Royal Caribbean will accept a variety of tests as proof to board, including simply taking a photo of a self-administered home test, a new rule that Bayley also noted on social media. As on most ships these days, there were also Purell hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrances to all restaurants, bars, lounges and other public areas, as well as in stairwells and elevator alcoves. Now, Royal Caribbean drops vaccine requirements for some cruises as well. According to CDC rules, cruise ships that dont meet certain vaccination thresholds for passengers and crew must first do a successful test cruise before they can restart revenue cruises. Royal Caribbean announced Thursday its no longer requiring vaccinated guests to take a COVID-19 test prior to embarking on cruises six nights or less. "I'm skeptical that's going to change in the real short term. You can follow her daily exploits, both at sea and on land, on Instagram or Twitter @slyjabroni. Royal Caribbean's Updated Protocols Effective This Friday - Cruise Hive Adventure of the Seas: "June 5 to October 14, 2021: Instead of offering sailings from Barcelona, Spain, Adventure of the Seas will now offer sailings from Nassau, Bahamas beginning June 2021," the company said. Where was one of the first places that SARS-CoV2 outbreaks were being noticed? Here, I'll explain how various facets of the sailing look for both vaccinated and unvaccinated cruisers. What vaccines are required to travel on a cruise? | Royal Caribbean Cruises 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. Vaccinated travelers will be exempt from testing on cruises that are shorter than 10 nights, while unvaccinated travelers 5 and older will have to show proof of a negative test taken within three days of embarking on a sailing. #BoycottRC pic.twitter.com/5xSNzyz0It. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Royal Caribbean Updates COVID-19 Testing Policy for - Travel + Leisure The about-face is an apparent submission to Gov. "We want you to be more comfortable. Royal Caribbean has made it a practice to provide periodic . regardless of vaccination status, can cruise on the . 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.. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! I will not do business with anyone requiring a vaccine," in a post that received over 130 likes since it was first shared. Feel free to visitourFAQsfor full details on vaccination requirements. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Your sailing is fast approaching, and we're looking forward to welcoming you onboard. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. The SARS-CoV2 is still actively spreading in the U.S. and throughout different parts of the world. *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. The CDC has dropped its voluntary program to monitor cruise ships. Every Cruise Line's Requirements for COVID Vaccines, Testing - Travel Cruise giant Royal Caribbean International on Friday announced plans to bring back six more ships including some of its largest for U.S. sailings starting July 2. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. User @joanwetz agreed with the boycott, noting: "I am. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Royal Caribbean Shares Huge News on Covid Testing, Vaccine Rules Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. These Cruise Lines Are Ending Vaccine Requirements This bracelet allowed me to access areas of the ship reserved for vaccinated passengers. 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. 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. The CDC has dropped its voluntary program to monitor cruise ships. COVID-19 Protocols, Listed by Cruise Line | TravelAge West Currently, Celebrity requires all guests 12 and older to be fully vaccinated to sail. The cruise line Royal Caribbean is requiring passengers and crew members 16 or older . 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. Under the current voluntary CDC guidelines, 95% of passengers must be vaccinated. After 14 days pass, you can get onboard on Day 15. Required testing can be completed using any type of PCR or antigen COVID-19 test. But at the time, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said these boycott demands were based on a "misconception.". Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Children will be allowed to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within . 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 Updates to Testing Protocols. When you strongly recommend that proper clothing be worn to a business meeting, technically that slingshot mankini is still fair game. WOW: @RoyalCaribbean cruises is now requiring you to get an experimental vaccine to book a cruise with them. October 15th or later. Previously, the website said passengers 16 years old and older on all of the companys U.S. cruises had to meet the requirement. Both crew members and guests over 16 years old will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to sail on the . Cruise giant Royal Caribbean is dropping its COVID-19 vaccine People still get covid, as do crew members, but only two people have died, and very few have gotten seriously ill. "Boosters can be received any time prior to embarkation. Get todays headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. "Lindblad Expeditions has announced that effective March 1, 2022, all guests 12 years of age and over who completed their primary vaccination series more than 5 months ago, are required to present proof of booster prior to embarkation," the cruise line said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. On CocoCay, everyone was allowed to go ashore on their own and no masks were required. Carnival, Royal Caribbean cruises ease covid testing rules - The Wristbands were also diligently checked in spaces intended for vaccinated cruisers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have removed the COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships as of Monday. In a press release Friday announcing . According to Viking's COVID-19 protocol, select at-home tests will meet Viking's travel requirement, provided they include a laboratory-certified proof of result. Guests under this age requirement who haven't been vaccinated will instead have to be tested for the virus. Royal Caribbean will now require all guests to get tested for COVID-19 for certain cruises, regardless of their vaccination status. Carnival Cruise Line Royal Caribbean: We expect all cruise guests to be vaccinated Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Signage was almost over-the-top prevalent to remind passengers to stay socially distant, sanitize their hands and wear a mask. Coronavirus has infected more than 123.3 million people, including over 29.8 million in the U.S., since it was first reported in Wuhan, China. On my way, I passed lots of hand sanitizer dispensers and signs reminding people about social distancing and masks. - As of the winter 2022 Caribbean and Central America season, Star Clippers no longer requires COVID-19 vaccinations for passengers. As of today, 90% of all vacationers booking with Royal Caribbean are either vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated in time for their cruise, Bayley said in a statement. That has worked to keepcovid under control. As a side note, the ship's Windjammer buffet was not open for dinner during the sailing. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Or do we need the physical card? Therefore, the chances of someone bringing the virus on board a cruise ship is still quite high. Carnival will follow with the same at-home test allowance on Sept. 6. 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. This includes unsupervised testing. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Since September 2022,all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, were able to cruise on most itineraries, as long as they meet testing requirements to board. Royal Caribbean expects to require its crew members to receive the vaccine before sailings return, a spokesperson told Insider. 1:03 Royal Caribbean International is resuming cruises aimed at U.S. vacationers this summer - with a twist. All rights reserved. The line's decision to sail less than 95% vaccinated (which requires each ship sailing from the U.S. to complete test voyages under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's supervision) means that there are restrictions on board. Prior to this change, unvaccinated guests had to take a Covid-19 test before their cruise. That means, as of July 1, the Florida state government could . 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. Why the change in Royal Caribbean policy? 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. 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. Passengers who didn't voluntarily show proof of vaccination, either because they weren't vaccinated (primarily children, according to Royal Caribbean executives) or didn't have their vaccine cards, were directed to a testing area. Royal Caribbean Shares Huge News on Covid Testing, Vaccine Rules President Michael Bayley gave some straight answers on pre-cruise covid testing and potentially dropping vaccine. When Royal Caribbean resumed cruises in 2021, Covid-19 protocols were a major component to the onboard experience. The announcement is a reversal from previous statements and vaccine protocols the company submitted to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month that said it would require all passengers at least 18 years old and older to be vaccinated. Our intention is to comply with all federal, state and local laws, she said via email. If they are more likely, then you could easily end up on a ship where less than half of the passengers are fully vaccinated. Vaccinated vs. unvaccinated: Two different experiences on Royal All guests aged 4 and older are required to have a negative COVID-19 test before boarding. (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. Richard Fain, chief executive of Royal Caribbean, told . 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 . I am a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order. sailings.". This will continue to evolve as new research and technology becomes available," the spokesperson added. If your cruise line does not have a specific testing requirement, get tested as close to time of cruise departure as possible (no more than 3 days before you travel). Unfortunately, the announcement didn't come in time for this voyage. What if I am not feeling well in the days leading up to my cruise? At this checkpoint, an agent told me that if I wanted to present a vaccine card, that was the time to do so. All Guests, All Aboard," Royal Caribbean's President and CEO Michael Bayley wrote on Facebook. 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. "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. That appears to no longer be the case as the federal agency has shown: As of July 18, 2022, CDCs COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect. Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley shared some numbers the CDC had given to him, during his remarks to passengers on the 2022 President's Cruise, Royal Caribbean Blog first reported. With few exceptions, Royal Caribbean has dropped its pre-cruise testing requirements across the board. Royal Caribbean to require proof of vaccination on cruises from Florida 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. Royal Caribbean International's 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. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. 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. Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. #BoycottRC." For cruises longer than 16 nights self-testing is not accepted for unvaccinated travelers. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Check directly with your cruise line about their COVID-19 testing or vaccination protocols before travel. The venue was open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers. Royal Caribbean drops vaccine requirement for certain cruise ship Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Symphony of the Seas, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed, voluntary COVID-19 reporting program for cruise ships. CDC stops reporting coronavirus cases on cruise ships. Lyan Sierra-Caro, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean International, said the plans to require passengers be vaccinated that the company submitted to the CDC only applied to its test cruises. . Royal Caribbean won't require U.S. cruise passengers to get vaccinated Royal Caribbean announces cruises with no vaccine requirement - The 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 major cruise line previously mandated the covid vaccine for crew members only. No Covid Vaccines Needed To Cruise On Royal Caribbean Ships Currently, Royal Caribbean requires travelers 12 and older to be vaccinated on U.S. cruises. A line-by-line guide. Enrollment required. Over the past few months that program became voluntary and masks went away while other restrictions eased. Royal Caribbean drops pre-cruise testing requirement for almost all St. Maarten / St. Martin : open to vaccinated and unvaccinated . Starting Thursday, Carnival Cruise Line announced, fully vaccinated passengers will not need to take a test before boarding if the trip is . Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. This comes more than a week after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed its voluntary COVID-19 reporting program for cruise ships on July 18. guests must review and accept the The cruises will depart from Bermuda and the Bahamas, and adult passengers must be. 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. Who else is with me? But there is an important difference between wearing a slingshot mankini and being fully vaccinated. . Fully vaccinated guests and guests ages 11 and younger are exempt. Royal Caribbean extended the suspension of sailings for its global fleet through May 31 (excluding cruises aboard the Quantum, Spectrum, Voyager and Odyssey of the Seas cruise ships) "in order to allow additional time for our return to service preparations," the company said in a statement on March 19. Plus, while the Covid-19 vaccine does offer strong protection against Covid-19, it is not like a concrete full body condom (which, by the way, is not great to wear during sex.) For more information, please see here . Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Royal Caribbean reversed course on its vaccine policy last week, making the jab optional for most of its cruises after the company initially planned to require it. Florida's ban on vaccination proof requirements complicates U.S. cruise 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. Passengers no longer have to wear masks onboard while they are indoors, and while capacities have not returned to 100% . Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. User @drsimonegold tweeted: "WOW: @RoyalCaribbean cruises is now requiring you to get an experimental vaccine to book a cruise with them.