The Miami, Florida-based cruise line Celebrity Cruises is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean International. Chandris Group of Greece established Celebrity Cruises in 1988; the company merged with Royal Caribbean International in 1997. The “X” found on the Celebrity fleet’s funnel represents the Greek letter chi, which stands for “Chandris,” the company’s namesake founder.
After the Chandris family sold their stake in Celebrity Cruises to Royal Caribbean in 1997, the two companies formed Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (later renamed Royal Caribbean Group) to act as a holding company and keep their respective brands distinct. The first ship of the Century-class, Century, joined Celebrity’s fleet in 1995; the subsequent Century, Galaxy, and Mercury all arrived the following years.
To protect passengers and crew from the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the globe in 2020, cruises were canceled at various times and in different regions. Through April 30, including the May 1 transatlantic cruise on Celebrity Apex, it was reported on January 12, 2021, that all sailings were canceled worldwide. There will be no Europe or transatlantic sailings on the Celebrity Edge or Celebrity Constellation between May and October of 2021.
FOR CRUISES DEPARTING FROM AUSTRALIA
Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose administered at least 14 days prior to sailing is required for all guests aged 12 and up sailing with Royal Caribbean. The COVID-19 vaccine is not required for children under the age of 11 to cruise, but it is strongly recommended.
A minimum of 95% of cruise passengers must be up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations in accordance with regulations set forth by the Australian Federal and State Governments. There is no restriction on the number of unvaccinated guests who can board a cruise, but this policy is strictly enforced for children under the age of 11 and guests with a valid medical exemption.
Everyone on board should get the flu shot at least two weeks before setting sail.
Guests of a vaccine-eligible age cannot present a Certificate of Recovery in lieu of vaccination when booking a cruise with Royal Caribbean.
Is there a limit on the number of unvaccinated guests that can travel on each cruise departure?
A minimum of 95% of cruise passengers must be up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations in accordance with regulations set forth by the Australian Federal and State Governments. Passengers under the age of 11 and those with valid medical exemptions are allowed to board. However, each cruise departure has a maximum capacity, regardless of age, of unvaccinated guests.
Notify us as soon as possible for cruise approval if you are bringing children younger than 11 who have not been vaccinated, or if anyone in your travel party is not vaccinated due to a medical exemption.
You may do so by contacting our call center at 1800 754 500, speaking with your travel advisor, or completing the vaccination survey that will be sent to the email address associated with your booking seven (7) days after the booking is made.
Certificate of Recovery Instead of a Booster Dose
Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands will accept a Certificate of Recovery for a positive case of COVID-19 and proof of vaccination as adequate evidence of current immunization if both documents meet specific criteria. Both of the following forms of identification are required:
Documentation from a licensed medical professional attesting to your recovery from COVID-19. The following conditions must be met:
Licensed healthcare provider or public health official letterhead, or telehealth provider letterhead demonstrating
The lab’s name, CLIA Lab Number or Certification Number, address, date of test, test type, and the positive result must all be included on the document you receive from your test provider. This may be a hard copy, electronic mail, or push notification from a telehealth app. Written on a prescription pad or other fully handwritten medium, doctor’s notes will not be accepted.
As long as the rest of the necessary information is printed on the document, minimal handwritten components (like a checkmark on a “positive” box) are acceptable.
KIDS WHO ARE TURNING 12
There are some cruises that, due to local regulations, must have all passengers 12 and older get vaccinations. Anyone who is 12 years or older on the day of boarding must be completely vaccinated in order to board the ship if this requirement applies to your cruise. We can either reschedule your cruise to give you and your child more time to get all of the necessary immunizations before boarding, or we can cancel your reservation and give you a full refund if your child’s 12th birthday falls too close to boarding day.
Our port agreements require that all vaccine-eligible passengers must be immunized before disembarking the ship, and we are unable to make any exceptions to this policy.
FAQ
Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise?
Port of departure and age group determine which vaccinations are necessary. See some of the ports’ current published requirements down below.
In order to keep up with the ever-changing state of public health, we update, expand, and modify our database of vaccination requirements. Before setting sail, all passengers who have made reservations will be updated on the latest regulations pertaining to their port of departure.
As we move toward a time when everyone can travel with us, we are constantly working with our destination partners to update our procedures and conform to those of the wider travel industry.
How long do you consider my vaccine good for? Do I need to get re-vaccinated or get a booster shot to sail?
When they are old enough, we hope that our guests who have already been fully immunized will get a booster shot. However, Royal Caribbean does not currently require a booster in order to be considered fully vaccinated.
Neither vaccine producers nor any U.S. government agency has issued official recommendations regarding when vaccinations should be updated.
As circumstances change, we will inform those who have already booked with us and update the published protocols accordingly.
Source:
Royal Caribbean, celebrity cruises to drop vaccination: Instagram
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