before embarkation. 
• Unvaccinated travelers may embark with a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within three days prior to embarkation.
• Testing and vaccination requirements will differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from destinations with specific local health regulations, including the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, and Greece. 

Explore Regent Seven Seas' current health and safety protocols here. 

Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection welcomes all guests regardless of vaccination status. Pre-voyage testing is not required for guests with proof of vaccination unless local regulations stipulate otherwise. To be considered 'vaccinated' guests must have been vaccinated at least two weeks prior to boarding. Unvaccinated travelers must present a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test taken within three days prior to embarkation. All guests will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to boarding. 

Royal Caribbean 

Royal Caribbean will welcome all, regardless of vaccination status, on cruises from any U.S. homeport. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required to sail, with a few exceptions. The following sailings have pre-cruise testing requirements: sailings to Colombia, Haiti, Honduras, Transatlantic, and Australia. 

Explore Royal Caribbean’s health and safety protocol here. 

Seabourn 

Seaborn will allow all guests to sail on voyages 15 nights or less, regardless of vaccination status. The cruise line will institute the following policies in regard to pre-voyage testing:

Cruises up to 15 nights (Ages 5 and older, not including full Panama Canal transits, trans-ocean, and designated remote voyages):

• Vaccinated guests must provide evidence of vaccination status prior to embarkation. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.
• Unvaccinated guests are welcomed aboard and must provide results of a negative medically supervised or self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

Protocols for cruises 16 nights or longer (plus full Panama Canal transit, trans-ocean and designated remote voyages, ages 5 and older):

• All guests will be required to submit a medically supervised COVID-19 test with a written negative result. The test must be taken within three days of embarkation.
• Guests must be vaccinated or request an exemption from Seabourn.

For more information on Seabourn’s requirements, here.

Silversea Cruises 

Silversea Cruises will accept unvaccinated guests on board selected destinations (as allowed by the vessel operating country). This includes departures in the EU, Northern Europe, and the U.S. (excluding sailings that include Canada). Fully vaccinated and up-to-date travelers will not be required to show evidence of a PCR or Antigen test to embark, except a destination with specific local health regulations(including but not limited to Australia, Bermuda, Canada, and Greece). Unvaccinated guests on all cruises will need to provide a negative COVID-19 Antigen or PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation and are subject to any local requirements.

Explore Silversea’s protocols here. 

Windstar Cruises

As of June 1, 2023, Windstar Cruises will no longer require guests be vaccinated for COVID-19. Crew will continue to be vaccinated. The cruise line recommends checking all country requirements before travel to ensure each guest meets vaccine and booster requirements. Windstar guests will no longer require a pre-cruise COVID-19 test for embarking guests (unless required by a country visited).  

Viking Cruises - Ocean and River 

Viking River Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises guests on sailings embarking on or after November 1, 2023, will no longer be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The vaccination requirement will still be in effect for any sailing embarking on October 31st or earlier. 

Explore all of Viking’s current health and safety protocols here. 

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has revised its COVID safety policies. The line released the following, "In keeping in line with the rest of the travel industry, we have removed all vaccine and testing requirements beginning 10/30/22 on Valiant Lady and 10/28/22 on Scarlet Lady." 

In addition, the cruise line states, "While all Sailors no longer require COVID-19 testing prior to their embarkation date, should a Sailor exhibit signs or symptoms of an illness during check-in (or during their voyage), Virgin Voyages reserves the right to test that Sailor and their traveling companion(s) for COVID-19 at the terminal (or on board), and will cover the testing fees." 

Note: Cruise line policies are constantly evolving, and some additional regulations may be based on the port of call requirements. Be sure to check with the cruise line directly for the most current requirements for your ship and sailing date.

Latest Update: June 12, 2023