Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) is officially the first company to welcome unvaccinated travelers onboard its cruise brands — Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — without any capacity limits, and the industry response is one largely of praise.
Will Lines Still Require a Pre-Cruise COVID-19 Test Before a Cruise?
Starting Sept. 3, 2022, unvaccinated passengers ages 12 and older (or guests who cannot or decline to present proof of vaccination), need to provide a medically administrated negative PCR or antigen COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of boarding.
Travelers ages 11 and under will not be subject to any vaccination requirements or testing protocols. And documented guests ages 12 and older who are “fully vaccinated” (according to the destination they are embarking and/or traveling to) no longer need to be tested for the coronavirus prior to sailing.
“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,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of NCLH.
“Health and safety is our top priority, and we will continue to modify our robust SailSafe program as the public health environment evolves. The relaxation of protocols, coupled with continued easing of travel restrictions and the reopening to cruise in more ports around the globe are meaningfully positive for our business as it reduces friction, expands the addressable cruise market, brings variety to itineraries and provides additional catalysts on the road to recovery.”
COVID-19 requirements may differ in destinations that have specific mandates, such as Canada, Greece and Bermuda. Norwegian still strongly recommends that all guests be up to date on their vaccination status and test at their convenience before travel.
“This is the news we’ve been waiting for,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners. “We’re thrilled that NCLH has updated their sailing guidelines to welcome unvaccinated guests and adjust testing requirements.”
Fee is also hopeful that the remainder of cruise lines will follow suit soon.
Do Any Other Cruise Lines Not Require a COVID-19 Vaccine?
Before Norwegian’s announcement, both Princess Cruises and Virgin Voyages indicated that they would accept unvaccinated passengers, but limited that population to up to 10% of their guest capacity. And other cruise brands, such as Carnival Cruise Line, currently make way for select exemptions, but they have yet to permit them across the board.
We know from our advisors that their unvaccinated clients have been waiting for this announcement, and I have no doubt that we will see a spike in cruise bookings.
“We know from our advisors that their unvaccinated clients have been waiting for this announcement, and I have no doubt that we will see a spike in cruise bookings,” Fee said. “This news is very exciting for us and our industry.”
For other agents, the business benefits remain to be seen. One Cruise Planners franchise owner in San Diego, Calif. has yet to record an immediate boost in bookings.
“It’s hard to say how this will affect me,” advisor Adam Martindale said. “I will have a better idea at the end of this week.”
As to what percentage of his clients he thinks are unvaccinated and will be affected by this announcement, he estimates no higher than around 10%.
However, since cruise operations have resumed, a large portion of social media comments and discussions among cruise travelers have centered around vaccinations, and COVID-19 restrictions more broadly. Now many brand loyalists are chatting about jumping ship, so to speak, to a Norwegian company if their otherwise preferred cruise line does not also do away with vaccine requirements in the near future.
