Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has relaxed its global travel requirements, allowing all guests to cruise freely to their desired destinations. Passengers must be vaccinated for COVID-19 if they are over 12 years of age, undergo testing and health screening before boarding the cruise, wear masks when boarding and disembarking, get their annual flu shot, stay updated on COVID-19 vaccines, and check if they are eligible for an RSV vaccine.
Guests must ensure they are medically and physically fit for travel. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have developed a written traveler’s guideline, which includes mandatory temperature screenings. Most cruise lines allow unvaccinated travelers to sail, so guests should check if their line is one of them and if pre-cruise testing is required.
Guests must also ensure they are medically and physically fit for travel. The CDC Guidelines on Cruising Chickenpox or shingles COVID Hepatitis A and B Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Rotavirus are still in place. It is strongly recommended that guests be up-to-date with their vaccinations, including any COVID-19 booster doses they are eligible for. Travelers over 65 or with pre-existing health issues should be vaccinated against Influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, tetanus, tick-borne encephalitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, diphtheria, and rabies.
Currently, no vaccination or pre-cruise testing requirements are required for any Cunard voyages. While Covid-19 vaccinations are not required for Cunard voyages, they are still available for other cruise destinations.
📹 CRUISE CHECKLIST: Must-Have Travel Documents You Need for a Cruise
If you’re going on a cruise, these are the cruise travel documents you need for boarding day, as well as before & during your …
Do we have to be vaccinated to go on a cruise?
Most major cruise lines do not require guests to be vaccinated unless they are traveling to a destination that requires it. However, some cruise lines encourage vaccination and may require pre-board testing for unvaccinated individuals. Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, and Virgin Voyages all require vaccines based on specific factors, such as destination requirements, influenza vaccination, and yellow fever vaccination.
COVID vaccines are unnecessary for Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, and Virgin Voyages, but yellow fever vaccination may be necessary for travel to Australia from a country at risk for the illness.
What happens if you get sick before your cruise?
If you feel sick before your cruise voyage, do not travel and consult your cruise line for rescheduling or reimbursement options. If you feel sick during your voyage, report your symptoms to the ship’s medical center and follow their recommendations.
Common health concerns during cruise travel include respiratory viral illnesses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Follow core prevention strategies, such as getting an annual flu shot, staying updated on COVID-19 vaccines, and checking if you are eligible for an RSV vaccine. If you have a weakened immune system, consult your healthcare provider about your cruise travel plans.
To prevent gastrointestinal illness, wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer, stay home and away from others, and avoid touching your face for 5 additional days. Seasickness or motion sickness may occur, so talk to your healthcare provider about medicine to reduce symptoms.
Sunburns should be applied with SPF 15 or higher when traveling, even on cloudy or cold days. Use insect repellent and take other steps to avoid bug bites, as they can spread diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and Lyme.
Before your trip, check the CDC’s destination pages for travel health information, including vaccines, medicines, and health risks at your destination.
Can I still go on a cruise if I have a cold?
Cruise travel can pose several health concerns. Respiratory viral illnesses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV can be prevented through core prevention strategies, such as getting an annual flu shot, staying updated on COVID-19 vaccines, and checking eligibility for RSV vaccines. If you have a weakened immune system, consult your healthcare provider about your cruise travel plans.
Gastrointestinal illness, primarily caused by norovirus outbreaks, can be prevented by washing hands frequently and staying home if symptoms worsen. For five additional days, cover your nose and mouth with tissue to prevent germ spread. Wear masks in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas or avoid crowded areas altogether.
Seasickness or motion sickness may occur, and passengers should consult their healthcare provider about medication to reduce symptoms. Common medications, such as antidepressants, painkillers, and birth control pills, can worsen seasickness. Sunburns can be prevented by applying sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, even on cloudy or cold days.
Bug bites can be prevented by using insect repellent and other measures to avoid them. Many cruise ships visit ports where these diseases are a concern. Before your trip, check the CDC’s destination pages for travel health information and ensure you are up-to-date with all routine vaccines.
What is the age limit for a cruise?
Individuals under the age of 21 are permitted to attend the event, provided that they are accompanied by an adult aged 21 or above. The aforementioned age limit is not applicable to children sailing with their parents or legal guardians, underage married couples, and active duty members of the United States or Canadian military. Additional restrictions are in place, including those pertaining to compliance with the alcohol policy and the presentation of proof of marriage or active duty military status.
What are the requirements to get on a cruise?
Cruises require a valid passport book for at least six months from the end of the sailing. Passport cards can be used if the ship plans to reenter the U. S. from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, or the Caribbean. Boarding a cruise ship requires the use of all the necessary cruise documents and identification. It’s crucial to know what to bring and double-check it to avoid forgetting anything. The check-in process can be intimidating, but it’s essential to have all necessary items on hand for a stress-free embarkation day. This guide will help you prepare for a successful and stress-free embarkation day.
What is the leading cause of death on cruise ships?
A review of recent studies has identified falling overboard accidents and injuries as the most probable causes of fatalities and suicidal ideation among cruise ship passengers.
Do all cruises require COVID test?
This article provides general rules for most cruise lines, but testing requirements can vary by line and embarkation port. It is recommended to check with your line and the rules for your country of embarkation for the most current information. Most cruise lines have waived their mandatory testing protocols, except where local regulations apply. It is unlikely to be necessary to test before embarkation unless required by your country or municipality of entry or if you exhibit symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19.
Do a lot of people get sick on cruise ships?
Norovirus is rare on cruise ships compared to the general risk in the US, but outbreaks do occur with some frequency. In 2023, there were 14 gastrointestinal outbreaks onboard cruise ships arriving in the US, all but one attributed to norovirus. The CDC reported more cruise ship outbreaks in 2023 than 2022, but there was also an increase in shoreside cases. The CDC directly tracks illnesses on cruise ships, so cases are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land.
Norovirus outbreaks commonly occur in crowded living accommodations or communities where people are physically close, and due to the stringent reporting requirements of illnesses on cruise ships, outbreaks can appear more common than they actually are.
What is the most common illness on cruise ships?
Respiratory illnesses are the most common medical issue on cruise ships. The crowded, semi-enclosed shipboard environment can facilitate the spread of person-to-person, foodborne, and waterborne diseases. Outbreaks can be sustained by crewmembers or persistent environmental contamination. Port visits can expose travelers to local diseases and potentially introduce them into shoreside communities. Travel preparation and travel capabilities are crucial to prevent these health risks.
What Covid tests do I need to travel?
In the event that a country mandates a negative SARS-CoV-2 test, it is of paramount importance to ascertain whether the test is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or lateral flow device (LFD) test. LFD tests are less prone to producing false positive results from recent infections, which is a significant advantage.
Do I need vaccinations for a Caribbean cruise?
Caribbean cruises are popular due to their numerous ports and the presence of Hepatitis B and Tetanus vaccines. However, neither vaccine is essential. Certain ports may require a Yellow Fever certificate if travelers have traveled to dangerous areas. Many Caribbean locations have specific health criteria or vaccines to ensure safety and well-being. These include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, St Barthelemy, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Martin, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, and the US Virgin Islands.
📹 Cruise lines relaxing COVID vaccine requirements
Four cruise lines are relaxing the requirement next month.
1) I typically print an extra copy of my luggage tag and place it on top of my clothes in every piece of baggage i have. This way if the external luggage tag is damaged the information is available easily to the cruise staff. 2) Make a photocopy of your passport, drivers license, insurance card etc to bring with you. If you lose the original, they are difficult to replace when you are out of the country and having a photocopy has come in handy. 3) pack a snack and some water especially if you are traveling with young children. Sometimes the check-in process is a breeze and other times it can take a while. Its best to be prepared. (I recently traveled on NCL and there was 2.5 hour wait to board.– I realize this is not typical but it was easier because we were prepared) 4) bring your patience with you: things go wrong, you make a wrong turn, the reservation isn’t completely correct, there is more traffic than expected, the wait to board is long etc– take a deep breath remember you are on vacation, if you are stuck in line, make friends with those around you, they are literally in the same boat as you
This may seem odd or scary, but I’ve found it to be the best. Though you may have already added a credit card for on board purchases during check in, bring a second credit card with a low credit limit and put the primary card in the room safe. Use the secondary card for any and all on shore purchases. That way, the only legitimate charges on the primary card are from the cruise line only. It will make it much easier in the unfortunate occurrence of fraudulent charges to rectify. It will also come in handy in the unlikely event you overspent on your primary card and need to settle up before disembarking.
Another excellent article – great job! In all our years of cruising and going through numerous boarding procedures, the one area that we have noticed that seems to generate more boarding issues is when cruisers are traveling with kids where they are not the legal guardians of the kids. This is an area where cruisers need to pay close attention to the required permission and documentation requirement. We have observed where cruisers were denied boarding because they could not obtain the required documentation before boarding was closed. Another tip is to take photos of your passports, vaccination cards, driver license, credit cards, insurance cards, and any other critical items as this will assist you in getting the cards cancelled or replaced. Regarding Covid testing, on our upcoming transpacific cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver, we have to show proof of vaccination, but do not have to have a Covid test. The only passengers that have to be tested is passengers that are doing back-to-back transpacific cruises (Sydney to Honolulu and Honolulu to Vancouver) and the cruise line is providing the testing.
Another great article Illana. The information about the passport and the six month to expiration is really important. Almost happened to me on a cruise a long while back. Fortunately had enough time to get a new one inbtime. The luggage tags you recommended really were very helpful on our last cruise. Made getting the tags on my luggage easy abnd secure verses just the paper ones by themselves. Printing a couple of extra ones good too. I print extra boarding passes and have them in separate places for added peace of mind. Happy cruising Illana!
Thanks for the tips Ilana! We’re from Australia & we are about to take our first ever cruise (Italy & Greek islands) – I’m saving all of my document copies into Google Drive & then sending the link to our families, so they can access if need be (or we can, on our phones!)… now I just need to pack LESS than what I think I’m going to pop in, which is always hard for me, even as a seasoned traveller!
Maybe for next article. Could you please do review on the best women’s shoes/sandals for shore excursions and beach excursions? Last time we walked for 20 min to the beach and I got such big blisters from my flip flops, that I started looking for new cute sandals that would look nice with the dresses you usually wear and would feel very comfy. Thank you 🙂
As always, FANTASTIC vid! I LOVE them! *Thank you for the reminder about passports!!! We cruise in October 2023 and we have an appointment for the passports this Friday May 5 2023. *I’m making a physical hard-copy notebook for all the docs you mentioned to print out. In the notebook, I can save any hard-copy things, like all the docs, the ship’s newsletter, and glue in things like business cards I get from fellow cruisers. I have dividers as well, so this whole thing will help keep all those papers and stuff in one place! It goes into my carryon, BTW. *I purchased the luggage tags for RCCL: that extra plug-in no-surge power round thingy, plus other things you recommended! ### NOTE: the most important thing (to me) is a power bank to keep my phone charged up from getting out of the car until we get into our cabin! You have a link below for it, and IMO, buying lots of them over the years, you have linked a good deal. At least 10,000 mAh which will last quite a while. Charge it overnight. *I had heard that the in-room TV ALSO has a USB port or two, but I need to verify this AND if the ports work when the TV is off. I will report back. *I made an Excel spreadsheet for all my hub’s and I meds, all vaccinations, & any medical issues. Those printouts go into my physical notebook. *I’m going to print out all the info you mentioned above plus emailed those docs to myself, as well as saving them on my phone. ### TIP-in the iPhone, one of the apps is ‘Notes’. Any docs you send to yourself, you can click on that attachment and choose to save in that Notes app and title it what it is.
Llana, I bought your cruise planner and I can’t tell you thank you enough! This is my second cruise, but it’s in Alaska so it takes much more planning for clothes. I followed much of your suggestions for a Caribbean cruise and it was great! Thank you so much for all of your tips regarding everything! I feel prepared and I know it will be smooth sailing for my husband and me! I am your fan forever!
Your articles contain helpful information and fun stuff. You said rapid fire. I thought you did a great job of going thru the list while it did not sound rushed. Great job. Thank you very much for the helpful links of items mentioned in the article. The link for the Level8 luggage appears broken. The other links worked like a charm. I even saved some items for my daughter in law.
I’ve watched every single one of your articles. We boarded our ship as prepared as possible. Thank you!!! What we weren’t prepared for was our disappointment in the quality of food (presentation was spot on but flavor was definitely lacking.) Our cabin steward was the best. Our service in main dining rooms was inferior. We enjoyed one meal in a speciality restaurant and both the food and service was 10/10! The rest of the meals were such a let down. This was a much anticipated celebration of our 50th anniversary. We took our kids, their spouses and most of the grandkids. We have let the cruise line know. We will never cruise with them again. We hope to book with Royal Caribbean as our last cruise with them was outstanding!!!!! ❤🛳️
Thanks for the article! The passport tip is a big one to remember, especially if (like my husband) you are a citizen of another country and have to travel to a consulate to renew it and then wait for it to get back on time. We are using some of the lists from your planner to help us stay on track prepping for Alaska in July.
Today I downloaded and printed boarding passes and luggage labels at the Library and this is the only printing I do nowdays, collected foreign currency . Photos uploaded no health declaration needed bank card registered . All ready to go 14 day cruise to the Baltic next week. No internet package bought so 2 weeks or so of You Tube to catch up on when we get home but lots of photos to upload on facebook for friends at internet cafes
Hi, can someone tell me when/how early they book the entertainment so that people can sign up? I am confused. Nothing is showing up on the app or the website as far as the shows or events, and it seems like the advice is to sign up early, but how early? We are leaving in five days for Barcelona. Thanks.
So far I haven’t seen anyone talk about Enhanced ID’s on US to Canada/Mexico(?). We are sailing a closed loop Alaska out of Seattle with one stop in Victoria. My understanding is that I don’t need a passport for this sailing if I have an enhanced ID. Even if I want to get off in Victoria. Is that true?
Not related exactly to embarkation day. If you have a pet sitter in your home, leave the name and phone number of your veterinarian, and grant permission for the sitter to authorize emergency treatment. I speak from experience when my son’s cat developed a saddle thrombus. I had to have him euthanized. It was awful ☹️
If your name on your ID doesn’t match your birth certificate ( i.e., due to marriage or some other name change), you must bring proof of that too. Almost happened to me, but luckily, the people listed on my birth certificate were traveling with me, and the persons in charge were feeling generous. Get that passport!