Three major cruise brands to drop Covid vaccine rule from September

Three cruise brands will drop their requirement for passengers to show proof of Covid vaccination from next month.

Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas, and Oceania – three of the largest brands in the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Holdings fleet – said they will be the first US-based cruise firms to enact this rule change from 3 September.

During the coronavirus pandemic, it was compulsory for all guests over the age of five to show proof of having been jabbed.

In less than a month’s time, unvaccinated travellers aged 12 and over will only have to show proof of a negative rapid antigen or PCR test, taken professionally within 72 hours of the ship setting sail.

Those who are vaccinated can embark on the cruise ship without a pre-departure Covid test.

Frank Del Rio, CEO and president of Miami-based NCL, said in a statement: “Our long-awaited revisions to our testing and vaccination requirements bring us closer in line with the rest of society, which has learned to adapt and live with Covid-19, and makes it simpler and easier for our loyal guests to cruise on our three best-in-class brands.”

Some cruise operators are ending the need for guests to show Covid ‘vaccine passes’

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A fourth firm – Royal Caribbean has announced that it will no longer demand full vaccination from 5 September for passengers on some routes: namely those from Los Angeles, Galveston in Texas, New Orleans in Louisiana, and any of its European ports.

However, passengers looking to disembark in the Grand Cayman – the largest island in the Cayman Islands – will need to be fully vaccinated, while those looking to get off in Greece or Spain will need to take a Covid test, the company said.

This month, Royal Caribbean was one of the three firms – including Carnival Cruise Lines and MSC Cruises – to relax testing requirements for vaccinated passengers on short voyages.

Also earlier this month, Virgin Voyages eliminated the need for pre-boarding Covid tests for vaccinated passengers.

The changes come after the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention officially ended its pandemic rules for cruise ships by allowing the Conditional Sail Order to lapse in July.

Meanwhile, the first cruise ship to reach New Zealand since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 docked in Auckland on Friday after remaining travel restrictions – including those imposed on maritime arrivals – were lifted last month.

The Pacific Explorer ship operated by Carnival Australia has been on a 12-day return trip to Fiji that departed from Sydney. The 2,000 passengers and crew were greeted with a Maori welcome at a reception event attended by PM Jacinda Ardern.

Passengers arriving in New Zealand via international cruise ships will still be required to be fully vaccinated – with their latest jab at least 14 days before embarking on the vessel – but they will not need to complete a Covid test on arrival.