Wondering if you need a booster shot for your COVID vaccine in order to take a cruise? At this time you don’t, but don’t be surprised if in the near future the rules surrounding a so-called “third shot” are changed.
So far, cruise lines have largely been successful in managing cases of the virus on ships as they return to sailing. Yes, there have been cases on ships, but compared to the cases on land, the numbers seem relatively low.
For instance, from June 26 through October 21, the CDC reported 1,359 cases on the dozens of cruise ships it tracks in U.S. waters. While that might sound like a lot, it’s currently around 1% of what the United States sees on a daily basis right now, except spread out over a period of roughly four months.
And when averaged out over that four month period, it comes to about 12 cases per day across thousands of passengers and crew on ships.
Will a New Variant Cause Issues?
However, there now appears a new hurdle is on the horizon. Worries over a new variant — Omicron — have made headlines in recent weeks. While hard data around the variant is still to come, there are reasons to think it could be more mild than other versions.
But there is also concern that it could bypass vaccines and spread faster. In that case, the protocols put in place by the cruise lines could be challenged even further.
The bedrock of these protocols are vaccinations and testing prior to boarding. Testing helps keep cases off the ship from the start, while vaccinations reduce the likelihood of catching COVID — and leads to better outcomes if you do happen to get sick.
But Omicron is showing early signs of reducing the effectiveness of two shots. A third “booster” shot shows in initial studies to sharply restore protection against getting sick.
Booster Requirements By Cruise Line
So will you need the extra dose? At this time cruise lines say that only two doses are needed (or one shot of Johnson & Johnson), but they keep the door open for potential changes. This includes language that says no booster is needed “at this time.”
Below we’ve listed details of each line’s policy as it stands now. Keep in mind that circumstances can change — especially if the CDC adjusts the definition of “fully vaccinated” to mean three shots instead of two. In that case, we’d expect cruise lines following the CDC’s guidance to make a change.
As well, it could be that foreign ports begin requiring a third shot for visitors. In that case, cruise lines wanting to visit would be forced to change their policies in order to dock.
For now, here is what each line says about the need for a booster shot in order to sail.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival does not require a vaccine booster right now, but does recommend it for “at risk” passengers. According to its website:
“COVID-19 vaccine boosters are strongly recommended for specific at risk groups by the FDA and US CDC. However, at this time, booster doses are not required to embark. Guests who have received the full series of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of authorized vaccines and have received the last dose at least 14 days prior to the day of embarkation are considered fully vaccinated.”
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean says it does not require boosters “at this time” but it will follow the CDC’s guidance surrounding the shot.
“There is currently no guidance from drug makers or U.S. government agencies that indicates a set expiration date for full vaccination status, or a requirement for a booster in order to retain your full vaccination status.
“Royal Caribbean is not requiring any vaccine booster shots at this time, regardless of a guest’s date of vaccination, as long as the guest has completed their full vaccine regimen. If a guest has received a vaccine booster shot it will not interfere with the full vaccination status they obtained when completing their original series.
“We will continue to follow the CDC’s guidance on vaccine status and vaccine boosters and will update booked guests and published protocols as situations evolve.”
Norwegian Cruise Line
Arguably one of the most restrictive cruise lines when it comes to vaccinations, NCL requires all passengers to have the shot to sail. As of now, we see no mention of boosters on the cruise line’s page outlining protocols for sailing.
Instead, the line said that everyone must be “fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure.”
Should the definition of fully vaccinated change to include a booster shot, then we would expect NCL’s policy to adjust as well.
Celebrity Cruises
Like sister line Royal Caribbean, Celebrity does not require a booster right now:
“COVID-19 Booster Vaccine shots are not required to sail on Celebrity Cruises. However, guests who have received 3 or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, due to booster regimens, will be considered fully vaccinated if at least one of these conditions is satisfied:
- At least 2 of the doses are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Sinopharm, or Covaxin administered at least 28 days apart. The final dose must be completed at least 14 days before sailing.
- At least 1 dose is Johnson & Johnson, completed at least 14 days before sailing.”
Princess Cruises
Princess is a sister cruise line to Carnival as they are both under the Carnival Corporation. It shouldn’t be a surprise the two lines follow the same policy. Boosters aren’t required at this time:
“COVID-19 vaccine boosters are strongly recommended for specific at-risk groups by the FDA and US CDC. However, at this time, booster doses are not required to embark. Guests who have received the full series of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of authorized vaccines and have received the last dose at least 14 days prior to the day of embarkation are considered fully vaccinated.”
Holland America
Another Carnival Corporation line, Holland America doesn’t require a booster. It does mention the same strong recommendation of a booster for “at risk groups”:
“COVID-19 vaccine boosters are strongly recommended for specific at risk groups by the FDA and US CDC. However, at this time, booster doses are not required to embark. Guests who have received the full series of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of authorized vaccines and have received the last dose at least 14 days prior to the day of embarkation are considered fully vaccinated.”
Disney Cruise Line
Disney is known for being family friendly. That’s why it surprised some when the cruise line announced that all passengers eligible for the vaccine — including kids — would need the shot to sail.
Even with that stance, there is no mention yet about boosters. Instead, the cruise line says that passengers must be “fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at the time of sailing.”
Right now that definition includes two shots of Moderna or Pfizer, or a single shot of Johnson & Johnson. Should the definition change, however, then Disney’s policy could change as well.
Rules Could Change Quickly
By addressing the issue of an additional shot on their websites and using language that says no additional shot is needed “at this time,” it is obvious that there is the possibility another dose might be required in the future.
For now, however, major cruise lines don’t require a booster shot to sail. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if this changes quickly — especially if a new variant causes a rapid rise in cases. In that case, already having your booster shot out of the way could be a good thing.
