MIAMI Royal Caribbean International will no longer require any of its cruise passengers to be vaccinated for COVID-19 as it had previously planned to. Beginning December 1, 2022, the line will waive vaccination requirements for all passengers on Europe and Caribbean itineraries, except where required by local regulations. It will be a requirement that cruise lines will happily comply with as most already require a vaccine mandate and . I am a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order. Requiring passengers to be fully vaccinated would be one of the best ways of preventing an outbreak. Our intention is to comply with all federal, state and local laws, she said via email. The SARS-CoV2 is still actively spreading in the U.S. and throughout different parts of the world. 1:03 Royal Caribbean International is resuming cruises aimed at U.S. vacationers this summer - with a twist. Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Samantha started at WKMG-TV in September 2020. More than 2.7 million people have died worldwide and more than 69.9 million have recovered as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. 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 announcement of these select vaccinated cruises later resulted in boycott demands in late March across Facebook and Twitter. Royal Caribbean International has announced it won't require US passengers to get vaccinated to go on several ships set to sail this summer. The company plans to "resume further operation in June" but noted updates on extended suspensions for the following ships and sailings: The company warns: "Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, and regional travel restrictions vary by ship and destination, and are subject to change without notice. Guests under the age of 12 do not have any testing requirements. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Royal Caribbean Will Not Allow Any Unvaccinated Guests Worldwide According to the statement made by Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean will not be allowing any guests onboard who have not been. 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. I just disembarked Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, the line's first cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port in more than 15 months. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. You can follow her daily exploits, both at sea and on land, on Instagram or Twitter @slyjabroni. . On the one hand, no business wants to shell out $5,000 (which would be equivalent to at least 2,500 hot dogs) per customer just for the heck of it. St. Maarten / St. Martin : open to vaccinated and unvaccinated . Royal Caribbean has updated its COVID-19 protocols to allow more people to sail on their ships, according to the RoyalCaribbeanblog. 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The recently passed Florida law crafted by the Republican-controlled state Legislature and promoted by Gov. I will not do business with anyone requiring a vaccine," in a post that received over 130 likes since it was first shared. Since then, more itineraries opened up to unvaccinated cruisers. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. The initial phase requires crew screening to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 among all crew members currently on cruise ships in U.S. waters," the health body advises. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images), Royal Caribbean International has announced. As Taylor Doven reported for the Miami Herald, Royal Carribean issued a statement on Friday that said, Guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if they are eligible. 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 . I showed mine, and the agent gave me a purple rubber bracelet to wear. Additionally -- following the first departure of Adventure of the Seas two weeks ago when two teenagers tested positive and were flown home at Royal Caribbean's expense -- unvaccinated cruisers had to purchase special travel insurance. Travelers to be Screened for COVID-19. However, it shied away from creating a blanket COVID-19 vaccine mandate for guests, although the cruise line previously said it would expect crew members to be vaccinated before sailings return. This closure is related to staffing and the logistics of keeping passengers socially distanced, despite the fact that the ship was sailing at less than 30% capacity and 93% of passengers were vaccinated. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). (Photo by Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images) Due to changing vaccine regulations in the Bahamas, which is a frequent stop for many cruise lines, Royal Caribbean's policy for voyages leaving from Florida will now be the same as its policy for those from all other U.S. embarkation ports -- proof of inoculation is required -- from Sept. 3 through at least Nov. 1, 2021. 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.. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. When I learned that the line would be creating some separate spaces and mandating masks, I wondered if the rules would be enforced and, if so, how strictly. Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, who was also on the sailing, said he expects the CDC to roll back mask mandates on ships with a large percentage of vaccinated passengers as early as this week. On my way, I passed lots of hand sanitizer dispensers and signs reminding people about social distancing and masks. "This Order introduces a phased approach for resuming passenger cruises. Several luxury cruise lines are implementing new vaccine protocols, each requiring guests to show proof of having received a booster shot to board. Get tested again after cruise travel. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. The 14 day time period starts the day you get your last dose. Several cruise lines including Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages have already mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for its guests, crew, or both. Offers may be subject to change without notice. On May 26, the cruise line updated its website to say that passengers 16 years old and older on its cruises from Seattle and The Bahamas are required to be vaccinated. Starting with August 8, 2022 departures, these updates include: . The Miami-based operator. Learn more. Gee, what could possibly go wrong? The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. Similarly, passengers 18 years old or older sailing from other international ports will also have to be fully vaccinated. Carnival will follow with the same at-home test allowance on Sept. 6. This is one of many changes in Royal Caribbean's approach to Covid-19, which has steadily seen health protocols erode in order to be closer to other forms of leisure travel. As part of the Australian Federal and State Government protocols all
- 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. as well as other partner offers and accept our. As summer travelers prepare to sail, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is lowering its threshold for cruise ships to meet a highly vaccinated status. Changes involve the cruise line eliminating the vaccinated and unvaccinated areas onboard its ships. Day 1. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. You can still get Covid-19 after being fully vaccinated, albeit your chances are much lower compared to those who have not been vaccinated. But at the time, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said these boycott demands were based on a "misconception.". Image source: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in. 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. Of course, nothing is foolproof: Royal Caribbean recently canceled the first sailings of its newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, after eight crew members tested positive for Covid; six were. There were physical check-in desks, but I checked in using the app, so I headed straight for the area where port workers were scanning digital SetSail Passes. Viking Cruises already has the booster requirement in place. These Major Cruise Lines Just Dropped COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Shorter Sailings What to Know, Norwegian Cruises to Allow Unvaccinated Passengers Starting in September, Uniworld to Become One of the First River Cruises to Drop Vaccine Requirements next Year, More Cruise Lines to Start Allowing Unvaccinated Passengers on Board, Every Cruise Line's Requirements for COVID Vaccines, Testing, These Cruise Lines Will Accept At-home Covid Tests for Unvaccinated Passengers, Will I Need a Booster Shot to Travel? What if I am not feeling well in the days leading up to my cruise? About half of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated, which means plenty of people still have not been vaccinated. Once you are on a cruise ship how can you then tell who should be following additional precautions such as wearing face masks and staying at least six feet or one Denzel (because Denzel Washington is about six feet tall) away from others? A line-by-line guide. How do you count the 14 days for full vaccination, exactly? However, the cruise ship company has now done an a boat face, so to speak. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. "Guests . If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits Labadee, Roatan, or somewhere in Colombia, then unvaccinated will still need to test. A line-by-line guide, 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise, Cruise hack: 6 ways to turn a voyage on a mass-market ship into a luxury experience, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "The new itineraries departing through August, which will sail with vaccinated crew, will be available to adult guests who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and those under the age of 18 with negative test results," the statement said. Children will be allowed to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within . The update on the health protocols for Royal Caribbean ships came in a letter sent to travel agents, which are now also available online. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice. Regardless of the rules, passengers are sure to have a good time. To find out more about the new guidelines issued, click here. Of all the new health protocols and changes, perhaps no single rule is as hotly debated right now as if cruise lines, Norwegian Cruise Line announced on Tuesday it will extend its cruise cancellations through the end of September (minus, Two crew members from Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas were evacuated off Oasis of the Seas in Port Everglades on, If you own Royal Caribbean stock, today is a great start to your portfolio for the week.Royal Caribbean, and the entire, Royal Caribbean's recent filingwith the SEC indicates it has taken advantageof$3.48 billion in backup financing, Taking a test for COVID-19 before you get on a Royal Caribbean cruise might be one of the many steps the cruise line. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian all require anyone 12 and older sailing on their ships to be fully. Royal Caribbean has greatly relaxed its covid rules. 2023 TheStreet, Inc. All rights reserved. The Seattle Times does not append comment threads to stories from wire services such as the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post or Bloomberg News. All cruisers -- regardless of vaccination status -- had to wear masks in indoor spaces unless they were explicitly designated for vaccinated cruisers.