With few exceptions, Royal Caribbean has dropped its pre-cruise testing requirements across the board.

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.

"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)." Cruises from Australia are also not included in this policy change.

Travel agents and guests were notified of the change in policy.

Prior to this change, unvaccinated guests had to take a Covid-19 test before their cruise. Fully vaccinated guests and guests ages 11 and younger are exempt.

Royal Caribbean recommends guests be fully vaccinated and boostered against Covid‐19. While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in.

A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). Vaccines must be approved for use by the WHO or U.S. FDA, with the exception of CanSino.

Pre-cruise testing remains for certain itineraries

If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits Labadee, Roatan, or somewhere in Colombia, then unvaccinated will still need to test.

Guests age 12 and up who are not fully vaccinated have 3 days to take a test before their cruise, regardless the duration of the cruise.

Guests under the age of 12 do not have any testing requirements.

Accepted Tests

Guests can take advantage of in-person, telehealth, and self-swab tests. This includes unsupervised testing.

Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand.

Another relaxation of policy

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. Airplanes, theme parks, casinos, and hotels no longer require any such Covid protocols and have not had any requirements for months.

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. 

"We are continuing to adapt our protocols to align more closely with how the rest of society and other travel and leisure businesses are operating."

"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."

When Royal Caribbean resumed cruises in 2021, Covid-19 protocols were a major component to the onboard experience.

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.

Since then, more itineraries opened up to unvaccinated cruisers.

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. This includes vaccination of all crew and keeping them up to date with boosters when eligible, routine surveillance of all crew, enhanced testing and treatment capabilities in our onboard medical centers, and much more."

In addition to allowing unvaccinated cruisers back onboard cruise ships, Royal Caribbean will also begin accepting self-administered Covid tests that don't have to be proctored.

Royal Caribbean was one of the first cruise lines to allow at-home Covid tests to be used, but up until now they had to be supervised by a health professional.

Beginning September 5, Royal Caribbean will allow guests on U.S. cruises the choice of taking a home test or a test professionally administered by a health professional.

Before you grab the inexpensive home tests to use, there are some important considerations and exceptions you should be aware of.

Who needs to test?

Whether or not you'll need to take a covid test before your cruise depends on the port your ship sails from, vaccination status, and date you sail.

Royal Caribbean maintains a master list of requirements on their website, which you should refer to prior to your cruise.  

Below you'll find a look at testing requirements for the major itineraries that Royal Caribbean sails.

If your cruise departs before September 4, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Guests 2 to 11 years of age who are not fully vaccinated must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise. 

Fully vaccinated guests must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day on sailings that are 6 nights or longer only. 

Fully vaccinated guests do not need to test at all on cruises 5-nights or less.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Guests 5 years of age and older who are not fully vaccinated must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise.

Guests younger than 5 do not have any testing requirements.

Fully vaccinated guests 5 years of age and older must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day on sailings that are 10 nights or longer only. 

Fully vaccinated guests do not need to test at all on cruises 9-nights or less.

If your cruise has any stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Vaccinated guests must show a negative test result for a supervised PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day. 

Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a supervised PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day.

Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 from England and the Netherlands:

Guests 12 years of age and older who are not vaccinated or not up to date with their vaccination, must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen test taken within 24 hours before boarding day, or PCR test taken within 72 hours before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise. 

Guests who are up to date with their vaccination status must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen test taken within 24 hours before boarding day, or PCR test taken within 72 hours before boarding day, on sailings that are 10 nights or longer only. Testing is not required for up to date guests on shorter itineraries. 

Guests younger than 12 do not have any testing requirements.

Which telehealth test at home can I use for my cruise?

Required testing for all guests, regardless of vaccination status, can be completed using any type of PCR or antigen test. 

Tests must be arranged on your own and are at your own expense.

If your cruise departs before September 4, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

The At-home tests must happen under live supervision on a video call with a telehealth representative.

The telehealth provider must issue you a result document that includes all the necessary information.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

The test you take can be professionally administered by a health professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist, or you can use a home test kit.

Home test kits for these sailings are not required to be administered under live video supervision.

If your cruise visits Canada:

Unvaccinated guests cannot use a telehealth test if their cruise visits Canada.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 from Europe with no stops in Greece:

The test you take can be professionally administered by a health professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist, or you can use a home test kit. Home test kits for these sailings are not required to be administered under live video supervision. 

Telehealth tests and self test kits are not accepted if your cruise departs from Athens. 

What you need to bring to the cruise terminal at check-in

Regardless of the type of test you take, you'll need to bring with you proof of a negative test result.

If your cruise departs before September 4, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

You must receive a valid results document from your test provider that includes the name of the lab that processed the test, the lab’s CLIA Lab Number or Certification Number, the address of the lab, your name, the date the test was taken, type of test, and your negative result. 

 This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification that you show on your phone.

Fully handwritten doctor’s notes (such as those written on a prescription pad) will not be accepted.

Minimal handwritten components (such as a check mark on a “negative” box) are acceptable as long as the other required information is printed on the document.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

You can show it in the form of a printout, an email, or an app screen from the test provider. Or you can show a picture of your negative home test on your phone, or present the actual negative test itself.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 from Europe with no stops in Greece:

You can show it in the form of a printout, an email, or an app screen from the test provider. Or you can show a picture of your negative home test on your phone, or present the actual negative test itself. 

Royal Caribbean has updated its Covid-19 protocols to allow more unvaccinated people to sail on their ships.

Royal Caribbean had opened the door for unvaccinated adults to sail with them from select homeports, but the line updated the policy on Monday to open up more sailings.

"The time has come for us to welcome all adventurers back onboard," Royal Caribbean said in an email to travel agents.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean says this change in protocols are "to more closely align with the broader travel industry."

This change is likely a reflection of many countries opening their borders up to unvaccinated cruisers as well.  

Beginning September 5, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, can cruise on the following itineraries, as long as they meet testing requirements to board.

• Any cruise from a Florida home port.
• Any cruise on Oasis of the Seas from Cape Liberty
• Any cruise from Los Angeles, California
• Any cruise from Galveston, Texas
• Any cruise from New Orleans, Louisiana
• Any cruise from a European home port
  • (Note: Guests that are not "up to date" on their vaccination per EMA standards will need to take a test onboard in order to get off the ship in Greece and Spain)

There are two notable changes with this policy update: allowing unvaccinated from Florida ports, as well as Oasis of the Seas from Cape Liberty.

Due to local regulations, sailings to or from Australia, Bermuda, Canada or Singapore still require guests to be vaccinated.

When Royal Caribbean announced a change to allow unvaccinated back onboard, all sailings from Florida and Bayonne were not included.

Since then, other cruise lines have opened up their ships from Florida ports, which lead many to question why Royal Caribbean had not done the same.

While vaccination is not required, Royal Caribbean kindly asks all guests to disclose their status during check-in to ensure they maintain a highly vaccinated onboard population.

The cruise line continues to practice health and safety measures that exceed other types of vacations. These measures include the routine monitoring and vaccination of all crew members and keeping them up to date with boosters when they are eligible, enhanced testing and care capabilities in every onboard medical center, and more.

Testing changes

Royal Caribbean also updated its testing requirements, calling them easier.

Starting with September 5th, for U.S. cruises that don’t visit Canada or Bermuda:

• Vaccinated guests won’t have to take a pre-cruise test on cruises that are shorter than 10 nights.
• Unvaccinated guests age 5 and up will need to test within 3 days before boarding, regardless of cruise length.
• Royal Caribbean will begin accepting results from self-administered home tests. 

This change greatly makes it easier for vaccinated cruisers to go on a cruise without a test at all, unless they take a longer sailing.

Starting with September 5th, for Europe cruises that don't visit Greece:
 

• Guests who are up to date with their vaccinations won’t have to take a pre-cruise test on cruises that are shorter than 10 nights.
• Unvaccinated guests or guests not up to date with their vaccinations age 12 and up will need to test within 3 days before boarding, regardless of cruise length.
• Children age 11 and under will not need to test.
• Royal Caribbean will begin accepting results from self-administered home tests on most sailings. 

Requirements in other regions

Starting September 5th, guests who are not vaccinated can also sail on European cruises. Currently published testing and vaccination requirements remain in place for cruises from Australia and Singapore; cruises that depart from or visit Canada or Bermuda; and transatlantic sailings, until further notice.

Refunds if the policy doesn't match your needs

Royal Caribbean promises protocols for each sailing will be sent to the guest via email and on the website, no less than 30 days before you sail.

Should protocols for your sailing change upon that confirmation, and you are unable to travel due to your vaccination status, Royal Caribbean will move you to a new sailing where your vaccination status is accepted or provide you a refund.

Understanding Covid test requirements needed for a Royal Caribbean cruise can be a bit confusing. In reality, though, taking a Covid test before your cruise just requires a little planning upfront.

Certain countries and regions have relaxed Covid-19 requirements whereas others maintain more strict requirements. Because of this, each port may have its own testing requirements, so it's important to ensure you're following the requirements of your cruise departure port.

In this guide:

• Testing requirements by departure port
• What does X days before sail date mean?
• Where can I get my Covid test?

Cruises departing from United States homeports with no port stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Guests sailing from the United States homeports (excluding itineraries visiting Canada or Bermuda) should adhere to the following guidelines:

Cruises 5 nights or less:

• Unvaccinated guests aged 2-11 must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 3 days of the sail date. A second test is no longer required at the terminal.
• Fully vaccinated guests, regardless of age, no longer need to test for sailing lengths of 5 nights or less. 

Cruises 6 nights or more:

• All guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 3 days of the sail date. A second test is no longer required for any guests at the terminal.

Cruises departing from United States homeports with port stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Testing requirement on all cruises regardless of length:

• Vaccinated guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of the sail date.
• Unvaccinated guests aged 2-11 must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 3 days before boarding day. Only PCR tests will be accepted for unvaccinated kids, and the test cannot be taken on boarding day.
• Unvaccinated guests aged 2-11 will have another COVID-19 test taken at the cruise terminal on embarkation day.

Cruises departing from Vancouver, Canada

• Vaccinated guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of the sail date.
• Unvaccinated guests aged 2-11 must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 3 days of the sail date. Only PCR tests will be accepted for unvaccinated kids, and the test cannot be taken on boarding day.
• Unvaccinated guests aged 2-11 will have another COVID-19 test taken at the cruise terminal on embarkation day.

Note: PCR tests for unvaccinated children are the only test to adhere to an hour requirement as opposed to days. Tests must be taken no more than 72 hours prior to scheduled boarding time on embarkation day. For example, if you are scheduled to board at 12PM on Friday, your test must be taken after 11:59AM on Tuesday.

All travelers arriving in Canada by air or sea will also have to fill out a form on the ArriveCAN app.

Related: How to use the ArriveCAN app for your Alaska cruise

Cruises departing from European homeports (Excluding Greece and Spain)

• All vaccinated guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of the sail date.
• Unvaccinated kids aged 2-17 must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 1 day of the sail date.

Cruises departing from Athens, Greece

• All guests aged 2 and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of the sail date.
• Telehealth tests are not accepted on cruises departing from Athens.

In addition to the pre-cruise test, guests age 12 and up who are considered not up to date with their vaccination, or are not vaccinated with an EMA-authorized vaccine, will require additional testing to be completed onboard at their own expense, in order to go ashore in select countries.

Guests 12 and up that are not up to date with their vaccinations will take an antigen test within one day before disembarkation day. Guests will be notified onboard about how to register for this test. The cost of the test is at their own expense, conducted onboard by a licensed third-party testing provider at a cost of $55 USD per test. Royal Caribbean does not retain any part of the testing costs.

Cruises departing from Spain

• Vaccinated guests who are up to date must show a negative result for a PCR or an antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day.
• Vaccinated guests who are not up to date will have a 1 day window to take this test. Kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may follow the testing protocols for vaccinated guests.
• Unvaccinated kids aged 2-11 must present a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR or antigen) taken within 1 day of the sail date.

Note: To see if you are up to date on vaccinations, check here.

Cruises departing from Australia

Testing protocols have not yet been released for Australia cruises. However, Royal Caribbean has stated that it is likely that all guests will need to present a negative Covid-19 test.

Cruises departing from Singapore

• All guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result (nasal swab or saliva test) taken within 1 day of the sail date. Test results must be in English.

What does "within X days of the sail date" mean?

Depending on your departure port and vaccination status, you will have to take a Covid test 1, 2, or 3 days prior to your sail date.

Test required within 3 days of sail date:

• If your cruise leaves on Sunday, you can take your Covid test Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
• If your cruise leaves on Monday, you can take your Covid test Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday
• If your cruise leaves on Tuesday, you can take your Covid test Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday
• If your cruise leaves on Wednesday, you can take your Covid test Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday
• If your cruise leaves on Thursday, you can take your Covid test Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
• If your cruise leaves on Friday, you can take your Covid test Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday
• If your cruise leaves on Saturday, you can take your Covid test Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday

Test required within 2 days of sail date:

• If your cruise leaves on Sunday, you can take your Covid test Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
• If your cruise leaves on Monday, you can take your Covid test Saturday, Sunday, or Monday
• If your cruise leaves on Tuesday, you can take your Covid test Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday
• If your cruise leaves on Wednesday, you can take your Covid test Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday
• If your cruise leaves on Thursday, you can take your Covid test Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
• If your cruise leaves on Friday, you can take your Covid test Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday
• If your cruise leaves on Saturday, you can take your Covid test Thursday, Friday, or Saturday

Test required within 1 day of sail date:

• If your cruise leaves on Sunday, you can take your Covid test Saturday or Sunday
• If your cruise leaves on Monday, you can take your Covid test Sunday or Monday
• If your cruise leaves on Tuesday, you can take your Covid test Monday or Tuesday
• If your cruise leaves on Wednesday, you can take your Covid test Tuesday or Wednesday
• If your cruise leaves on Thursday, you can take your Covid test Wednesday or Thursday
• If your cruise leaves on Friday, you can take your Covid test Thursday or Friday
• If your cruise leaves on Saturday, you can take your Covid test Friday or Saturday

The amount of hours that have passed since your test do not matter. Royal Caribbean counts tests by days, not hours, so there is no need to worry if it has been ~50 hours instead of 48 hours since your test by the time you board the ship.

Where can I get my Covid test?

The easiest and most convenient option for travelers who are eligible to take an antigen test is to order the Abbott BinaxNow Ag Card Home Test. This is a telehealth option in which a proctor watches and guides you through the Covid test. Tests come in packs of 2-6, and it is recommended to order more than you need in case of any discrepancies within the tests (missing items, invalid result, etc.).

Note: Do not use the regular Abbot BinaxNow test sold over the counter, as it does not have a proctor watching you take the test.

Pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens also offer rapid and PCR Covid tests. Search for appointments near you prior to the cruise to ensure you can get one booked. These tests are free. The ease of finding a Covid appointment at a pharmacy can change with demand and your location, so check early to see if this option will work for you.

In addition to the at-home test and pharmacies, Covid tests can be found at urgent care locations, pop-up testing sites, health clinics, and more. Research what is offered in your local area far in advance to ensure you do not run into any surprises when trying to schedule a Covid test.

Our recommendation, when possible, is to take a rapid antigen test as opposed to a PCR test. Results come back much quicker, so there is no need to worry about not receiving the results in time.

Covid test results should include the following:

• Your name
• Date the test was taken
• Type of Covid test
• Negative result
• Lab’s CLIA or Certification number
• Address of the lab

How do I present my test results?

Test results can be shown either on a phone or printed paper at the cruise terminal.

Additional testing requirements by port

Most countries have gotten rid of inbound testing requirements when arriving by land, air, or sea. Before your cruise, however, double check to ensure no negative COVID-19 test results are needed upon arrival to your destination.

Here are the websites of the current protocols by country:

• United States
• Canada
• England
• Greece
• Spain
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• Denmark
• Israel
• Cyprus
• Barbados
• Australia
• Singapore

Royal Caribbean wont require passengers to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on select sailings beginning in September.

Up until now, only unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 have been allowed on Royal Caribbean ships.

Starting with September 5th departures guests regardless of their vaccination status, can cruise on the following itineraries, as long as they meet any testing requirements to board: 

• Cruises from Los Angeles, California 
• Cruises from Galveston, Texas 
  • Please note, currently, only guests that show a valid vaccination record can get off the ship in Grand Cayman.
• Cruises from New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Please note, currently, only guests that show a valid vaccination record can get off the ship in Grand Cayman.
• Cruises from a European homeport 
  • Please note, guests who are not “up to date” on their vaccination per EMA standards will need to take a test onboard in order to get off the ship in Greece and Spain. 

Vaccination requirements remain in place until further notice for any homeport that is not mentioned above. 

Royal Caribbean says it is working to allow unvaccinated on other sailings, but they need to coordinate with other countries first.

"We are working with local governments in the Eastern Caribbean to align on vaccination requirements for more itineraries. We want to ensure a great experience going ashore at these ports, for guests of any vaccination status, while meeting local health regulations."

Missing from this list are cruises that visit destinations in The Bahamas or Eastern Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean believes that even by allowing unvaccinated passengers onboard, their health protocols far exceed that of other forms of leisure travel, "We continue to maintain additional layers of protection that far exceed any other vacation experience. This includes vaccination of all crew and keeping them up to date with boosters when eligible, routine surveillance of all crew, enhanced testing and treatment capabilities in our onboard medical centers, and much more."

Testing requirements

Here are the pre-arrival testing requirements for the sailings that allow unvaccinated passengers onboard.

Los Angeles & Galveston departures:

• Cruises 5 nights or less: 
  • Unvaccinated guests aged 2 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 3 days of the sail date. 
  • Vaccinated guests, regardless of age, no longer need to test for sailing lengths of 5 nights or less. 
• Cruises 6 nights or more: All guests aged 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 3 days of the sail date.
• Accepted Tests: Any FDA‐approved PCR or antigen test supervised in person or by a telehealth professional meet this requirement.

Europe departures:

• Testing requirements remain unchanged

New Orleans departures:

• Testing requirements have not been finalized

Why can cruise lines now allow unvaccinated passengers onboard?

The change in policy is rooted primarily in a change in policy by the U.S. government.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ended its Covid-19 program for U.S. cruise ships July 18, 2022. This allowed the cruise lines to develop their own protocols, instead of it being mandated.

The CDC still makes recommendations to the lines, but ultimately, cruise lines craft protocols as they see fit, similar to other forms of leisure travel.

Celebrity Cruises will allow unvaccinated too

Celebrity Cruises will also allow unvaccinated cruisers onboard.

Beginning September 5th, 2022, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, can now cruise on the following Celebrity Cruises sailings as long as they meet any testing requirements to board:

• All sailings departing from the UK and Europe (with the exception of Iceland)
• All sailings departing from Los Angeles to Mexican Riviera 

All other sailings (and sailings departing before September 5, 2022), the old restrictions still apply.

Other cruise lines also allowing unvaccinated onboard.

Royal Caribbean's announcement follows other cruise lines that have already relaxed their vaccine restrictions recently.

Norwegian Cruise Line made headlines when it announced it would end its vaccine requirement.

Beginning September 3, cruisers that are 12 or older who are unvaccinated or don't show proof of vaccination will be allowed onboard as long as they can show the results of a negative antigen or PCR test taken in the 72 hours before boarding. 

Children under 12 will have no testing or vaccination requirements.

NCL's policy also applies to sister brands Oceania and Regent Seven Seas.

NCL's rule change is subject to certain local guidelines, so cruises visiting Canada, Bermuda, or Greece will still require adults to be vaccinated.

Princess Cruises will also begin welcoming a small amount of unvaccinated adults onboard.

Princess said it will allow up to 10% of unvaccinated guests on most sailings without exemptions or vaccine status justification. Unvaccinated cruisers must apply on a first-come, first-served basis.  Guests will need to notify the reservations team at time of booking to ensure that they are counted as part of the 10% threshold.  

Paradigm shift in policy

Allowing unvaccinated guests back on at least some ships is a major shift in policy from the last two years.

Cruise lines have restricted their ships to only allow adults that are fully vaccinated onboard since sailings restarted in late 2020.

When Royal Caribbean resumed cruises in summer 2021, vaccine requirements were in place and remained so until now.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty spoke about the change during an earnings call with investors a few weeks ago and said the change is a move to be more like other forms of leisure travel, such as theme parks, casinos, or air travel. 

"We are continuing to adapt our protocols to align more closely with how the rest of society and other travel and leisure businesses are operating."

"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."

Royal Caribbean announced its health protocols for cruise ships sailing from Australia during the upcoming cruise season.

These include government mandates and boarding day requirements.

Royal Caribbean warned that protocols can likely change between now and when your sailing may occur.

Health policies

All guests must review and acknowledge they have read and accepted their obligation to comply with Australian Government protocols and Royal Caribbean supplementary terms and conditions.

• Health, Travel & Risk Acknowledgement
• Supplementary Terms & Conditions
• Australian Government Fact Sheet

All guests, including Australians citizens, must ensure they meet Australia’s international border entry requirements, including vaccination status, visa, and travel exemption requirements.

Vaccine Requirements

Per Australian Federal and State Government guidelines for cruising, at least 95% of guests must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19.

All guests ages 12 & older will need to present proof of full vaccination approved by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration),  at the terminal in order to sail. 

Full vaccination requires that guests have all doses of their Covid-19 vaccine completed no less than 14 days prior to sailing.

Children ages 11 and under, and guests with medical exemptions, are permitted to travel however there is a limit on the number of unvaccinated guests that can travel on each cruise departure.

If you are travelling with unvaccinated children under the age of 12, or if anyone in your travel party is unvaccinated due to a medical exemption, please be sure to advise Royal Caribbean of their vaccination status by contacting your travel advisor, completing our form sent 7 days after your booking is created, or by calling your local office directly.

Testing

Pre-Cruise

Before arriving on boarding day, it is likely that all guests travelling with us will need to receive a negative COVID-19 test on their own, at their own expense, to meet boarding requirements in line with Australian Federal and State Government guidance.

Please note: More information regarding testing requirements will be made available closer to your sailing.

Masks

At the cruise terminal, it is likely that masks will be required.

Onboard, it is likely that masks will be optional for vaccinated guests and recommended for unvaccinated children while onboard.

Some of the destinations may require masks. Guests under 2 years of age will not need to wear a mask.

Dining & Other Venues

Tables and chairs in all the dining areas onboard are sanitized frequently.

Shore Excursions

Requirements for going ashore are subject to change as circumstances evolve, and we will continue to update booked guests of any requirements for their upcoming sailing via email.

Royal Caribbean has posted its initial Covid-19 health protocols for cruises that include the dropping of Covid-19 testing on short sailings for vaccinated passengers.

Last week, Royal Caribbean Group announced it would not test passengers on short sailings from the U.S.

Royal Caribbean's website has been updated with new rules for cruises departing from U.S. homeports on or after August 8, 2022 that do not visit Bermuda or Canada. 

Guests on cruises visiting Canada or Bermuda will still need to follow the current testing protocols until further notice.

Royal Caribbean said in a posting on its website, "We are currently developing updated protocols that provide for the continued safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit, better align with the travel and hospitality sector, and meet destination regulations. This means we’re transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us."

New Covid policy changes

The major change is in testing for passengers sailing from the U.S. August 8 -  August 14th, 2022.

Fully vaccinated guests will only have to show a test result at boarding if the sailing is 6 nights or longer.

Unvaccinated children will still need to show a test result to board all sailings, regardless of length. However, they will not need to test again at the terminal.

Guests will now have the same test standard, regardless of vaccination status: You can show a negative test result from a supervised PCR or antigen test taken within the 3 days before your boarding day. 

Previously, unvaccinated children were required to only take a PCR test. Moreover, vaccinated guests had to get their test done within 2 days of sailing. This new change gives vaccinated guests more time to get a test completed and unvaccinated kids the choice to take a rapid antigen test instead.

Required testing for all guests, regardless of vaccination status, must be completed using a PCR or antigen test that is supervised by a healthcare professional or a home test kit that is conducted under live video supervision.

Tests must be arranged on your own and are at your own expense. 

Guests confirmed on U.S. sailings departing on or before August 7, 2022, should adhere to protocols previously communicated.

For those guests booked after August 14, 2022, please await the specific protocol details from the cruise line related to those sailings. 

No change in vaccination policy yet

There's been no change as of yet to the vaccination requirements, despite Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley confirming a change was coming.

"Additional information will soon follow, however, until then, current vaccine guidance remains unchanged."

The website does include language that points to a change, but no policy shift has happened yet, "We are continuing to work with our destination partners to evolve and finalize other travel protocols, as we begin transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us."

"We look forward to providing more updates in coming days."

Last week, Mr. Bayley posted on Facebook that Royal Caribbean cruise ships will sail at 80% vaccinated, leaving the extra 20% for unvaccinated. 

Back-to-Back Sailings Testing

Celebrity Cruises also posted their new protocols, which include a mention of back-to-back sailings.

Testing for back-to-back sailings is not required for all sailings. Guests will be notified onboard if testing is required and will be provided testing at no cost if needed.

This back-to-back testing policy applies to sailings on any ships within the Royal Caribbean Group which includes Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and SilverSea.

For the first time in two years, unvaccinated guests of all ages will be allowed to sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship later this summer.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted on social media the news about the change in testing coming next month, in which Covid testing for vaccinated passengers on short sailings will no longer be required.

Mr. Bayley also said, "Unvaccinated guests will be required to take one test within 3 days of departure. We will also continue to operate highly vaccinated cruises with a vaccinated population greater than society and which continues to exempt kids 12 and under and we will welcome unvaccinated guests over 12 and guests with a certificate of recovery within 90 days to travel keeping in mind our ships will typically sail with 80 percent plus vaccinated guests onboard. "

I reached out to Royal Caribbean's communication department to get confirmation on the Facebook posting.

Royal Caribbean confirmed for RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com that starting August 8th, 2022, unvaccinated guests of any age will be allowed onboard.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean verified the change in policy, "starting August 8th, 2022, we’ll be transitioning so that we can welcome all guests onboard our ships."

"We will maintain a high percentage of fully vaccinated guests onboard all our sailings, far above the general population."

"Vaccination and testing requirements may vary by port of departure, ports of call, and age group. We are working through this with our destination partners."

Up until now, only unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 have been allowed on Royal Caribbean ships.

The change in policy is a result of the the CDC ending its Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships.

No further details on the policy change were shared, but Royal Caribbean said further details will be released the week of August 1.

A major change in policy

Allowing unvaccinated passengers on ships is a big change, as this segment of the population has been left out of the cruise industry restart until now.

Ever since cruises restarted in the United States in 2021, all cruise lines have required anyone eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine to be vaccinated in order to sail on a cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean is the second line to change its policy, following Virgin Voyages announcement last week that it would allow up to 10% of passengers on any given sailing to be unvaccinated for Covid-19.

In a statement to investors on Thursday, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said the change is a move to be more like other forms of leisure travel, such as theme parks, casinos, or air travel. 

"We are continuing to adapt our protocols to align more closely with how the rest of society and other travel and leisure businesses are operating."

"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."

Mr. Liberty told investors during an earnings call on July 28th that the close work between the cruise industry and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allowed this progression in policy to occur.

"The other major milestone for the group, and the industry, is related to the CDC ending its program for cruise ships, as we are now transitioning to the point where everyone will be able to vacation with us."

"After two years of successfully working with us, the CDC has transitioned from enforcing protocols and policies for the cruise industry to suggestions and recommendations to be in line with the travel and tourism sector."

"That speaks to the great work we've done together as an industry."

Very soon, fully vaccinated guests won't have to bother with a Covid test on cruises less than six nights.

Included in Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter financial results was a mention of a policy change related to Covid-19 testing.

Starting Aug. 8, testing will be required for unvaccinated guests on all voyages and for vaccinated guests only on voyages that are six nights or longer. 

Up until now, all guests were required to get a Covid-19 test completed prior to their cruise, regardless of vaccination status.

The change in policy is a result of the the CDC ending its Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships.

No further details on the policy change were part of the press release, but we should expect more information in the coming days.

A major change in policy

Covid-19 testing has been a cornerstone of Royal Caribbean's health protocols since cruises restarted in 2021.

Up until now, vaccinated guests had to get either a PCR or rapid antigen test up to 2 days before sailing. Unvaccinated children had to get a PCR test only up to 3 days before sailing.

Virgin Voyages was the first cruise line in the United States to drop testing. Norwegian Cruise Line has also eliminated testing for vaccinated travelers for all cruises sailing from any port except in the U.S., Canada, or Piraeus, Greece.

Eliminating testing for vaccinated passengers removes a major obstacle to pre-cruise stress, as many cruisers were concerned they weren't sure they would actually be able to sail until just a couple days before their cruise.

Mr. Liberty said the change is a move to be more like other forms of leisure travel, such as theme parks, casinos, or air travel. 

"We are continuing to adapt our protocols to align more closely with how the rest of society and other travel and leisure businesses are operating."

"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."

Testing expected to drop for longer sailings soon

If you'd like to see Covid testing drop also for longer sailings, it sounds like Royal Caribbean has a plan for it.

Speaking to investors during an earnings call on Thursday, Mr. Liberty said, "We also anticipate in the not too distant future that pre-embarkation testing for longer duration voyages will be reduced."

He later elaborated on changing testing requirements for longer sailings, "We're starting off here by doing the five days or less, and we're going to look at that."

"I think our our expectation here, call it in the next 45 days or so. And, of course, following local requirements, which will somewhat dictate in some of our destinations what those testing requirements will be, that the majority of the testing requirements will will be lifted, especially around the majority of our of our deployment."

Less testing should translate into more bookings

As soon as Royal Caribbean Group announced the change, the company expects bookings to spike as a result.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley spoke about the reaction in the marketplace to dropping testing for short cruises, "this kind of change I think will be seen very positively."

"We've got some distributors who have been anxiously awaiting changes as long as along with many of our customers."

"One of the calculations that we have is about 40% of all of the folks that are sitting on the byline. So people who've been waiting for the protocols to change."

"I think this easement and this change is going to be viewed very positively. So we're expecting to see an increase in bookings literally starting today."

Unvaccinated passengers too?

Depending on how much you want to dissect Mr. Liberty's words, it sounds like the company is looking to someday allow unvaccinated passengers of all ages onboard.

When Mr. Liberty said, "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," it sounds like it could point to allowing unvaccinated cruisers onboard.

Up until now, only unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 have been allowed on Royal Caribbean ships.

Time will tell.

Reader reactions

As soon as news came out of the change, many cruisers shared their thoughts on the policy shift.

Certainly anyone with a short cruise booked was happy to see the change. Cinthya Rod wrote on the Royal Caribbean Blog Facebook page, "Great news! For our next cruise will be awesome."

Beth Coddington likes where the policy is headed, "That's a step in the right direction."

A number of cruisers questioned the logic of picking 6 nights instead of 7 nights.

Mark Middleton wrote, "What’s the difference, for testing purposes, between a six and seven night sailing? Many are seven nights so would be easier for that!"

Greg Crouch added, "Seeing as most Royal Caribbean cruises are 7 nights it's not an enormous difference for most of us. Test the unvaccinated and not boosted by all means."

Kelly Lene-Tarman shared her thoughts, "Instead of complaining about it only being 6 nights or less, or why not unvaccinated, etc., let's look at the positive in this. They are are doing this in small steps to see how it goes and if all works well, everyone will be welcome to cruise again!"

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published new recommendations pertaining to Covid-19 for cruise ships and cruise lines.

Included in the recent post, the CDC addresses the following categories; onboard Covid-19 response plans, shoreside response plans, port operation components, medical care components, housing components, Covid-19 vaccines, surveillance for Covid-19, Covid-19 surveillance testing reminders, and procedures for embarking passengers including pre-embarkation Covid-19 testing.

This recent posting by the CDC comes on the heels of their announcement on July 18th, 2022 that the voluntary Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships was coming to an end.

Instead, the CDC would provide general guidance and recommendations to cruise lines for safe practices regarding Covid-19. With this new guidance, the CDC will instead provide general health and safety recommendations to cruise lines, this is very similar to how they are providing guidance to other areas of the travel industry, such as airlines.

“As of July 18, 2022, CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect. CDC will continue to publish guidance to help cruise ships continue to provide a safer and healthier environment for passengers, crew and communities going forward,” states the CDC on their website.

The CDC stated in this new posting, “this guidance is based on the best available science regarding the subject areas covered. CDC will reevaluate the guidance for cruise ships periodically, based on scientific evidence and the state of the pandemic, and update the guidance as needed. CDC will notify cruise ship operators if the guidance is updated.”

As reported last week, the guidance posted by the CDC are only recommendations, not changes being made to cruise line protocols. Each individual cruise line, including Royal Caribbean, will evaluate the recommendations made by the CDC and will choose what their individual protocols will be.

The most recent guidance presented by the CDC cover nearly every aspect of cruising, including Covid-19 vaccines. The CDC says the following about Covid-19 vaccines for cruise travelers, “CDC recommends all eligible travelers be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.”

The guidance also recommend that cruise ships conduct pre-embarkation Covid-19 testing saying, “to reduce likelihood of onboard transmission, cruise ship operators should consider requiring travelers to get tested for current infection with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days before travel) and present their negative test result prior to boarding. Testing within 1 day of embarkation is highly recommended.”

The posted guidance by the CDC mean the organization is still recommending that cruise passengers be both vaccinated against Covid-19, as well as take a Covid-19 test prior to boarding a cruise ship.

It is important to know that this guidance posted by the CDC are only recommendations for cruise lines, and that it is up to each cruise line which, if any, of the recommendations they choose to follow.

The decision to end the CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, allows cruise lines to determine and set their own individual Covid-19 policies and requirements.

Royal Caribbean posts their Covid-19 requirements on their website under their “Healthy Sail Center”. “The U.S. CDC recently announced that the COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect, and published recommendations to guide cruise lines as they determine protocols. Upon review, we will adjust our protocols and provide guidance to our guests. For now, our current protocols remain in effect for cruises departing U.S. homeports,” states Royal Caribbean on their website as of today, July 21, 2022.

Currently, Royal Caribbean has adjusted requirements for sailing depending on where the cruise ship embarks from. For example, passengers embarking on a cruise from Florida must meet the following requirements in order to sail: be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at least 14 days before sailing (children age 11 and under are not required to be vaccinated against Covid-19). Guests sailing from Florida are also required to take a Covid-19 test before sailing. “Before arriving on boarding day, you’ll need to take a COVID-19 test on your own, at your own expense, to meet boarding requirements in line with U.S. CDC guidance. Vaccinated guests must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test no more that 2 days before boarding day,” states Royal Caribbean on their website. Royal Caribbean’s Covid-19 requirements and protocols depends on the embarkation location and the destination of the cruise ship, it is important that guests check Royal Caribbean’s website for the most recent requirements before sailing. 

With the end of the CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, it is likely that changes to Covid-19 protocols for cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean will be made.

For the most up to date Covid-19 protocols for cruising with Royal Caribbean read here.

Readers can view the most recent posting by the CDC pertaining to cruise ships here.