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"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)." NOW WATCH: This is what it takes to be a cruise ship performer. Unvaccinated passengers can cruise with negative results from any commercially available test, including self-tests. 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.. On the other hand, a single Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak can end up costing a cruise ship company a whole lot, including reputational damage. Travelers are also required to take a COVID-19 antigen test at the terminal before boarding. MAGAs are starting to boycott Royal Caribbean because they are requiring vaccinations for adult passengers and crew members when they start sailing again in June. Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise. An attendant who was monitoring the entrance told me they were passengers waiting for their test results. In a statement CEO Michael Bayley thanked DeSantis and other elected officials for their support of the industry, which has been paralyzed since it was forced to shut down in March 2020 after COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths on several ships. Samantha started at WKMG-TV in September 2020. Several people on social media have made calls to boycott cruises with Royal Caribbean after the company announced its new sailings from the Bahamas will require adult guests to be "fully vaccinated against COVID-19" in a statement on Friday. 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. The CDC has dropped its voluntary program to monitor cruise ships. With NewsGuard's HealthGuard browser extension, users can verify if a website is a trustworthy source of health information. Royal Caribbean Updates Vaccine Protocols Following Bahamas Order The company had originally required guests 18 years and older to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and provide proof of vaccination to board their ships. Children will be allowed to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within . When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. It is unclear if cruise companies will be allowed to ask passengers if they have been vaccinated as part of the boarding process, even if they dont require vaccination to board. On CocoCay, everyone was allowed to go ashore on their own and no masks were required. It is especially important that people with an increased risk of severe illness avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises.". 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. Virgin Voyages Becomes First Major Cruise Line to Eliminate Pre-embarkation COVID Testing in the U.S. Margaritaville at Sea Becomes Latest Cruise Line to Ease Pre-boarding COVID Testing Requirement, Where Can Americans Travel Right Now? The cruise company's new sailings from the Bahamas will require all adult guests "to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 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. Why the change in Royal Caribbean policy? 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. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. 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. Time is running out on free COVID tests and vaccines; what then. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. One can download it through The app or from browser on The phone, and there is this QR-code to "check" it. Royal Caribbean Updates to Testing Protocols. ", "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.". 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Royal Caribbean won't require COVID-19 vaccination to - New York Post In the past when Royal Caribbean relaxed travel requirements, they've reinforced their ships are still a step ahead of other travel in terms of protocols, "We continue to maintain additional layers of protection that far exceed any other vacation experience. Related: Cruise hack: 6 ways to turn a voyage on a mass-market ship into a luxury experience. $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. Royal Caribbean will now require all guests to get tested for COVID-19 for certain cruises, regardless of their vaccination status. 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. The post has had over 7,200 likes since it was first shared on Monday. 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. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. Testing Requirements: All guests 2 and older are required to submit a negative test regardless of vaccination status. 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. ", Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Quantum of the Seas: "Alaska sailings departing April 5 to October 14, 2021: In order to allow additional time for our preparation, Quantum of the Seas will remain in the Asia-Pacific region. October 15th or later. "The no vaccine question is is a huge question that none of us know the answer to," Bayley said. Her favorite cities include London; Amsterdam; Krakow, Poland; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Dawson City, Yukon; and anywhere known for outstanding pizza and theater. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. 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. While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. From there, I went to the second floor to check in. 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. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. St. Maarten / St. Martin : open to vaccinated and unvaccinated . Under the law, which takes effect on July 1, businesses can be fined up to $5,000 per violation. decision to sail less than 95% vaccinated, areas and services unvaccinated passengers can access, Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? Get tested again after cruise travel. Following August 1, this age requirement will fall to 12 years old or older. Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols. That's likely only partly true because Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and the rest of the industry must also be protective of optics -- they want the easiest, most inclusive rules, but they also want customers to feel safe. Currently the CDC recommends that "all people avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, because the risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high. Silversea, Azamara, Lindblad, and Viking will require the additional COVID-19 vaccine dose. 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. "We have followed the science and used our learnings about COVID-19 to develop comprehensive health and safety protocols to make cruising safer by preventing and mitigating the spread of infectious diseases, in general, and of COVID-19, in particular. 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. if you received your final dose on October 1st, your 14 day countdown Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty spoke about the change during an earnings call with investors earlier this year and said the change is a move to be more like other forms of leisure travel, such as theme parks, casinos, or air travel. COVID-19 Vaccination is no longer required to sail, with a few exceptions. Covid Vaccine Card: What You Need to Know - The New York Times The cruises will depart from Bermuda and the Bahamas, and adult passengers must be. What the CDC Decision Means for Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruisers The post received nearly 100 likes since it was first tweeted. Travelers to be Screened for COVID-19. Can I go on a cruise if I'm not vaccinated? - CNET In the testing area, they were each given an on-site rapid antigen test. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Enrollment required. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Several luxury cruise lines are implementing new vaccine protocols, each requiring guests to show proof of having received a booster shot to board. . Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Do children need to be vaccinated to cruise? All but 1 major line say Royal Caribbean no longer says Florida cruise passengers must receive the coronavirus vaccine, instead noting the shots are "strongly recommended." The reversal comes as Gov. Unvaccinated guests will be allowed to use the results of a self-administered test if taken within three days of sailing. Travelers looking to set sail with Viking Cruises must take a COVID-19 PCR laboratory test before leaving their home country 72 hours prior to departure of the first flight, or 24 hours before with a laboratory certified antigen test. In a press release Friday announcing . The update on the health protocols for Royal Caribbean ships came in a letter sent to travel agents, which are now also available online. Then I was allowed to proceed to the check-in area. Guests can take advantage of in-person, telehealth, and self-swab tests. Royal Caribbean sent out an update on Wednesday with new protocols that have removed the need to conduct a pre-cruise Covid-19 test, even if you are unvaccinated. But keeping track of which places were which on this voyage made my head spin. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. If youre planning to sail on a Disney Cruise out of Port Canaveral, youre more than likely making a stop at Disneys private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. 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. Further, unvaccinated guests may embark with a negative . Ron DeSantis recently signed into law, a ban on "vaccine passports" that would find businesses $5,000 each time they required proof of Covid-19 vaccination to use their services. The only guests who will need to test . Several cruise lines are continuing to ease pandemic-era protocols by allowing passengers to self-administer COVID-19 tests. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. ", The cruise industry came to a halt last year amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. The graphic below, produced by Statista, illustrates countries with the most COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100,000 people. 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. Royal Caribbean has made it a practice to provide periodic . says. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made its guidance optional for cruise lines and has warned against boarding a cruise ship at the moment, regardless of a person's vaccination status. The Miami Herald reported that Royal Caribbean International previously planned to only allow vaccinated passengers onto its ships, but announced in a Friday press release that they were. 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. Under the current voluntary CDC guidelines, 95% of passengers must be vaccinated. Bayley said during the President's Cruise that testing would "be around for another couple of months.". Norwegian cruises to drop vaccination requirement, ease testing rules Royal Caribbean Won't Require Covid-19 Vaccination To Ride U - Forbes Carnival, Royal Caribbean and more to drop vaccination requirements for select sailings. Florida's ban on vaccination proof requirements complicates U.S. cruise Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Four major cruise lines are dropping their vaccination requirements for some sailings next month, the . Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, An aerial view of Royal Caribbeans Navigator of the Sea cruise ship docked in Miami, Florida on March 2. "We want you to be more comfortable walking on board a ship than walking down Main Street," Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean's CEO, told the BBC. This voyage included calls on Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island, in the Bahamas. Caribbean. Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. "We want you to be more comfortable. Strongly recommended is certainly different from required. Does that mean covid-testing requirements and vaccine mandates will be dropped? The Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas (left) prepares to set sail from PortMiami during the first U.S. trial cruise testing Covid-19 protocols on June 20, 2021 in Miami. 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. Vaccination Form | Royal Caribbean Cruises The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian all require anyone 12 and older sailing on their ships to be fully. #CancelCulture. | Trust Index: Do COVID booster shots make you more susceptible to the virus? ", "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. Many cruise fans and potential passengers may expect that this CDC decision means that vaccine requirements and precruise testing may soon go away. A blank Covid-19 vaccination record card; a filled-in version has become many people's prized possession. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. "Finally!!! 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. Royal Caribbean won't require U.S. cruise passengers to get vaccinated Similarly, passengers 18 years old or older sailing from other international ports will also have to be fully vaccinated. All Guests, All Aboard," Royal Caribbean's President and CEO Michael Bayley wrote on Facebook. 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 . Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. CDC stops reporting coronavirus cases on cruise ships. Royal Caribbean Cruises will now allow non-vaccinated passengers after At this checkpoint, an agent told me that if I wanted to present a vaccine card, that was the time to do so. 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. A positive test would preclude them from embarking on the cruise. Essentially, while the CDC set parameters, the cruise lines have been policing themselves for months. Without very high vaccination rates among passengers and crew members, it can be difficult for a cruise ship to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) once the virus has made it on board. The Royal Caribbean cruise line plans to drop its COVID-19 testing requirement for some guests starting on Aug. 8, according to a statement on its website. Its not great PR to be known as that place where the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak occurred, unless you are specifically running a cruise for viruses who want to have a nice human buffet available. "Guests . | Become a News 6 Insider (its free!)]. Currently, the company requires all guests to "be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing with all required COVID-19 vaccine doses" and "strongly" recommends guests receive the booster shot. The cruise line said that it would only "strongly". They waved me through to security, where my carry-on was screened. Royal Caribbean will require vaccinated guests 5 and older to take a pre-cruise test on sailings from the U.S . Beginning December 1, 2022, the line will waive vaccination requirements for all passengers on Europe and Caribbean itineraries, except where required by local regulations. But there is an important difference between wearing a slingshot mankini and being fully vaccinated. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. "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.". We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Currently, Celebrity requires all guests 12 and older to be fully vaccinated to sail. Royal Caribbean announces cruises with no vaccine requirement - The 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. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Cruise officials said any cruise guests departing before then must adhere to the current protocols in place, which differ depending on where you are leaving from. All cruisers -- regardless of vaccination status -- had to wear masks in indoor spaces unless they were explicitly designated for vaccinated cruisers. Visitors must still fill out a health screening form prior to arrival. 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. It's easy to remember when you either have to wear them all the time or don't have to wear them at all. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in. On sailings of a certain length, further requirements for unvaccinated passengers include two more tests after embarkation: one during the sailing and one just prior to departure from the ship. Royal Caribbean also said it will continue to maintain a high percentage of fully vaccinated guests, and crew members will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted as well as tested regularly when eligible. Cov. 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. Since then, more itineraries opened up to unvaccinated cruisers. For example, Well, heres what Dolven tweeted: Apparently, Dolven is referring to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signing into law a ban on Covid-19 vaccine passports. That means, as of July 1, the Florida state government could fine a cruise ship operator $5,000 each and every time the cruise ship operator requires proof of vaccination to use their services. 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. Unfortunately, the announcement didn't come in time for this voyage. regardless of vaccination status, can cruise on the . Long story short: They were, very strictly. Azamara does not require negative test results in order to board unless mandated by local governments in the ports where the line's ships sail. The cruise line Royal Caribbean is requiring passengers and crew members 16 or older . 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. Before the tracking system was removed, basically every ship in the program was at the "orange" level, which in theory triggered a CDC investigation. This bracelet allowed me to access areas of the ship reserved for vaccinated passengers. Enrollment required. Royal Caribbean Drops Vaccine Requirement for Some Cruises Cruise COVID Testing Rules For Vaccinated, Unvaccinated Travelers - NBC Rather, we focus on discussions related to local stories by our own staff. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Instead, Odyssey will begin her inaugural season out of a new homeport, Haifa, Israel from June to October 2021. Unvaccinated adults and vaccine exemptions. Oh ship. 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 answer rhymes with Tom Cruise lips, kangaroos hips, and too much booze slips. Yes, cruise ships, as Victoria Forster described for Forbes in March 2020. Interestingly, certain shows -- such as the ice show in Studio B -- required reservations due to their lower capacity. Action Alerts PLUS is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. The first to set sail will be the Freedom of the Seas ship out of Miami, Florida, on July 2. On a practical level, the CDC had been tracking serious illness and death and the numbers were very encouraging. Overall, the sailing was pleasant and it was great to be back on board a sailing from Florida. How do you count the 14 days for full vaccination, exactly? The SARS-CoV2 is still actively spreading in the U.S. and throughout different parts of the world. Ron DeSantis bars businesses, schools and government entities across Florida from asking anyone to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, the chances of someone bringing the virus on board a cruise ship is still quite high. Royal Caribbean to drop COVID-19 testing requirement for some guests 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. "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 new Florida law can leave businesses like cruise ship lines caught between a rock and a hard place. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Richard Fain, chief executive of Royal Caribbean, told . Fully vaccinated guests and guests ages 11 and younger are exempt. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian May Drop Vaccine Mandate by This Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. . The major cruise line previously mandated the covid vaccine for crew members only. Check here before booking an award fare. I saw a couple of crew members nicely ask passengers to pull their masks up over their noses in public spaces (and they complied). Passenger operations continue to be suspended during the initial phases of this Order. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Starting Thursday, Carnival Cruise Line announced, fully vaccinated passengers will not need to take a test before boarding if the trip is . All guests aged 4 and older are required to have a negative COVID-19 test before boarding. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Celebrity CEO says 'public ready to cruise,' as line announces North