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When COVID-19 vaccines became widely available for adults, several cruise lines changed their safety policies to include vaccine mandates for crew members and adult passengers. Now that the FDA has approved COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as five-years-old, cruise companies have reevaluated their policies yet again, with several lines updating their safety protocol to require vaccines for their younger passengers as well.
If you’re planning a family cruise with children soon, here are the policies to keep in mind from some of the most famous and most family-friendly cruise lines in the industry.
Carnival Cruise Line
Now through March 31, 2022, anyone aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated to sail with Carnival Cruise Line. They must show proof of vaccination before embarkation in an original vaccine card or a digital version from an official source. A few unvaccinated children under the age of 12 may sail as long as they provide proof of a negative COVID test taken before sailing. See Carnivals Have Fun. Be Safe. policies for additional information.
Disney Cruise Line
Some already required all passengers above the age of 12 to be fully vaccinated to sail aboard Disney Cruise Line. Starting January 13, 2022, Disney Cruise Line lowered that threshold to five years old. Proof of vaccination will be required before embarkation, and they will require COVID testing on departure day for passengers under the age of five.
Read Disney Cruise Line’s Know Before You Sail section to learn more.
Before sailing on the Norwegian Cruise Line, all passengers must be fully vaccinated, regardless of their age. That means it effectively banned children under the age of five from this cruise company for the time being as they are not currently eligible for vaccination. They will implement this rule until at least January 16, 2022.
Photo: Courtesy Reuters
Royal Caribbean Cruise International
Royal Caribbean is one of the most family-friendly cruise lines on the high seas and has taken a more relaxed approach to its vaccine policy compared to other lines. Currently, everyone over 12 years old must be fully vaccinated to sail. Children between the ages of five and 11 don’t have to be vaccinated, but it will subject them to pre-cruise COVID testing before embarkation. However, children who present proof of complete vaccination may partake in Royal Caribbean’s vaccinated onboard experience. We reserve certain areas of each Royal Caribbean ship for vaccinated passengers. They will also not offer select services to unvaccinated passengers.
For more details, check Royal Caribbean’s FAQ page.
The cruise lines outlined above are not the only ones to include vaccine mandates for adults and children. They always encouraged travelers to double-check the policies of individual companies before purchasing or sailing on a cruise.
Jessica is a freelance journalist on a quest to see and experience everything our gorgeous planet offers and share her experiences with her fellow travelers. Jessica has written for several world-class Travel Magazines.