This last year has been a crazy blur of covid-19 rules, regulations, and restrictions on the cruising industry as a whole. Will that all just be a distant memory soon? In the finial stretch of 2022, two cruise lines have lifted the last covid-19 restrictions in place for cruising.
Virgin Voyages has announced that cruise guests will no longer have to show proof of vaccination to board a ship. Non-vaccinated guests are also no longer required to present a negative Covid-19 test on all voyages. Masks mandates have already been previously lifted, and with this new policy change cruise goers can now experience a Virgin Voyage adventure similarly to pre 2020. However, something to keep in mind is that if a passenger is showing signs of Covid-19, then the ship staff have the right to require a Covid-19 test be taken and appropriate action be taken if the passenger in question has a positive test.
Previously on this blog we had talked about Carnival lifting the mask mandates for their cruises that are less than 15 days. Along this line and following suit with Virgin Voyages, Carnival (and its Holland American line) has also lifted the vaccination and testing requirement for sailing. Like Virgin, Carnival is no longer requesting to see current vaccination statues, and for those that are not vaccinated are not requiring a negative Covid-19 test results prior to boarding on any of the 15 days or less cruise sailings. Despite Virgin Voyages and Carnival Cruise Lines going away with the Covid-19 protocols, one cruise line has not fully lifted its travel restrictions. Royal Caribbean still has some Covid-19 testing requirements in place but some changes have taken place. Full vaccination status is no longer a requirement to sail with Royal and vaccinated passengers are no longer required to show proof of negative Covid-19 test on shorter sailings of less then 9 days. Longer voyages still require a negative Covid-19 test prior to boarding for all guests over the age of 12 years old, regardless of vaccine status. Unvaccinated passengers are still required to test for all sailing on Royal though.
