As the cruise industry has made its way back from its covid-related March 2020 through July 2021 closure, a lot of people have put off cruising until it returned to "normal." That's a relative word, however, as your normal and my normal may not be the same.
Some people waited to cruise until masks were no longer required while others won't step onboard until every covid-related protocol goes away. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stopped tracking the presence of covid on ships and issued a new set of guidelines for the cruise industry. These included recommendations that ships continue to require pre-cruise testing and for passengers to be vaccinated.
Here's what the CDC currently recommends when it comes to vaccines.
"CDC recommends all eligible travelers be up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines. In addition to the protection COVID-19 vaccines provide to individual travelers in preventing severe illness or death from COVID-19, having a high proportion of travelers on board who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines reduces the likelihood that cruise ships’ medical centers are overwhelmed by cases of COVID-19."
The guidance also makes it clear that 90% is what a "high proportion" of travelers means. That number has come down from 95% and it was generally believed to be a number to account for kids too young to get vaccinated to be onboard.
Now, one major cruise line has decided that the 90% number can include adults and it's allowing unvaccinated passengers to sail.
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Virgin Voyages Welcomes Unvaccinated Passengers
The three major cruise lines sailing from U.S. ports -- Royal Caribbean International (RCL), Carnival Cruise Lines CCL, and Norwegian Cruise Line NCLH -- still require pre-cruise covid tests taken no more than two days before your cruise and that all guests ages 12-and-over provide proof of vaccination.
Virgin Voyages, a fledgling cruise line sailing one of its two ships, the Scarlet Lady, out of Miami, dropped the pre-cruise testing requirement after the CDC stopped monitoring covid on cruise ships. Now, the cruise brand owned by billionaire Richard Branson has quietly decided to allow some unvaccinated "sailors," as it calls its passengers, on its upcoming voyages.
The company shared that information in an email that was sent to people booked on upcoming sailings.
"We’re still requiring that the majority (90%) of Sailors be vaccinated, but we’re opening up our voyages for a limited number (10%) of unvaccinated Sailors to join us. Our Crew will remain fully vaccinated as they are now. As always, your safety is our first priority, so we will continue with our other protocols to keep you well while enjoying your relaxing vacation," the cruise line shared in the email.
Virgin Opens a Door for Royal, Carnival, Norwegian
Every other cruise line has a tough decision to make. Some of its current passengers have chosen to sail because every adult onboard has been tested and vaccinated. That creates a peace of mind you don't get on other types of vacations.
There are, of course, also some passengers who have not sailed because they are not vaccinated or don't care to share their vaccination status with a cruise line. The question for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian becomes which changes will lead to the most passengers on their ships?
Virgin does not allow children on its ships, so it was sailing with 100% vaccination rates. If Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian allow for unvaccinated adults but keep the 90% vaccinated number that could limit how many families can book cruises on those lines, which are marketed as family cruise lines.
This isn't an easy decision, because it's partially about people's health and partially about keeping your business healthy. In addition, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian sail to a lot more ports than Virgin Voyages does, and cruise ships must also comply with local rules (and some destinations require vaccinations for anyone ages 12 and over even if they don't get off the ship.
