Royal Caribbean Drops Covid Testing Requirement For Cruises Of 5 Days Or Less

Royal Caribbean Group will drop pre-embarkation testing for cruises of five days or fewer for vaccinated passengers, starting August 8, 2022. The new policy applies to all the cruise lines in the group: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity, and Silversea. Included in Royal Caribbean Group’s second quarter financial results was a mention of a policy change related to COVID-19 testing. Now, 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.

“We also anticipate in the not-too-distant future that pre-embarkation testing for longer voyages will be reduced,” said Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty during the company’s second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, adding that Royal plans to continue with most of its current Covid protocols.

Vaccination Rates In Cruising

The change comes after the CDC ended its Covid-19 Program for Cruise Ships last week, ending requirements such as pre-cruise testing and reporting vaccination rates for cruise sailings in and out of the U.S.

“Cruising has proven to be one of the safest environments anywhere,” Liberty said. “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.”

Related Articles