Disney Cruise Line Vaccine Policy
Disney is well-known as being a family-friendly cruise line, meaning lots of kids sail. You might think that would mean relaxed restrictions regarding vaccines for kids. Instead, it’s the opposite.
While most cruise lines are dropping vaccine requirements to sail, Disney — known for being a family focused line — is only loosening them for smaller kids. The cruise line did require kids aged 5 and older to be vaccinated in order to sail, but has moved to requiring vaccines for only 12 years and up:
“Beginning September 2, 2022, for sailings departing US and Canadian ports, Disney Cruise Line will require Guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, as defined by the CDC. In consideration of CDC guidance, Disney Cruise Line highly recommends that Guests ages 11 and younger be fully vaccinated before sailing.”
There is no exemption policy mentioned for adults.
You can view Disney’s latest policies here.
Current Vaccination Guidelines Remain In Effect Until September
Disney updated its vaccination requirements Monday for guests traveling on its cruise line.
According to Disneys website, the current vaccination guidelines, requiring anyone 5 and older to be fully vaccinated before traveling, will continue through Sept. 1.
Starting Sept. 2, guests aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated before sailing on Disney Cruise Line. Disney, according to the site, now highly recommends that Guests ages 11 and younger be fully vaccinated before sailing.
Disney still requires guests to submit to a COVID-19 test before boarding and upload the test results on the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day, the website states.
Read the full updated vaccination policy below:
When Do The Covid Testing Changes Take Effect
Guests sailing on the Disney Magic will need to wait until November 7 for the COVID testing changes to take effect. Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Heres when Disney Cruise Lines new COVID testing policy for fully vaccinated Guests goes into effect.
Fully vaccinated guests on the following sailings are no longer required to participate in COVID-19 testing before they board:
If your upcoming cruise on the Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy or Disney Wish is impacted by the changes and you now want to cancel or modify your sailing, you must do so by September 12, 2022. Cancellation and modification requests received before September 12 will not result in any Disney-imposed cancellation fees.
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Testing For Vaccinated Guests
Fully vaccinated guests on voyages from the U.S. and Canada must provide proof of a negative test result taken 1-2 days before setting sail to be exempt from testing at the terminal. These pre-cruise test results must be uploaded into the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day.
Antigen tests must be completed using a proctored in-person or telehealth service and come with digital results that can be uploaded to the Safe Passage website. NAAT and PCR tests are also acceptable.
Those who upload their test results by midnight prior to embarkation day will not have to take a test at the terminal prior to boarding.
Disney Cruise Line Dropping Vaccination Requirement For Kids Ages 5 To 11
PORT CANAVERAL — Disney Cruise Line is dropping its vaccination requirement for children younger than 12.
Starting on September 2, a requirement to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will no longer apply to guests ages 5 to 11 for sailings leaving US and Canadian ports.
The cruise line’s previous rule, which still extends to sailings departing through September 1, required guests 5 and older to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
While the US Food and Drug Administration has authorized Covid vaccines for children as young as 6 months, the cruise line had not extended its requirement to the youngest children.
With the change, a vaccination requirement will still apply for all guests 12 and older. The cruise line notes that vaccinations are recommended for younger travelers.
“In consideration of CDC guidance, Disney Cruise Line highly recommends that Guests ages 11 and younger be fully vaccinated before sailing,” Disney Cruise Line’s website reads.
Covid-19 testing is required for all guests, with different requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.
Fully vaccinated guests who provide a negative Covid-19 test result taken one to two days before setting sail are exempt from testing at the cruise terminal. Fully vaccinated guests who do not provide the required negative test results are required to take a test at the cruise terminal and will be charged for those tests.
- In:
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Do You Need To Be Vaccinated For Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line will require full vaccination as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the time of sailing, which is currently two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- Guests who are not eligible for the vaccine due to age must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken three days and 24 hours before sailing.
- Guests 5-11 years old may complete this testing requirement in lieu of being fully vaccinated for sailings that depart before January 13, 2022, according to Disney Cruise Line.
- Anyone under 4 years old must complete the testing requirements before boarding the cruise, according to Disney.
- The tests must be a NAAT test, rapid PCR test or lab-based PCR test. Disney will not accept the rapid antigen tests.
Youll Need To Be Vaccinated For Covid
The Walt Disney Co. logo appears on a screen above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Disney Cruise Line will soon require proof of vaccination for those 5 years old and up starting in January, the company announced.
Richard Drew, Associated Press
Disney Cruise Line will soon require proof of vaccination for those 5 years old and up starting in January, the company announced.
- We are resuming sailing in a gradual, phased approach that emphasizes multiple layers of health and safety measures, Disney Cruise Line said.
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Carnival Cruise Line Vaccine Policy
Carnival will now allow all passengers — including those who are unvaccinated — to sail freely as of September 6, 2022. This simplifies the requirements to sail.
First and foremost, unvaccinated passengers of any age are allowed to sail the cruise line without having to first apply for an exemption as was previously required. However, before they cruise, those without the shot will need to have a negative test taken within three days of cruising .
There are a few exceptions. Cruises from Australia — or those 16 nights or longer — do still require a passenger be vaccinated to sail.
Vaccinated passengers don’t need to test unless visiting Canada, Bermuda, Greece or Australia and on trips of 16 nights or longer.
You can view Carnival’s latest policies here.
Can I Get The Shot The Day Before I Sail Or Just One Dose
No. Cruise lines make it clear that passengers must be fully vaccinated. That means having both doses of a two-dose shot 14 days before embarking on the ship. A single shot of the Johnson & Johnson dose is ok, but still requires receiving it well in advance of sailing.
In other words, this is not something you want to put off until the last minute.
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Virgin Voyages Vaccine Policy
Until recently, Virgin Voyages had a simple policy. As an adults-only cruise line, Virgin required everyone on the ship to be vaccinated. Now that policy has changed to 90% of passengers, allowing 10% of those onboard to sail unvaccinated with an exemption.
Passengers can call the cruise line at 954-488-2955 to ask about sailing without having the shot. There is no mention of needing a reason to be eligible for an exemption. Unvaccinated passengers will need to test before boarding.
You can view Virgin Voyages’ latest policies here.
What Are Disney Cruise Lines Covid Vaccination Requirements
While vaccine requirements have been removed, all travellers will still be required to have a COVID-19 test before departure.
Fully vaccinated travellers who present a negative COVID-19 test taken 24 to 48 hours before departure will not be required to take a test at the cruise terminal.
Guests who do not present a negative result will be required to pay for a test at the terminal, otherwise they wont be permitted to board the ship.
Unvaccinated guests must provide a negative test taken before port arrival and will need to take a second at the terminal. The second test will be paid for by Disney.
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Norwegian Cruise Line Vaccine Policy
Starting September 3, 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line no longer requires passengers to be vaccinated to sail.
After that date, all passengers under 12 years and younger will be free to sail without needing a vaccine or requiring a test before boarding. In other words, it will be just as it was before the pandemic for kids
Passengers over 12 years old will no longer require a Covid test to cruise if they are vaccinated. If unvaccinated, passengers are now able to still cruise but must have a negative test taking within 72 hours of embarkation.
Note that there are still vaccine/testing requirements from ports including Greece, Canada, and Bermuda.
You can view NCL’s latest policies here.
Disney Cruise Line Eases Covid
Cruise Line & Cruise ShipDisney Cruise LineRich Thomaselli August 31, 2022
Disney Cruise Line has joined the growing number of companies that are lifting some of their restrictions on guests looking to take to the water again.
Unvaccinated children under the of 12 can sail on Disney ships beginning Friday, September 2. Thats a change from the current rules of requiring all guests ages 5 and up to be vaccinated.
Fully vaccinated passengers no longer must take a test for COVID-19 prior to embarkation. That updated protocol will begin on September 23, 2022, for cruises taking place aboard Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Wonder. Testing will be eliminated for vaccinated guests wishing to board the Disney Magic beginning November 7, 2022.
Also starting on September 23, the cruise line is eliminating a second test at the terminal prior to embarkation for unvaccinated children under the age of 12 sailing aboard Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Wonder. The change will take effect for Disney Magic guests on November 7.
All guests must still upload proof of a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination onto the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day when required.
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Guests Who Arent Fully Vaccinated
According to the new policy, Guests who are NOT fully vaccinated must continue providing proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken one to three days before the sail date. Disney Cruise Line indicates that the test must be a rapid or lab-based PCR test, or Nucleic Acid Amplification Test . Rapid antigen tests are not accepted.
Proof of a negative COVID-19 test result must be uploaded to the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight before your cruises embarkation day. For more information, read Before Leaving Home: Know Before You Go on the Disney Cruise Line website.
But under the revised policy, Guests who arent fully vaccinated at the time of their sailing wont have to complete a second round of COVID testing on the day they board the ship.
Will I Need A Covid
Editors note: This post has been updated with new information.
When the first cruises allowing Americans restarted in spring 2021, all major lines were sailing with at least 90% of passengers vaccinated against COVID-19. That meant they required just about everyone on board to have their shots, with few exceptions allowed for young children and people who cant be vaccinated due to medical conditions or religious beliefs.
But now, little more than a year later, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has withdrawn its opt-in guidance for cruise lines, and many are now allowing more unvaccinated passengers to sail.
So, will you need a vaccine to cruise? Click on your favorite cruise line below to find out.
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Note: In order to be considered “fully vaccinated,” passengers must have received their final shot at least 15 days prior to embarkation. Most lines only accept vaccines recognized and approved by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Generally, proof of inoculation must include your name, the type of vaccine you received and the dates on which you received all required doses.
Check out our recap of youth immunization policies for details on cruise vaccination requirements for kids. For general information on testing, please refer to our article on cruise testing requirements.
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Will Disney Cruise Line Require A Vaccination To Sail
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Disney Cruise Line has not sailed with passengers for almost a year now due to the pandemic. Many are wondering when we can sail again and what the requirements might be.
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Virgin Voyages, an adult-only cruise line, announced that all passengers and crew are required to get the COVID-19 vaccine before they can sail. Everyone onboard will also be required to get tested.
The CDC has strict requirements for cruise lines to resume sailing but so far requiring vaccinations is not one of them. There has been talk that passengers and crew would be tested at the port prior to boarding.
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Disney Cruise Line is a family-oriented cruise line. A majority of the passengers tend to be families with children. Right now, the COVID-19 vaccine is only approved for those age 16 and up. Disney Cruise Line could potentially require proof of vaccine in order to sail, but that would mean no one under 16 could cruise.
Disney Cruise Line has made no announcements regarding when they will resume operations or what requirements passengers will need to meet. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has said they are hopeful to resume sailings this fall.
Would you get a COVID-19 vaccine in order to sail with Disney Cruise Line?
Disney Cruise Line Drops Covid
Disney Cruise Line is changing its health and safety protocols. Photo: Keith J Finks / Shutterstock.com
Disney Cruise Line on Monday announced a couple of changes to its pre-cruise health and safety protocols for its guests.
Beginning on Sept. 23 for Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Wonder sailings, and on Nov. 7 for Disney Magic sailings, fully vaccinated guests will no longer be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test upon embarkation.
Guests who do not qualify as fully vaccinated will still be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken 1 to 3 days prior to sailing. Those guests, however, will now no longer be required to complete a second test at the terminal on embarkation day.
With the news, Disney joins the growing list of cruise lines changing COVID-19 protocols over the past few weeks. Most major cruise lines have moved closer to a pre-COVID-19 health and safety environment since the CDCs announcement in July.
That includes Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, and more, all of which are now set to welcome more unvaccinated guests on itineraries this fall. Until Mondays announcement, Disney had bucked the trend, removing the vaccination requirement only for guests 12 years old and younger.
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Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Where they sail: Regent Seven Seas offers all-inclusive luxury cruises around the globe, which include perks like free airfare, free excursions, and complimentary unlimited drinks on board.
Who needs the vaccine: All guests are now welcome. Unvaccinated passengers will be required to test 3-days before embarkation.
What other safety measures are in place: Pre-departure testing may not be necessary depending on the port. Currently cruises leaving from Bermuda, Canada, and Greece will require a test.
How Do I Prove That I’m Vaccinated If It’s Required
In many cases even though passengers can now sail without the shot, proof is still needed if you are vaccinated. That’s because passengers with the vaccine often don’t need to test before sailing, while those without it still need to test negative before sailing.
The easiest way to show you’ve been vaccinated is to hang on to the white CDC vaccination card you should have received when you got the shot. We suggest keeping the original in a safe place and also making a copy so that you can always have a version should something happen to the original.
Some cruise lines will accept a digital record of your dose or an image of your shot card. To be sure, however, all cruise lines will accept the paper card, making it the easiest way to prove you’ve had the vaccine.
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Do I Need A Vaccine To Cruise Policies For Major Cruise Lines
Do I need a vaccine to cruise? Thats been one of the biggest questions in a return to sailing.
And the good news for many people? The restrictions requiring vaccines are dropping quickly.
As the United States has opened up again following the worst of the pandemic, many people have returned to a normal way of life. That includes things like visiting restaurants or movie theaters, going to a sporting event, and of course, travel.
The good news is that given the vaccines, a milder variant, and prior cases, the amount of serious illness seems lower. As a result, people are able to get back to the things they love and cruises have had a successful restart with millions heading back to sea.
In fact, apart from vaccines and testing, the onboard experience has returned to exactly what it was before the pandemic. Now, a recent shift has led to cruise lines removing those hurdles as well.
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