If you’re wondering if you’ll need to be vaccinated in order to travel, at least three cruise lines have responded with a resounding “yes, yes you will,” by requiring that all guests present proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding.
Luxury cruise line Crystal announced this month that all guests will need to be fully vaccinated (meaning both doses if two doses are needed) at least 14 days prior to their cruise. The crew will also be expected to be vaccinated once the company resumes sailings—but having 100 percent of the crew fully vaccinated “may not be a viable option for all crew members given their age and/or the availability of vaccines in their home countries,” Crystal stated.
Crystal plans to resume its river cruises in May 2021 and its ocean sailings in June 2021.
At that time, guests and crew will also be required to procure negative COVID-19 tests before each cruise, and they will be subject to temperature checks prior to boarding and an onboard masking policy. There will also be social-distancing guidelines and reduced capacity.
“The vaccine requirement is simply the best way to ensure the safest possible Crystal experience for all onboard,” Crystal’s interim president and CEO Jack Anderson said in a statement.
Crystal’s decision was driven in part by a recent Cruise Critic survey of nearly 3,000 people, 80 percent of whom said they would cruise if a vaccine were required.
Crystal passengers will need to fill out an online form acknowledging the vaccine requirement before finalizing their cruise booking. They can find out all the details about the new policy on the Crystal website.
Crystal’s decision comes on the heels of a similar policy update that was issued earlier this month by U.S. river cruise company American Queen Steamboat Company and its sister cruise brand Victory Cruise Lines, the latter of which operates cruises to Canada, the Great Lakes, New England, and Alaska.
Effective July 1, COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for all American Queen and Victory Cruise Lines guests as well as for all shipboard crew members and non-shipboard employees across all seven vessels in the fleets.
American Queen and Victory Cruise Lines also require precruise COVID testing for all guests and crew and have a mask mandate in place for all public areas of the ships where social distancing cannot be maintained.
According to the CDC’s vaccine rollout recommendations, Phase 1c of the rollout includes essential workers engaged in transportation, thus American Queen Steamboat Company feels confident that vaccinations should be available to crew members in time for the July 1 target date.
Be sure to contact Jacqui at jcoopertravels@gmail.com for your travel insurance & to find out more information about Covid Updates.
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