ALL cruise Covid testing & vaccine requirements from P&O to Marella as rules dropped

Cruise ship Covid testing requirements and vaccine rules have changed a lot over the last year or so, with cruise lines adopting a very tough stance when cruising resumed last summer.

However, with the pandemic waning, pre cruise Covid test rules are finally starting to ease and a vast number of major cruise lines have eased their testing and vaccine regulations.

The shift to a lighter approach comes after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced the COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect and published recommendations to guide cruise lines as they determine protocols.

We’ve rounded up the latest vaccine and cruise ship Covid testing requirements at the time of writing for all the major cruise lines, from P&O Covid test rules and Celebrity Cruises Covid testing to Marella Cruises Covid testing and Princess Cruises Covid testing.

P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises Covid test rules have eased, with the P&O pre cruise Covid test ditched from September 6, 2022.

Self-testing prior to travel will change from “mandatory” to “highly recommended” for vaccinated guests on the vast majority of vacations.

Only guests sailing on longer, more complex itineraries will be required to have an observed or in person antigen or PCR test with a fit to travel certificate prior to departure. These include a number of vacations of 16 nights or more and other specific cruises.

These new guidelines apply to all P&O Cruises itineraries sailing from Southampton and all other departure points with the exception of countries where government regulations and protocols may vary including Australia.

As for P&O vaccines, all guests aged 16 years and over need to be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine a minimum of 14 days prior to travel.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises Covid testing UK now sees all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, able to cruise with Celebrity on sailings departing from US and Europe ports (excluding sailings that visit Canada).

What’s more, the cruise line will accept self-tests on sailings from US ports that don’t visit Canada and Bermuda, and on many Europe sailings.

Vaccinated guests will no longer need to test to board one of Celebrity ships or sailings nine nights or less, where destinations allow, and will have three days prior to boarding to test for sailings 10 nights or more.

Unvaccinated guests ages five and older will need to test three days prior to boarding US sailings (excluding Canada and Bermuda); and ages 12 and older for select Europe sailings.

Marella Cruises

Marella Cruises Covid testing remains strict. All passengers need to complete a pre-boarding antigen (rapid flow) test any time on the day before they’re due to fly, but before they arrive at their departure airport – or cruise terminal if they’ve got a cabin-only booking.

Holidaymakers need to show the result of this test along with their travel documents before boarding the ship, according to the latest Marella cruise Covid test requirements. Kids aged two and under are exempt from testing.

If you’ve booked a Stay & Cruise vacation, you’ll have to undergo cruise Covid testing before joining the ship in the resort.

As for Marella Cruises vaccine requirements, all customers aged 18 or over will need to have had all required doses of a World Health Organisation-approved vaccine to travel on these sailings. Children under the age of 12 will not need to be vaccinated, but will be tested for COVID-19 before boarding. Children aged 11 and under don’t need to be fully vaccinated to sail with Marella.

However, these rules could be set to change on September 30, suggests the Marella Cruises website at the time of writing.

Princess Cruises

As for Princess Cruises Covid testing, from September 6, 2022, vaccinated travelers don’t need to test but will need to upload proof of vaccination while completing the OceanReady steps, when sailing on one of Princess’ Enhanced Guidelines itineraries.

Unvaccinated passengers, or those who do not provide proof of vaccination, will need to self-test within three days of sailing with Princess and upload proof of a negative test to the MedallionClass app before boarding. Children under five do not require pre-travel testing.

Regarding Princess Cruises vaccine rules, the cruise line has said: “We are able to accept more guests regardless of their vaccination status,” adding: “guests ages five and up sailing on Enhanced Guidelines Voyages and other specific itineraries need to take a supervised test within three days of embarkation.”

MSC Cruises

MSC cruise Covid test requirements dictate that travelers are required to bring proof of a negative COVID-19 test to the cruise terminal on embarkation day.

The test must meet stated travel requirements by the country of residence and cruise destination.

To comply with MSC Cruises vaccine requirements, all guests aged 12 years and older are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and all guests aged two and older are required to submit a negative test prior to boarding.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean now welcomes all guests – unvaccinated and vaccinated – to sail.

The new guidelines are: unvaccinated guests can cruise with negative results from any commercially available test, including self-tests and no testing is required for vaccinated guests sailing on cruises that are nine nights or less.

For all sailings, guests five years old and younger have no vaccine or testing requirements while on sailings of 10-plus nights, guests – vaccinated or unvaccinated – must provide a negative test within three days of their sailing date.

Note, due to local regulations, sailings to or from Australia, Bermuda, Canada or Singapore still require guests to be vaccinated while testing is still required with sailings departing/visiting Greece and Israel.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises no longer requires vaccinated guests to complete a COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test and receive a negative result prior to embarkation, subject to local regulations.

Concerning Regent Seven Seas Cruises vaccine requirements, the line states: “Effective September 3, 2022, Regent Seven Seas Cruises will welcome unvaccinated guests, who must complete a COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test and receive a negative result three days prior to embarkation, subject to local regulations.”

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has axed the pre cruise Covid test and no longer requires guests to test for COVID-19 to board both Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady.

As for Virgin Voyages vaccine rules, the line has said it is opening up voyages for a limited number (10 percent) of unvaccinated passengers. However they are required to bring a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours, or at the terminal for a fee of $30 on their embarkation date.

Fred. Olsen

Fred. Olsen has simplified its cruise Covid testing but remains strict with no sign of relaxing its policy.

The brand no longer carries out pre-departure Covid testing as part of the check-in process. However, all passengers are still required to take their own Lateral Flow Test at home within 24 hours of the departure date of the cruise and bring proof of a negative test result to show at check-in.

Regarding Fred. Olsen vaccine regulations, all guests aged 12 and above must be fully vaccinated to sail.

Holland America Line

Cruise ship Covid testing requirements Holland America Line from September 6, 2022, see vaccinated guests sailing on voyages of less than 16 days (with the exception of Panama Canal transits, trans-ocean and other special itineraries) no longer required to test before boarding and only need to show proof of vaccination.

What’s more, unvaccinated guests are welcome aboard and must provide results of a medically supervised or home self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

Note, the new protocols do not apply to itineraries for countries or regions where local regulations may vary, including Canada and Alaska, Australia and Greece.

Seabourn

For European cruises with Seabourn departing on or after September 6, 2022, pre-cruise testing will no longer be required, with vaccinated guests requested to provide evidence of vaccination status conducted at a minimum of 14 days prior to embarkation.

Unvaccinated guests must provide results of a negative medically supervised or self-test taken within three days of embarkation.

However, for Seabourn Canada and USA cruises, guests 12 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated, although children under five do not need to be jabbed. What’s more, all guests ages two and above are required to take a pre-travel COVID-19 test.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) no longer requires vaccinated travelers to take a pre-cruise test.

Regarding NCL vaccine rules,  guests aged twelve and over will be allowed to board unvaccinated.

However, unvaccinated guests aged twelve and over will be required to show proof of a medically supervised negative PCR or Antigen test taken no more than 72 hours prior to embarkation.

No additional protocols or testing requirements apply for children aged 11 years or younger.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises Covid rules state that fully vaccinated travelers aged 12 and above will not need to test to embark.

Unvaccinated guests will be able to board too from this date but will need to present a negative, medically administered Covid test. Antigen and PCR test results may not be more than 72 hours old at the time of boarding.

Viking Cruises

Covid testing for cruise travel with Viking Cruises is also simplified.

Viking highly recommends but does not require, a pre-departure COVID-19 test—unless one is required by the destination.

However, select ocean voyages on the Viking Orion and expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis in the United States and Canada will continue to require a pre-departure COVID-19 test.

Viking vaccine rules require all guests be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to travel.

Carnival Cruise Line

From September 6, Carnival will not require Covid testing for vaccinated guests on sailings less than 16 nights.

Carnival will also be eliminating the exemption request process for unvaccinated guests, who will only need to show a negative test result at embarkation.

Voyages 16 nights and longer will continue to have vaccination and testing requirements that are specific to the itinerary.

Cunard

Cunard Covid test rules, from September 6, 2022, see self-testing changing from “mandatory” to “highly recommended” for vaccinated guests on the vast majority of vacations.

Only guests sailing on longer, more complex itineraries will be required to have an observed or in-person antigen or PCR test with a fit to travel certificate prior to departure.

These include a number of vacations of 16 nights or more and other specific voyages. These new guidelines apply to all Cunard itineraries sailing from Southampton and all other departure points with the exception of countries where government regulations and protocols may vary including Canada and Australia.