Norwegian Cruise Line Drops Covid Vaccination, Testing And Masking Mandates

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Norwegian Cruise Line, the world’s third-largest cruise operator by number of passengers, announced Monday it will drop Covid-19 vaccination, testing and masking requirements on voyages beginning this week.

The cruise ship Norwegian Pearl at Boston Harbor in Boston on April 22, 2022.

Boston Globe via Getty Images

Key Facts

For the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic, guests on Norwegian cruises will not be required to present proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test, and will not need to wear masks while onboard, the company said in a statement Monday.

For international voyages, the cruise line will still abide by regulations set by local health authorities, and Norwegian noted that guests may be denied boarding if all country-specific entry requirements are not met.

The move makes Norwegian the first major cruise line to drop mandatory testing for unvaccinated passengers where permissible, as competitors Royal Caribbean and Carnival still largely require negative Covid-19 tests from guests who don’t provide proof of vaccination, with Disney set to adopt a similar strategy this month.

Key Background

Cruise ships were hotspots for Covid-19 infections in the early days of the pandemic, with large numbers of people staying in close quarters and embarking at different destinations over the length of the voyage creating ample opportunity for transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a no-sail order in March 2020 that lasted until July of that year, but onboard cases continued to be reported when ships began sailing again, even with strict CDC guidelines in place to prevent transmission, like requiring the vast majority of passengers and staff onboard to be vaccinated. The CDC dropped its travel health notice that warned travelers of the risk of cruises in March, saying in a statement that while cruises will always pose a risk for Covid-19, “travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings.” In July the CDC said it would no longer monitor how cruise lines implement Covid-19 protocols, saying the individual lines “have access to guidance and tools to manage their own Covid-19 mitigation programs.” The agency still recommends that travelers who aren’t up to date on their vaccines—including Covid-19 booster shots—avoid cruises (only 37% of Americans have received two boosters, according to the CDC). The cruise business has continued to suffer, and last week shares of Carnival fell to a three-decade low after a disappointing earnings report.

Tangent

While Covid-19 cases and deaths in the U.S. remain far below their level during the height of the pandemic, the country is still recording more daily infections and deaths than it did in the summer of 2021. A recent jump in cases and hospitalizations in Europe has stoked fears another wave of infections could affect the United States. CDC data shows vaccinated Americans are more likely to contract the coronavirus and face a higher death rate.

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