Norwegian Cruise Line drops covid vaccination, testing & mask mandates
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. Photo: Forbes
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OSLO, Norway - 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.
OSLO, Norway - 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.
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.
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.
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