Cruise line passengers are flocking back to their favorite cruise ships — but they want to know they'll be safe when they set sail. The coronavirus pandemic and its Delta variant have thrown off every traveler's compass since early 2020.
The situation remains fluid and conditions are changing constantly. So here is a roundup of major cruise lines' vaccination policies and requirements as of now, broken down by sector: mainstream cruise lines, luxury lines, premium lines, river cruise lines and expedition ships. Cruiseable curated this guide from multiple authoritative sources. If you're planning a cruise or are about to embark on a voyage, make sure you consult the cruise line for the latest information regarding vaccine requirements, testing, mask wearing on board and more.
Cruise safely, everyone!
Mainstream cruise lines
Carnival Cruise Line
Vaccine requirements: All guests are required to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding one of Carnival's "vaccinated cruises" (scroll to the bottom of this page). Unvaccinated passengers 12 and older sailing on a Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama or Maryland-based ship who are granted an exemption must provide proof of a doctor's note documenting the medical reason they can't be vaccinated.
Other safety measures in place: All guests, regardless of vaccination status, are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test aken within three days of the cruise's start date. All guests are also required to wear masks in many indoor areas like elevators and in the casino. Unvaccinated guests must also undergo several tests and are required to participate in "bubble" shore excursions. For cruises leaving out of Florida and Texas, unvaccinated passengers 12 and older must also obtain travel insurance.
More info: Carnival Cruise Line
Celebrity Cruises
Vaccine requirements: Guests 12 and older must be vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding. On UK sailings, guests 18 and older must be fully vaccinated. Celebrity makes some exceptions but requires vaccination on the Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Summit out of South Florida.
Other safety measures in place: Celebrity requires all guests, regardless of their vaccination status, to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or rapid antigen test taken within 72 hours of boarding for U.S. sailings through Sept. 6 on the Celebrity Millennium from Seattle and the Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Equinox from Fort Lauderdale.
Unvaccinated guests 12 and older must take a PCR test at the terminal before embarkation, again mid-cruise, and on the day before disembarkation at their expense. Unvaccinated guests under 12 on sailings out of Florida are required to take a PCR test at the pier and an antigen test at the end of the cruise. Unvaccinated passengers also have designated seating areas in places like the dining rooms and casino, and do not have access to gym or spa.
More info: Celebrity Cruises
Disney Cruise Line
Vaccine requirements: Guests 18 and older must be vaccinated before embarking on Disney's planned UK sailings. Guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding a ship to the Bahamas.
Other safety measures in place: For sailings out of the U.S., Disney requires unvaccinated guests to get a COVID-19 PCR test between 5 days and 24 hours of embarking on a ship and undergo a rapid PCR test at the terminal at their own expense. Unvaccinated guests 12 and older leaving on a cruise out of Florida through the end of the year will also have to show proof of travel insurance. All guests, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks indoors.
For UK sailings, Disney will require guests under 18 to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken between five days and 24 hours prior to boarding. All guests will be required to undergo a rapid antigen test before embarkation and all guests 11 and older must wear masks indoors.
More info: Disney Cruise Line
Holland America Line
Vaccine requirements: All guests in 2021 will be required to be vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding.
Other safety measures in place: Passengers are required to undergo a PCR or antigen test within three days of boarding a ship. Holland America ships will have COVID-19 testing capabilities on board and feature enhanced air filtration with upgraded HVAC systems, the cruise line said.
More info: Holland America Line
MSC Cruises
Vaccine requirements: Guests 12 and older are required to be fully vaccinated before boarding cruises leaving Miami and Port Canaveral starting Sept. 3.
Other safety measures in place: Fully vaccinated passengers are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within three days of their departure. Unvaccinated children must show proof of a negative PCR test.
For unvaccinated guests on ships in Europe, MSC requires they show proof of a negative test taken within 48 hours of their departure and purchase travel insurance. All guests will be tested at the terminal before boarding.
More info: MSC Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Vaccine requirements: Guests age 12 and older as well as crew members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before sailing on Norwegian. And let's offer a round of applause to CEO Frank Del Rio and the executive team at Norwegian in taking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to court to protect cruisers' health. Norwegian won a significant court victory when a judge held last month that the state's ban on vaccine mandates was unlawful.
Other safety measures in place: In addition to vaccines, guests are required to undergo a rapid antigen test before boarding. Each ship has a dedicated public health officer on board.
More info: Norwegian Cruise Line
Princess Cruises
Vaccine requirements: All guests are required to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding a U.S. cruise, through at least Dec. 31. Guests 18 and older must be fully vaccinated for cruises departing Southampton, U.K., from Sept. 30 on Regal Princess and from Oct. 5 on Sky Princess.
Other safety measures in place: Guests on U.S. cruises are required to show a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within three days of boarding and wear a mask indoors. Unvaccinated guests who receive an exemption will have to undergo several tests. All guests must wear masks indoors in places like elevators, shops and the casino.
On UK sailings, unvaccinated guests under 18 must show proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of their departure. All guests must get tested at the terminal.
More info: Princess Cruises
Royal Caribbean
Vaccine requirements: Royal Caribbean requires all guests 12 and older to show proof of vaccination before boarding all cruises.
Other safety measures in place: All guests must get tested for COVID before their cruise, regardless of their vaccination status. Unvaccinated minors must also take a rapid PCR test at the terminal before boarding and get tested again before disembarking.
More info: Royal Caribbean International
Luxury cruise lines
Crystal Cruises
Vaccine requirements: Crystal requires all guests 12 and older to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding. On sailings out of Florida, the cruise line does not mandate vaccinations but requires all unvaccinated passengers 12 and older to obtain travel insurnace and undergo a PCR test within three days of embarkation. Unvaccinated guests, including children, must be pre-approved after an initial waitlist.
Other safety measures in place: In addition to the vaccine, guests will have to test negative for COVID-19 before boarding and wear masks when appropriate. In the event a passenger gets sick, Crystal's ships will be equipped with ventilators and PCR testing equipment.
More info: Crystal Cruises
Oceania Cruises
Vaccine requirements: Oceania restarted its sailings on Sunday. Going forward, all guests are required to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding.
Other safety measures in place: Initially, the company will "control the guest capacity onboard" as well as have a public health officer and infectious disease prevention officer on board.
More info: Oceania Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Vaccine requirements: All guests and crew must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding.
Other safety measures in place: All guests must take a rapid antigen test before boarding. Staterooms will be cleaned with "intensive non-toxic microbial disinfection" each day.
More info: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seabourn
Vaccine requirements: All guests must be fully vaccinated before boarding Greece voyages on Seabourn Ovation through Oct. 16, and Caribbean voyages on Seabourn Odyssey through Oct. 31.
Other safety measures in place: Masks are required on board when physical distancing isn't possible.
More info: Seabourn
Silversea
Vaccine requirements: All guests and crew must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding a Silversea sailing.
Other safety measures in place: All guests will be tested before boarding a ship and halfway through their trip. Guests will also be able to take a test before disembarking. Passengers are required to wear masks indoors.
More info: Silversea
Premium cruise lines
Azamara Club Cruises
Vaccine requirements: All guests and crew 12 and older will be required to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding an Azamara ship. Guests under 12 on cruises from Athens will have to take an antigen test at the pier and again at the end of cruise.
Other safety measures in place: Guests will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Azamara's ships have been upgraded with new HVAC filtration systems, and EPA-certified disinfectants are used to clean the ships.
More info: Azamara
Cunard Line
Vaccine requirements: Cunard's initial cruises will be open only to UK residents who are fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding. Voyages departing after Oct. 13 will require all guests 18 and older to be fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers under 18 will be required to undergo a PCR test within 72 hours of their departure.
Other safety measures in place: Cunard said they've enhanced their onboard ventilation systems and implemented mandatory mask-wearing policies indoors. Crew will be tested regularly while on board. Guests who have certain pre-existing medical conditions, including those who are on supplementary oxygen, will not be allowed to board.
More info: Cunard
Viking Ocean Cruises
Vaccine requirements: All guests must be fully vaccinated to board a Viking ship.
Other safety measures in place: In addition to vaccines, all guests may be required to undergo a saliva PCR test at embarkation as well as "frequent" testing throughout the journey, the cruise line told Travel + Leisure. All staterooms are equipped with independent air handling units.
Virgin Voyages
Vaccine requirements: All passengers will be required to be vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding Scarlet Lady, the new line's first ship.
Other safety measures in place: All passengers on UK sailings must undergo a rapid antigen test before boarding.
More info: Virgin Voyages
Windstar Cruises
Vaccine requirements: All guests will be required to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding one of Windstar's yachts.
Other safety measures in place: All guests must also undergo a COVID-19 rapid antigen test at the pier before boarding, and masks must be worn indoors as well as outdoors when unable to social distance. Windstar also offers the option of getting tested for a fee before disembarking in order to comply with border testing requirements.
More info: Windstar Cruises
River cruise lines
AmaWaterways
Vaccine requirements: All travelers must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding an AmaWaterways river cruise.
Other safety measures in place: All guests are required to wear face coverings when moving through interior spaces on the ship and while using public transportation on shore, including on its motorcoaches. Ama is also recommending that all guests take a PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure and bring documentation of a negative result with them “as a precautionary measure.”
More info: AmaWaterways
Avalon Waterways
Vaccine requirements: All international travelers from the U.S. must be fully vaccinated before boarding an Avalon river cruise.
Other safety measures in place: All guests will undergo a health screening upon arrival and luggage will be disinfected. Avalon will provide COVID-19 testing for travelers who need to show proof of a negative test to return home at no extra cost.
More info: Avalon Waterways
American Cruise Lines
Vaccine requirements: Vaccines may become required in specific instances when necessitated by the ports or states visited, and guests will be asked to show proof of their vaccination status.
Other safety measures in place: All guests embarking on American Cruise Lines vessels must take a COVID-19 test as part of the boarding process. During the cruise guests may be tested for COVID every 3 to 4 days as part of a routine testing program.
More info: American Cruise Lines
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Vaccine requirements: Uniworld now requires all of its guests age 12 and up to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least two weeks prior to their sailing, at least through Dec. 31. Passengers need to show proof of an approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Other safety measures in place: Guests are required to wear a mask while walking around public areas, including the lobby, and when social distancing is not possible. Local mask mandates vary with the destinations that Uniworld ships visit.
More info: Uniworld
Adventure/expedition cruises
Lindblad Expeditions
Vaccine requirements: All guests 12 and older need to be vaccinated before boarding.
Other safety measures in place: In addition to vaccines, all guests will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test as well as undergo a second rapid antigen test before boarding.
More info: Lindblad Expeditions
UnCruise Adventures
Vaccine requirements: All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding.
Other safety measures in place: All guests must show proof of a negative molecular COVID-19 test taken within four days of boarding. Guests are required to wear masks when indoors and when in port, and each ship can perform rapid molecular tests on board.
More info: UnCruise Adventures
