Covid Vaccine Policy

This page is updated often BUT you should check the cruise lines website directly for any new information.

Will you need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise this year?

With a growing number of cruise lines announcing plans to restart operations in the next few months, it’s become a pressing question for cruisers — and the answer isn’t always clear.

In recent weeks, more than a dozen cruise lines have announced plans to require passengers to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine before stepping aboard a vessel (including, on Monday, Norwegian Cruise Line and its two sisters, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises).

At the same time, a few lines have said they would not require passengers to be vaccinated for COVID-19 — at least for now. But there also are many lines that have yet to announce any sort of decision on the issue.

IN THIS POST

Which cruise lines have added a vaccine requirement?

Cruise lines that have announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all or at least some upcoming cruises include American Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Silversea, Virgin Voyages and Windstar Cruises.

Lines that are restarting operations without requiring passengers to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine include MSC Cruises, and German lines TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Instead of making a COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for cruising, some lines are requiring that passengers show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding a ship.

Some lines, such as Lindblad Expeditions, are requiring both proof of a COVID-19 vaccine and proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

Other lines, such as Avalon Waterways and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, are requiring either proof of a COVID-19 vaccine or proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

Here’s a line-by-line look at COVID-19 vaccine and testing policies at 39 major ocean and river cruise brands:

AmaWaterways

Vaccine required? No.

Note: AmaWaterways is asking passengers to show proof of either a COVID-19 vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of boarding one of the line’s vessels.

American Cruise Lines

Vaccine required? No

For whom: All passengers on sailings through April 30

Note: American Cruise Lines does not have an across-the-board vaccine requirement for passengers, but passengers on some itineraries in specific regions or over specific time periods may face COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements. The line says it will communicate directly with passengers about them.

American Queen Steamboat Company

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers, effective for sailings scheduled for July 1, 2021, and beyond.

Note: The line also is testing passengers for COVID-19 as they arrive for their cruises.

Avalon Waterways

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: All passengers must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to sail or proof of a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken no earlier than 72 hours before travel. Alternately, passengers can show proof that they have recovered from a confirmed case of COVID-19 within three months of travel.

Azamara

Vaccine required? Yes

Note: For all passengers

Carnival Cruise Line

Vaccine required? Yes.

Insurance is required for anyone 12 and older that was granted a waiver for being unvaccinated. If were provide with a waiver from Carnival and you are not currently insured for your cruise, click here to purchase a policy.

Note: Carnival only has announced the vaccine requirement for eight ships restarting service in July and August out of Seattle; Galveston, Texas; Long Beach, California; and Miami and Port Canaveral in Florida. It has not announced a vaccine policy for other ships that might return to service in later months.

Click here to see their updates on their website

Please read the following details for the July sailings on the Carnival Vista and Breeze…

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

As promised, we are providing you with a follow-up to our communication for our Carnival Breeze and Carnival Vista sailings in July from Galveston.

  • The July cruises will operate with at least 95% of fully vaccinated guests, who will be required to present proof of vaccination at the time of check-in.  Vaccines must be approved by either the CDC or WHO (World Health Organization).
  • Vaccinated guests will not be required to wear a facemask or maintain physical distancing while on board. Guests will have to follow all necessary local guidance at the destinations we visit. 
  • All Carnival Vista cruises will operate a Mahogany Bay-Belize-Cozumel itinerary.

Please read the important details below on our 2021 Alaska cruise protocols…

    • Guests, including children who are age-eligible for vaccines, will need to be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination in advance of boarding. (As a reminder, fully vaccinated is defined as receiving the final dose of a vaccine at least 14 days before embarkation.)  For your reference, any vaccine approved by either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO) meets this requirement.
    • According to current CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests on your sailing will not be required to wear face masks or physical distance while on board.  However, masks are required at the cruise terminal during embarkation.
    • Vaccinated guests may participate in Carnival sponsored tours or independent activities.  We are in the process of finalizing our Alaska tours and expect more availability to be added in the next few weeks. Please check back on Carnival.com by the end of the month.
    • All guests are required to follow the protocols and requirements for each destination while ashore.  These restrictions are under the control of local government and are subject to change without advance notice.   We encourage you to come prepared for potential requirements ashore which may apply to health screening/testing, masks, physical distancing, organized tours/independent activities, etc.  

NOTE:  The foregoing applies only to the Alaska 2021 sailings.

Celebrity Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers who are 16 years of age or older (as of Aug. 1, the cutoff will drop to all passengers who are 12 or older). Younger passengers can sail with proof of a negative test for COVID-19.

Note: For Celebrity Silhouette sailings out of the U.K., the rule is that all passengers who are 18 years or older must be vaccinated. For sailings out of Florida, the line is asking passengers who are 16 years of age or older to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine but not requiring it, in order to comply with Florida law. Passengers on Florida sailings who do not show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine will be subject to additional screening including COVID-19 testing at their own expense.

Click here for FAQ’s

Celestyal Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: All passengers will be required to show proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 taken a maximum of 72 hours before embarkation. This requirement will be waived should qualifying proof of vaccination be provided.

COVID-19 Health Protocols

Costa Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

Crystal Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Cunard Line

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Note: Cunard only has announced the vaccine requirement for its initial cruising restart schedule for this summer, which will involve cruises around the U.K. for U.K. residents only.

Disney Cruise Line

Vaccine required? Disney Cruise Line strongly encourages all eligible Guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before sailing.

Click here for all the latest information and vaccine requirements!

Emerald Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Grand Circle Cruise Line

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: All passengers are required to show a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding the vessel. There is also a mandatory screening by thermal cameras for guests before boarding and a daily temperature check on board. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises currently only sail with residents of Germany, Austria and Switzerland for now.

Holland America

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Click here for the latest avisory for Holland America cruise lines.

Lindblad Expeditions

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers who are 16 years old or older.

Additional requirements: In addition to proof of vaccination, all passengers must show proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 taken prior to leaving home for their cruise. The line also will test passengers arriving for cruises at the pier for COVID-19 using a rapid antigen test.

MSC Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: MSC Cruises has been requiring passengers to test negative for COVID-19 in advance of boarding.

Click here for Caribbean itinerary health information

Norwegian Cruise Line

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers on departures through at least Oct. 31

Note: Norwegian has not yet made a decision about whether passengers will be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine on departures beyond Oct. 31.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

  • FAQs can be accessed here
  • All things for Return to Service can be found here
  • Suspended sailings info can be found Here
  • Sail Safe guidelines and details can be found here
  • For additional information pertaining to refunds can be found here
  • Follow our return to cruise journey here
  • Guest Relations Case Submission page https://www.ncl.com/case-submission
  • For sailings from March 13 through October 31, 2020, please click here
  • For Peace of Mind and Payment Schedule changes, please click here
  • All available NCL itineraries will be available for viewing at www.ncl.com/vacations.

Oceania Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers on sailings out of U.S. ports

Note: Oceania Cruises has not yet said what its COVID-19 vaccine requirements will be on sailings outside U.S. waters.

Overseas Adventure Travel

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

P&O Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Princess Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Note: Princess only has announced a vaccine requirement for sailings through the end of the year. This includes sailings around the U.K. for U.K. residents only and cruises to Alaska scheduled for the summer as well as fall sailings out of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers on sailings out of U.S. ports.

Note: Regent has not yet said what its COVID-19 vaccine requirements will be on sailings outside U.S. waters.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Vaccine required? Under evaluation

Note: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has not yet announced whether or not it will require passengers to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test for COVID-19 to sail.

“The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection continues to evaluate all of our options for protecting the wellbeing of our guests … and the communities to which we will sail,” the line said in a statement sent to us.

Royal Caribbean

Vaccine required? Yes

Click here for the latest update!

Saga Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Vaccine required? Yes

Seabourn

Vaccine required? Yes

Click here for up to date information

Note: Seabourn has announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for initial cruises it plans to operate out of Piraeus, Greece, starting in July. It hasn’t said yet whether it have a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for other future sailings.

Sea Cloud Cruises

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: All passengers will be required to show proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 taken no more than 72 hours before embarkation. A PCR or antigen test will also be performed during embarkation. Only guests with a negative result are allowed to board.

Silversea

Vaccine required? Yes

Note: Silversea says the requirement will apply to all upcoming Silversea voyages globally with the exclusion of sailings departing from Australia. The line says it still is evaluating health protocols for future Australia sailings.

Star Clippers

Vaccine required? Under evaluation

Note: Star Clippers has not yet made a decision as to whether or not it will require passengers to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test for COVID-19, according to a spokesperson.

Swan Hellenic

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Tauck

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: All passengers must show proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 taken a maximum of five days before departing from home for their cruise.

UnCruise Adventures

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers who are 18 years old or older. Passengers under the age of 18 can sail with proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Vaccine required? No

Alternate requirement: Passengers can either show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test (either PCR or rapid) taken within 72 hours of sailing.

Victory Cruise Lines

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Viking

Vaccine required? Yes

Note: Viking only has announced a vaccine requirement for its initial “welcome back voyages” planned for May, June and July around the U.K., Bermuda and Iceland. The line hasn’t said what it’s longer-term policy will be. The line also has said it would test all passengers for COVID-19 with a PCR test in advance of embarkation and regularly during their sailing. The line has said it expected to do daily testing on board ships initially.

Virgin Voyages

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers

Windstar Cruises

Vaccine required? Yes

For whom: All passengers