does royal caribbean require covid vaccine does royal caribbean require covid vaccine

Carnival Cruise Line With few exceptions, Royal Caribbean has dropped its pre-cruise testing requirements across the board. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. The venue was open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers. Similarly, on Silversea the new policy mandates that eligible passengers must receive a booster "provided the required time has passed after the completion of their primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Apparently, Dolven is referring to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signing into law a ban on Covid-19 "vaccine passports.". Under the law, which takes effect on July 1, businesses can be fined up to $5,000 per violation. And that could be a real ship storm, so to speak. Travelers to be Screened for COVID-19. 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. The CDC has dropped its voluntary program to monitor cruise ships. On a practical level, the CDC had been tracking serious illness and death and the numbers were very encouraging. Royal Caribbean just announced a new collection of seven-night summer cruises to the Bahamas and Mexico, but don't consider booking a spot unless you plan on being fully vaccinated against. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Royal Caribbean has announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for guests. The CDC has so far approved nine cruise ships, including Freedom of the Seas, Carnival Horizon and MSC Meraviglia from PortMiami, for test cruises, meaning the ships wont meet a CDC threshold of 95% of passengers and 98% of crew be vaccinated, and two ships Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Equinox from Port Everglades for revenue cruises. 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. The test cruises will show whether ships can sail safely and follow CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. One can download it through The app or from browser on The phone, and there is this QR-code to "check" it. #BoycottRC." You can follow her daily exploits, both at sea and on land, on Instagram or Twitter @slyjabroni. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Bayley noted that the CDC shared some information with him about the "millions" of people who have sailed from U.S. ports over the past 12 months. ", "At Silversea, our top priority has always been to safeguard the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit," the company wrote. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. 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. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. The first to set sail will be the Freedom of the Seas ship out of Miami, Florida, on July 2. Get tested again after cruise travel. Caribbean. 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. Meanwhile, Hawaii is set to abolish inter-island travel restrictions, but . For cruises longer than 16 nights self-testing is not accepted for unvaccinated travelers. Visit the Newsweek VaxFacts website to learn more and to download the HealthGuard browser extension. sailings.". "Finally!!! Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Symphony of the Seas (WPLG) Royal Caribbean announced Thursday it's no longer requiring vaccinated guests to take a COVID-19 test prior to embarking on. Get todays headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. Check directly with your cruise line about their COVID-19 testing or vaccination protocols before travel. Image source: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. Hmm in my country there are no physical vaccination cards. Travel agents and guests were notified of the change in policy. 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. 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. Silversea also provides complimentary rapid antigen tests for all disembarking passengers. 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. The industry-wide trend comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially ended its pandemic-era program for cruise ships last month. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. . This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Guests under the age of 12 do not have any testing requirements. If you are sailing on a cruise that departs on or before April 30, 2023, you will receive: 100% cruise fare refund for you and your Travelling Party, if any of you test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the terminal. No Covid test, proof of vaccination or quarantine is required. I will not do business with anyone requiring a vaccine," in a post that received over 130 likes since it was first shared. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. No testing is required for vaccinated passengers on voyages of nine nights or fewer. However, passengers on U.S.-based voyages should be aware that protocols are likely to differ by cruise line, ship and departure state. 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. Royal Caribbean will require vaccinated guests 5 and older to take a pre-cruise test on sailings from the U.S . Instead, Odyssey will begin her inaugural season out of a new homeport, Haifa, Israel from June to October 2021. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Vaccinated-only areas included the spa, casino, fitness center (during most operating hours), Izumi sushi and hibachi, Chef's Table and the lower decks of the main dining room and theater. Both crew members and guests over 16 years old will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to sail on the . Passengers also had to select specific check-in times for embarkation day, ensuring that crowds stayed thin at the terminal during the boarding process. These restrictions include wearing a mask in most public spaces and limitations on areas and services unvaccinated passengers can access. The update on the health protocols for Royal Caribbean ships came in a letter sent to travel agents, which are now also available online. 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. This protocol will go into place starting Aug. 8. Before joining the News 6 team, Samantha was a political reporter for The Villages Daily Sun and has had freelance work featured in the Evansville Courier-Press and The Community Paper. Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said that "vaccinations will be required for the upcoming sailings from [the] Bahamas and St. It will be a requirement that cruise lines will happily comply with as most already require a vaccine mandate and . ", "This means that we're transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us while always working with our destination partners to meet their regulations.". In late June, the Royal Caribbean cruise line will, be allowed to operate test cruises out of South Florida after receiving approval from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. 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 . Four major cruise lines are dropping their vaccination requirements for some sailings next month, the . While vaccination is not required for guests under 12, we kindly ask that you fill out their status below. The post has had over 7,200 likes since it was first shared on Monday. "Silversea will continue to work closely with relevant governing bodies and health authorities to evolve its health and safety procedures, as new health recommendations are issued and as the fluid situation advances.". While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. 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. . In the U.S., kids younger than 5 are exempt from testing and vaccination requirements. 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. "I'm skeptical that's going to change in the real short term. Guests are also required to wear masks in all indoor public areas, in terminals, and during shore excursions, and take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test before boarding. Royal Caribbean Updates to Testing Protocols. When I reached the third floor on my way to the gangway, I passed by a small waiting area with several groups of bored-looking people. They waved me through to security, where my carry-on was screened. Carnival, Royal Caribbean cruises loosen coronavirus testing rules Norwegian's moves to loosen pandemic-era protocols follow similar decisions by industry leaders Carnival and Royal. Like Norwegian which also mandated the COVID-19 vaccine in April this request for proof of the vaccine could setRoyal Caribbean up for a skirmish with Florida, which has already barred vaccine passports and local businesses from requiring them. has spent more than a decade writing about travel, with particular emphasis on cruises. starts on October 1st, and you would be permitted to board the ship on "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. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have removed the COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships as of Monday. Travelers are also required to take a COVID-19 antigen test at the terminal before boarding. Further, the onboard mask rules were confusing. It doesn't have anything to do with vaccinations directly, but I think it's worth a mention since it's a change that didn't exist on my first two sailings. Silversea, Azamara, Lindblad, and Viking will require the additional COVID-19 vaccine dose. NOTE: All Royal Caribbean guests aged 12 and older must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. Guests who are fully vaccinated or age 17 and younger do not have any testing requirements. "Effective November 2, 2022, all travelers on U.S. sailings regardless of vaccination status will no longer require pre-departure testing (excludes sailings to Colombia, Haiti, & Honduras)." When not writing, she enjoys travelling and performing improv comedy. Under the current voluntary CDC guidelines, 95% of passengers must be vaccinated. 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. Unvaccinated guests will be allowed to use the results of a self-administered test if taken within three days of sailing. According to Royal Caribbean's Healthy Sail Center, for all sailings departing on or after Friday, February 25, 2022, face masks will become optional for all fully vaccinated passengers - with . Changes involve the cruise line eliminating the vaccinated and unvaccinated areas onboard its ships. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. And when the federal agency lifted the ban, it severely restricted the industry, limiting capacity on ships, requiring masks, mandating vaccinations for anyone ages 12 and over, and insisting on precruise testing and monitoring crew positive tests. Up until now, only unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 have been allowed on Royal Caribbean ships. In a press release Friday announcing cruises for sale on eight of its ships from U.S. ports this summer, starting with Freedom of the Seas from PortMiami on July 2, the company said it will recommend passengers get the COVID-19 vaccine, but not require it. First and foremost, it's worth noting that. All cruisers -- regardless of vaccination status -- had to wear masks in indoor spaces unless they were explicitly designated for vaccinated cruisers. Apr 12, 2022 10:20 AM EDT. That was about three weeks ago (June 28) and the CDC ruling suggests that the testing requirement could change in August, but almost certainly will by September. Many and most of the destinations that we visit require a high degree of vaccination, and they expect our crew to be vaccinated.". 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. Silversea currently requires all guests to have received their second vaccine shot, or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least two weeks before their sail date. (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. Enrollment required. 2023 TheStreet, Inc. All rights reserved. Passenger operations continue to be suspended during the initial phases of this Order. Editorial disclaimer: 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. These Countries Require It for Entry, Where Can Americans Travel Right Now? Royal Caribbean wont require passengers to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on select sailings beginning in September. October 15th or later. Long story short: They were, very strictly. For customers looking to board Lindblad for an adventure cruise, they will need to abide by the new regulations in place.