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Every Cruise Line's Requirements for COVID Vaccines, Testing

A guide to every major cruise line's health requirements for safe sailing.

Cruise lines have shifted their requirements for passengers, making cruising accessible to practically everyone. Many popular cruise lines have eliminated the vaccine and pre-embarkation test as the industry is beginning to shift away from mandatory vaccines and testing.

The changes began shortly after the CDC ended a pandemic-era policy of publicly displaying COVID-19 cases onboard, different cruise lines to the public in July 2022. For those looking to check current COVID-19 trends onboard the CDC urges direct contact with the cruise line, and the organization will continue to monitor and offer guidelines to ships.

Below, we break down each line's list of regulations to sail as well as what travelers need to know to plan.

Avalon Waterways

Where they sail: These small-ship river cruises sail throughout Europe, Asia, South America, and down the Nile River in Egypt.

Who needs the vaccine: All international travelers from the U.S. must be fully vaccinated before boarding. Beginning March 2023 the vaccine is no longer required (but strongly encouraged).

What other safety measures are in place: All guests will undergo a health screening upon arrival and luggage will be disinfected. Avalon will provide COVID-19 testing for travelers who need to show proof of a negative test to return home at no extra cost. Depending on the location of the cruise a pre-departure COVID-19 test may or may not be required.

Find out more: Avalon Waterways

Where they sail : Azamara sails mid-size ships all over the world, to all seven continents.

Who needs the vaccine : All guests and crew 12 and older will be required to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding a ship. Beginning Dec. 1, 2022, the company plans to drop the vaccine requirement for departures from the U.S. and Europe.

What other safety measures are in place : Depending on the port of embarkation guests may or may not to pre-test to travel. For a full list of ports and whether they require a test guests can check online .

Azamara's ships have been upgraded with new HVAC filtration systems, and EPA-certified disinfectants are used to clean the ship.

Find out more : Azamara

Carnival Cruises

Where they sail: Carnival sails large ships around the world, including popular trips to the Caribbean. The company sailed its maiden voyage on the Mardi Gras out of Florida in July.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests are encouraged to be vaccinated but unvaccinated travelers, or vaccinated guests without proof of vaccination, will have to present the negative results of a PCR or antigen test taken no earlier than 3 days before sailing.

What other safety measures are in place: For cruises five days or less, there will no longer be pre-cruise testing for vaccinated passengers unless a specific port requires it. Itineraries including Bahamas, Bermuda, or Grand Cayman will still be required to test. All guests will also be required to fill out a health screening 72 hours before embarkation and undergo health screenings prior to boarding. Unvaccinated travelers on a cruise to Bermuda will be required to purchase travel insurance (children under 12 are exempt as long as they are traveling with vaccinated parents).

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within three months of their sailing date, do not need the required pre-cruise COVID test before embarkation, only if they are at least 10 days past their COVID-19 infection, have no symptoms and present documentation of recovery from COVID-19 from their healthcare provider.

Find out more: Carnival Cruise Line

Celebrity Cruises

Where they sail: Celebrity Cruises sails all over the world.

Who needs the vaccine: The vaccine is no longer required to sail on cruises from the U.S. and Europe. A vaccine is required for sailings visiting Canada.

What other safety measures are in place: A pre-embarkation test is no longer required for vaccinated guests on sailings nine days or less. Unvaccinated passengers will still be required to test three days prior to sailing. Self-tests are acceptable from European and U.S. ports that don't stop in Bermuda or Canada.

Find out more : Celebrity Cruises

Where they sail: Cunard, which sails all over the world, is known for its transatlantic journeys aboard the Queen Mary 2.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests 18 and older must be fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers under 18 will be required to undergo a PCR test within 72 hours of their departure.

What other safety measures are in place: Cunard has "enhanced" their onboard ventilation systems and implemented mandatory mask-wearing policies indoors. All guests aged 4 and older are required to have a negative COVID-19 test before boarding. Crew will be tested regularly while on board. Guests who have certain pre-existing medical conditions, including those who are on supplementary oxygen, will not be allowed to board.

Disney Cruise Line

Where they sail: Disney sails family-friendly journeys including to the Caribbean, Europe, and Alaska.

Who needs the vaccine: Vaccination is no longer required by highly suggested.

What other safety measures are in place: Unvaccinated guests must provide results of a COVID-19 test taken 1 to 2 days before sail date, at home tests are not accepted, this requirement will end Nov. 14. The Cruise line also has a full list of enhanced cleaning protocols.

Find out more: Disney Cruise Line

Grand Circle Cruise Line

Where they sail: Grand Circle Cruise Line sails small ships and river cruises all over the world, including an extensive list of European itineraries. The company plans to start sailing again in August, including to Greece, Turkey, and Italy.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests and crew are required to be fully vaccinated with the booster shot.

What other safety measures are in place: All ships have been equipped with High Efficiency Particular Air (HEPA) filters and buffets have been eliminated. The cruise line states some itineraries will require proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to travel , and that instructors will be sent out 30 days prior to travel.

Find out mor e: Grand Circle Cruise Line

Holland America

Where they sail: Holland America sails large ships all over the world, including to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Europe, and more.

Who needs the vaccine: Unvaccinated guests are welcome but will be required to self-test three days before cruising.

What other safety measures are in place: Vaccinated passengers traveling on ships for less than 16 days excluding itineraries with the Panama Canal, trans-ocean, and other selected itineraries will no longer be required to test.

Lindblad Expeditions

Where they sail: Lindblad Expeditions is known for its adventurous trips to hard-to-reach destinations like Antarctica and the Russian Far East, partnering with National Geographic to add to the experience.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests 12 and older need to be vaccinated before boarding. Boosters are recommended but not required.

What other safety measures are in place: Pre-departure testing will not be required unless for a specific destination.

Margaritaville at Sea

Where they sail: Margaritaville at Sea offers 3-day cruises to Grand Bahama Island departing from the port of Palm Beach. The cruise line also offers the opportunity to take the ship one way to the Bahamas to allow guests to stay at the Margaritaville resort, and then take the ship back to the Bahamas at a later date.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests are welcome regardless of vaccination status, according to the cruise line.

What other safety measures are in place: All crew members must be vaccinated for COVID-19 and the cruise line states there are vaccination requirements on board (but does not specify).

Find out more: Margaritaville at Sea

MSC Cruises

Where they sail: MSC Cruises sails large ocean cruises around the world, including throughout Europe, South America, the Persian Gulf, and the Caribbean. In August, the company started sailing to the Bahamas with a stop at its private island, Ocean Cay.

Who needs the vaccine: Vaccinations are recommended but no longer required.

What other safety measures are in place: Fully-vaccinated passengers are no longer required to show proof of a negative test unless it is required of the destination. Unvaccinated children must show proof of a negative PCR test.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Where they sail: Norwegian sails big ocean cruises all around the world, including popular itineraries all throughout the Caribbean and Greece.

Who needs the vaccine: All passengers may sail regardless of vaccination status.

What other safety measures are in place: Testing is no longer required for any passenger regardless of vaccination status with the exception of local government mandates.

Find out more : Norwegian Cruise Line

Oceania Cruises

Where they sail: Oceania Cruises sails all over the world, including offering several World Cruise itineraries.

Who needs the vaccine: All passengers regardless of vaccination status are allowed to sail.

What other safety measures are in place: Only unvaccinated guests will be required to show proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken 72 hours prior to boarding. Unvaccinated children aged 12 years and younger are exempt.

P&O Cruises

Where they sail: The UK-based cruise line sails around Europe, including to the Canary Islands, as well as to the Caribbean from Southampton in the UK.

Who needs the vaccine: Although P&O Cruises' policy states that passengers over the age of 15 are required to be vaccinated, the latest update on its website says guests will be contacted directly in regards to vaccination protocol.

What other safety measures are in place: All guests are required to undergo a COVID-19 test at the terminal. Masks will be required on board indoors, and all shore excursions will be with vetted operators.

Princess Cruises

Where they sail: The global cruise line sails large ocean ships all around the world, from Australia to Alaska.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests are welcome on board, but unvaccinated passengers will be required to test and may need an additional medical exemption at some ports.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Where they sail: Regent Seven Seas offers all-inclusive luxury cruises around the globe, which include perks like free airfare, free excursions, and complimentary unlimited drinks on board.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests are now welcome. Unvaccinated passengers will be required to test 3-days before embarkation.

What other safety measures are in place: Pre-departure testing may not be necessary depending on the port. Currently cruises leaving from Bermuda, Canada, and Greece will require a test.

Royal Caribbean International

Where they sail: Royal Caribbean sails large ocean ships all over the world, including many popular itineraries throughout the Caribbean and Asia.

Who needs the vaccine: Everyone is welcome regardless of vaccination status, passengers traveling to Bermuda or Canada are required to be vaccinated.

W hat other safety measures are in place: On Royal Caribbean, unvaccinated travelers 12 and older leaving from a U.S. or Caribbean port still have to get tested within three days of embarkation,  according to the cruise line , vaccinated guests are exempt.

Royal Caribbean will accept a variety of tests as proof to board, including simply taking a photo of a self-administered home test.

Find out more : Royal Caribbean International

Where they sail: The British cruise line, exclusively for guests 50 and older, sails both ocean and river cruises around the globe.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests must be fully vaccinated, including a booster shot at least 14 days before boarding a ship. Saga was the first major cruise line to implement this vaccination policy.

What other safety measures are in place: Ocean Cruise guests will be required to get tested for COVID-19 in the terminal. Masks are required on bus transfers, in hotels, and on excursions.

Find out more : Saga

Where they sail: Seabourn's mid-size luxury cruises head all around the world, from Alaska to the Caribbean.

Who needs the vaccine: Vaccinations are not required on most cruise itineraries, unvaccinated guests will be required to present a negative test taken within three days of embarkation.

What other safety measures are in place: Masks are recommended onboard in most indoor venues and the casinos are frequently sanitized.

Where they sail: Silversea brings guests all around the world in luxury and style, including to the Galapagos and Antarctica.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests are welcome, however, unvaccinated guests may not be welcome on all sailings depending on local regulations.

What other safety measures are in place: Vaccinated guests do not need a pre-departure test unless local regulations such as cruises leaving from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, or Greece require it. Unvaccinated travelers will need a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of embarkation.

UnCruise Adventures

Where they sail: This small-ship company is known for its Alaska journeys as well as adventures in places like the Galapagos and island hopping in Hawaii.

Who needs the vaccine: As of April 7, all guests are welcome on board regardless of vaccination status.

What other safety measures are in place: Guests will no longer be required to present proof of vaccination or a COVID-19 test prior to, or during any point of sailing and the cruise line will no longer be running at limited capacity. These measures go into effect on April 7, until then guests 12 and older must provide proof of vaccination, and itineraries may sail at less then full capacity.

Masks are required in public spaces, according to the company "bandana" and "buff" face masks will not be accepted.

Victory Cruise Lines

Where they sail: Victory Cruise Lines is known for its Great Lakes cruises, providing all-inclusive sailings to see breathtaking sights from Niagara Falls to the iconic architecture of Chicago from Lake Michigan. Beyond the U.S., Victory Cruise Lines sails to Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests and crew will be required to be vaccinated before boarding, and will be required to show physical proof prior to boarding.

What other safety measures are in place: Testing is no longer required on any river cruise.

Luggage is then disinfected before being brought onto the ship and staterooms cleaned with electrostatic fogging. Masks will be required during the embarkation process and while riding a shore excursion bus, but will not be required on board.

Viking Cruises

Where they sail: Viking sails ocean and river cruises all over the world, including throughout Europe. This summer, Viking will sail several voyages, including around England for UK residents, to Bermuda, and to Iceland in June.

Who needs the vaccine: All guests must be fully vaccinated to board a ship. Guests who are eligible must have a booster.

What other safety measures are in place: In addition to vaccines, all guests may be required to undergo a saliva PCR test at embarkation as well as "frequent" testing throughout the journey. All staterooms are equipped with independent air handling units.

Virgin Voyages

Where they sail: The brand-new cruise line is launching mini sailings from England for UK residents, and has cruises throughout the Caribbean, and transatlantic options.

Who needs the vaccine: All are welcome regardless of vaccination status, the cruise line removed all vaccine and testing requirements for all its ships in late October, according to the company.

What other safety measures are in place: Virgin Voyages was the first cruise line to eliminate pre-departure testing for vaccinated guests. The cruise line will continue to work with an advisory board to help ensure health and safety on board at all times, including the use of air filtration systems and sanitization of high touch surface areas.

Find out more : Virgin Voyages

Windstar Cruises

Where they sail: Windstar operates small-ship cruises and several sailing vessels all around the globe, including to places like Central America .

Who needs the vaccine: All guests will be required to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before boarding one of Windstar's yachts. Boosters are highly encouraged and are recommended to be administered at least one week prior to travel.

What other safety measures are in place: Guests no longer need a pre-embarkation test unless a specific destination requires it.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram .

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• CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

How cruise lines are adapting to COVID-19 in the age of Omicron

The pandemic keeps disrupting the cruise industry. Here’s how to navigate if you plan to set sail.

The pandemic is upending the cruise industry once again.

In late December, just six months after cruise ships resumed sailing from United States ports, onboard cases of COVID-19 began to skyrocket—rising from 162 in the first two weeks of the month to 5,000 in the latter half of the month. As U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky recently told lawmakers , it was about a 30-fold increase.

In the weeks that followed, the CDC warned travelers to avoid cruises even if they’re fully vaccinated . There has been a flurry of cancellations, including several Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line sailings , because of crew members calling in sick and destinations closing their ports to cruises. The ships that do set sail have had to tighten their COVID-19 protocols—which include vaccine mandates, testing, and masking—and make last-minute itinerary changes.

Further complicating matters, the CDC’s Conditional Sailing Order—a framework of mandatory safety procedures for foreign-flagged ships in U.S. waters—expired on January 15. Following that guidance will now be optional for cruise ships, meaning they will be able to chart their own safety course.

For people who planned their trips months or even years before Omicron’s arrival, these rapidly changing circumstances have proven almost impossible to navigate around.

“People traveling at all right now have to be very flexible,” says Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of online industry publication Cruise Critic . “Dig into what your cruise line is requiring. What was the policy a month ago may not be the policy today.”

So how can travelers make sense of it all? Here’s what experts say.

How are COVID-19 protocols changing?

Eager to shed their early pandemic reputation as floating disease carriers, cruise lines worked with the CDC to institute fairly rigorous onboard COVID-19 protocols—the agency’s condition for allowing ships to sail from U.S. ports again. The CDC laid out guidance for testing crew and passengers and how to deal with outbreaks. Most cruise lines also instituted vaccine mandates.

( These photos show the surreal world of cruising during the pandemic’s height .)

Not much will change for the ships that participate in the CDC’s new voluntary program. They will still report COVID-19 data to the agency daily and follow specific testing regimes for passengers and crew. Cruise lines won’t get to choose which protocols to follow either, says Captain Aimee Treffiletti, head of the CDC’s maritime unit. If they choose to participate, they must agree to everything.

Norwegian Cruise Line has already indicated that it will join the CDC program. Brian Salerno, senior vice president of global maritime policy for the Cruise Lines International Association , expects many cruise lines will ultimately take part. He argues that cruise lines have often gone beyond CDC requirements—installing air purification technology or even onboard PCR testing laboratories —and aren’t likely to start slacking now.

“It’s a business imperative to do this right,” Salerno says. “Nobody’s going to relax during Omicron.”

It’s also a matter of public image. The CDC plans to continue issuing each ship a color-coded status that anyone can access to check transmission at any given time. Ships that are shaded green have no reported cases of COVID-19, while those that are shaded red are under CDC investigation. Cruise lines that aren’t part of the voluntary program will be shaded gray. Those ships may have their own health and safety protocols, but they haven’t been reviewed by the CDC.

“Nobody wants to be gray,” Salerno says. “Obviously everybody wants to be green.”

But with Omicron cases soaring, why is the CDC loosening its grip on the cruise industry? Treffiletti says the agency is confident that it has identified the best practices for mitigating transmission aboard a cruise ship—which she emphasizes was done in partnership with cruise lines. Now, she says, the CDC has decided to flex its regulatory authority “on a case-by-case basis rather than shutting down all the cruise ships at once.”

The CDC will still be able to board any ship in U.S. waters and conduct inspections, she points out. Ships that aren’t participating in the voluntary program will also have to report every case of COVID-19—just not every day—and will still be subject to the agency’s order requiring masks on public transportation .

How do the vaccine mandates work?

Most cruise lines currently require all passengers, including eligible children, to be fully vaccinated (meaning two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, one dose of Johnson & Johnson, or a WHO-approved equivalent). Salerno says the vaccination rates aboard cruise ships right now are close to 95 percent for passengers and crew members.

Some companies do accommodate children who haven’t gotten a jab: Royal Caribbean and Carnival, for example, require all guests older than 12 to be vaccinated , while younger passengers can board with a negative test. Disney Cruise Lines requires everyone over the age of five to be vaccinated. (The Walt Disney Company is the majority owner of National Geographic Partners.)

Cruise lines also align their vaccination policies with those of their destinations. So even though the United Kingdom considers children fully vaccinated after just one dose of an mRNA vaccine, a ship that sets sail to the Caribbean may only allow children who have had two doses.

Meanwhile, as Omicron spreads, some cruise lines have begun to require booster shots. Beginning February 1, Viking will require anyone who is eligible for a booster dose to get it at least 14 days before setting sail from the U.S. In addition, the CDC recently emphasized that being “up to date” on vaccines includes a booster dose.

Omicron is even more transmissible than the Delta variant—and better at evading vaccine immunity. But while the vaccines are no longer as effective at preventing you from getting infected, they are still the best protection, says Kathryn Willebrand, an epidemiologist who recently co-authored a study of COVID-19 transmission aboard cruise ships with infectious disease physician Lauren Pischel.

Willebrand points out that vaccines are still effective at preventing severe illness—which is especially important when you’re in the middle of the ocean on a boat whose medical staff might be overwhelmed or sick themselves. “You don’t want to need medical care when you’re far from home,” she says.

( Can booster shots protect you from Omicron? )

How often will you be tested?

Cruise lines have been requiring passengers and crew to test before boarding a ship, although specific requirements differ. Some only accept PCR tests, while others will accept the results of a rapid antigen test—in some cases only if the test is overseen by a health professional . And while some companies require you to get tested before you leave home, others administer tests at the terminal prior to boarding .

Crew members are generally subjected to routine testing throughout the voyage because they’re particularly vulnerable to infection. They spend more time on the ship, in closer quarters, and tend to have more interaction with others. But passengers might be required to test before any shore excursion if the port of call requires it, or if they develop symptoms during the trip.

If you don’t have any symptoms, you generally don’t have to be tested before disembarking the ship. Instead, Treffiletti and the CDC recommend getting tested five days after your trip. However, Gray Faust cautions that if you’re flying internationally, your final destination may require a negative test—or the cruise line may administer tests to everyone if there’s a particularly bad COVID-19 outbreak on board.

( 5 things to know about COVID-19 tests in the age of Omicron .)

What happens if there’s an outbreak?

Still, COVID-19 has proven adept at slipping past these protocols, particularly in the time of Omicron. Since COVID-19 is airborne and cruise ships are enclosed environments, the boats are higher risk environments for transmission, says Willebrand. Thousands of people pass through dining rooms, casinos, and other areas where virus particles may be hanging in the air.

Under the CDC guidance , cruise lines are supposed to educate both crew and passengers to identify and report COVID-19 symptoms. If someone onboard develops symptoms, they are tested and isolated until the results come back or until they’re no longer infectious. Those who are still infectious at the end of a journey are typically required to quarantine on shore—and Treffiletti says the CDC can work with cruise lines to facilitate that.

Since passengers are vaccinated, however, close contacts don’t necessarily have to quarantine unless they begin to develop symptoms. Gray Faust says cruise lines have been successful at contact tracing to notify those close contacts for the same reason that cruise ships are so vulnerable to transmission—they are closed communities.

“If you go to a restaurant and the person next to you is sick, you won’t know that,” Gray Faust says. “But on a ship, they do go back and find people. That is something that the cruise ships have developed that really is beyond what other types of travel have done.”

All of this relies on the honor system. Much as we’ve seen on land, there’s always the risk that your fellow seafarers may refuse to comply with mask mandates or hide their symptoms from crew to avoid quarantine. Cruise lines have the power to ask those passengers to disembark and travel home at their own expense.

Still, those rules aren’t always enforced—which is why experts say that the decision to set sail ultimately comes down to your own risk tolerance.

( Here’s what you need to know about traveling during Omicron . )

What can you do to ensure a smoother trip?

Although the CDC recommends that people avoid cruises, Treffiletti says that there are some things you can do to help mitigate your risk if you do decide to travel.

For one, before setting sail, check the color-coded chart on the CDC website to see if your ship is participating in the agency’s voluntary COVID-19 program. If so, you’ll be able to see whether there are any outbreaks on board. If things look grim, most cruise lines have implemented fairly flexible rebooking and cancellation policies.

If you’re just booking now, research the protocols of each cruise line to see if they align with your own comfort level. Gray Faust recommends purchasing trip delay and COVID-19 insurance—an extra cost that will be worth it if you get infected and can’t board your ship.

Gray Faust says your packing list should also account for uncertainties. She recommends packing extra clothing and medication in case you are quarantined at any point. If you can snag them, toss in some extra KN95 masks and rapid antigen tests, too.

But most of all, Gray Faust says cruisers need to go into a trip accepting that there will be health protocols in place—which might change as conditions worsen or improve—and that they’re there to keep you safe.

“You need to be OK with that,” she says. “You can still have a great trip. But you’re protecting yourself and other people by wearing masks and by getting your vaccines.”

National Geographic Expeditions and Adventures by Disney offer cruise departures to many destinations around the world. The Walt Disney Company is the majority owner of National Geographic Partners.

Amy McKeever is a senior writer and editor at National Geographic. You can find her on Twitter .

Related Topics

• CORONAVIRUS
• PUBLIC HEALTH
• CRUISE SHIPS

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On Cruise Ships, Omicron Puts Safety Protocols to the Test

Many lines are adjusting their masking, testing and vaccine rules, while criticism is mounting about the lack of transparency in reporting positive cases to passengers and crew members.

By Ceylan Yeginsu

By the time the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship docked in New Orleans on Dec. 4, after a weeklong cruise that included stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico, 17 coronavirus cases had been identified on the ship, including a case of the new Omicron variant. The local and federal health authorities were notified — but not all the disembarking passengers.

“I only found out after I got home and saw it on the news,” said Betsy Rodriguez, a retired veterinarian who took the Caribbean cruise with her daughter. “We felt pretty safe knowing everyone on the ship was vaccinated, but I guess it would have been good to know people tested positive so we could have been more careful.”

Since the cruise industry restarted operations in the United States this June, its efforts to keep the coronavirus at bay — or at least contained, unlike the major outbreaks experienced in 2020 — have been largely successful. Most cruise companies mandate full vaccinations for crew and most passengers, and have implemented strict health and safety protocols to swiftly identify coronavirus cases onboard and reduce their spread.

But in recent months, as new and highly contagious variants have emerged and case numbers steadily increase worldwide, these measures are being put to the test. Many lines are adjusting their masking, testing and vaccine rules, while criticism is mounting about the lack of transparency in reporting positive cases to passengers and crew members during sailings.

A crew member on the Breakaway, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the news media, said he first heard about the outbreak from a friend and fellow employee. When he contacted management, they neither shared the number of positive cases nor identified who was infected.

“I would like to know who tested positive because this new variant spreads very quickly and I have a medical condition which means I need to be very careful and protect myself,” he said, voicing concern that if he became sick, he could be sent back to his home country. “I can’t afford that because I need to take care of my family at home.”

Most cruise companies do not publicly announce the number of coronavirus cases identified during sailings, but all cruise ships operating to and from U.S. ports must submit daily numbers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which uses a color-coded system to inform the public whether the number of cases is above or below the agency’s threshold for an investigation. Sharing this data is one of many requirements in the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, a series of C.D.C. guidelines that cruise companies must follow to operate in U.S. waters.

The 17 cases on board the Norwegian Breakaway were first publicly reported by the Louisiana State Department of Health on Dec. 4. All passengers and crew members — more than 3,200 people — onboard were fully vaccinated, following the company’s policy.

Norwegian declined to comment on its policies for reporting cases on board its ships or whether any additional Breakaway crew members tested positive after passengers disembarked.

“All the identified cases onboard were asymptomatic,” a company spokesman said in a statement. “We implemented quarantine, isolation and contact tracing procedures for identified cases and tested all individuals on Norwegian Breakaway before disembarkation.” In addition, he said, passengers were given “post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance” as laid out by the C.D.C.

Reporting to the C.D.C.

The coronavirus wreaked havoc on the cruise industry in the early stages of the pandemic , infecting hundreds of cruise passengers and workers, and requiring the sector to shut down for 18 months. To begin sailing, cruise ships had to agree to the C.D.C.’s Conditional Sailing Order, which is valid until Jan. 15.

Among the safety measures the order requires — beyond submitting the daily number of coronavirus cases — is a prevention and control plan for each cruise ship. The plan, said Bari Golin-Blaugrund, a spokeswoman for the Cruise Line International Association trade group, includes “procedures for informing passengers and crew members that a threshold of Covid-19 has been met or exceeded.”

“The reporting requirements and practices of the cruise industry are practically unmatched compared to other sectors in the United States, especially within the travel and tourism sector,” she said.

In a C.D.C. report of coronavirus data published last month, cruise operators had reported 1,359 positive cases between June 26 and Oct. 21. During that time, 49 hospitalizations, 38 medical evacuations and one death occurred because of coronavirus infections detected onboard cruise ships.

The report highlighted several large outbreaks, including one in which a symptomatic passenger who tested positive on a ship in July was linked to 20 additional cases over two sailings. One ship reported 58 positive between July 24 and Aug. 28 and another reported 112 cases over four consecutive voyages, which ended on Sept. 7. Most of the cases were breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated passengers.

While the C.D.C. relies on data reported by the cruise companies, the agency also carries out inspections to make sure that cruise ships are in compliance.

With the rise of Delta and Omicron variants, and as the virus surges across the world, cruise lines have been adjusting their health and safety protocols, reinstating measures like mask mandates and requiring additional testing from passengers. Starting Jan. 13, Disney Cruise Line will require all children over the age of 5 to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Demand remains high

Despite the new restrictions and risks posed by new variants, demand for future cruises remains high. Carnival, the world’s largest cruise company, reported that its bookings for the second half of 2022 have surpassed bookings for 2019. Royal Caribbean said the Delta variant had hit bookings in 2021 and 2022, but not for 2023.

“I think what people have been saying is, I want to get out there, but I don’t want to do it too soon. I want to make sure that things have stabilized,” Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive of Royal Caribbean Cruises, said in the company’s last earnings call in October.

Miranda Gibson, 63, an avid cruiser from Tampa, Fla., took two cruises this summer, but then canceled three cruises she had planned for the rest of the year because of her concerns over the Delta variant.

“The first cruise I took in June in the Caribbean was heaven because everyone was vaccinated, Covid was under control and it was the first time in so long that we could have some carefree fun,” she said.

“Now with the variants everything is prickly again and you can’t really get a true relaxing cruise experience when you are worrying about Covid and masks and rules,” she explained. “I’m booked in June 2022 and I know I’ll be tempted to go before then but I’m going to wait until it’s safer.”

Others believe cruise ships are among the safest vacation environments, because of the vaccine requirements and testing protocols.

“When you’re on a plane, or in a hotel or at a theme park you don’t know who has Covid around you,” said Timothy Ryan, 67, a retired financial trader from Miami who has 16 cruises booked through 2022. “On a cruise, it’s detected right away and the positive cases are isolated, so you can continue your vacation in a Covid-free bubble. I really don’t know a safer way to travel.”

52 Places to Love in 2021

We asked readers to tell us about the spots that have delighted, inspired and comforted them in a dark year. Here, 52 of the more than 2,000 suggestions we received, to remind us that the world still awaits.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.

Ceylan Yeginsu is a London-based reporter. She joined The Times in 2013, and was previously a correspondent in Turkey covering politics, the migrant crisis, the Kurdish conflict, and the rise of Islamic State extremism in Syria and the region. More about Ceylan Yeginsu

Come Sail Away

Love them or hate them, cruises can provide a unique perspective on travel..

 Cruise Ship Surprises: Here are five unexpected features on ships , some of which you hopefully won’t discover on your own.

 Icon of the Seas: Our reporter joined thousands of passengers on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas . The most surprising thing she found? Some actual peace and quiet .

Th ree-Year Cruise, Unraveled:  The Life at Sea cruise was supposed to be the ultimate bucket-list experience : 382 port calls over 1,095 days. Here’s why  those who signed up are seeking fraud charges  instead.

TikTok’s Favorite New ‘Reality Show’:  People on social media have turned the unwitting passengers of a nine-month world cruise  into  “cast members”  overnight.

Dipping Their Toes: Younger generations of travelers are venturing onto ships for the first time . Many are saving money.

Cult Cruisers: These devoted cruise fanatics, most of them retirees, have one main goal: to almost never touch dry land .

Privacy Notice

Health screening measures during covid-19.

As Disney Cruise Line (we, us) returns to sailing following the public health threat of COVID-19, we are changing some of our usual practices. Our Health Screening Measures (listed in section 2 below) promote health and safety onboard and help minimise the likelihood of spreading COVID-19. More information about our Health Screening Measures can be found at Know Before You Go .

This Privacy Notice describes how your personal data will be collected, used and handled as a result of the Health Screening Measures being implemented throughout your journey, from prior to travel to the end of your time on board our ship.

For the purposes of the data protection legislation including the Data Protection Act 2018 (UK), Magical Cruise Company Ltd (trading as Disney Cruise Line) is the data controller of the Personal Data to be processed in accordance with this Notice.

1 THE SCOPE OF THIS NOTICE

1.1 This Privacy Notice applies to all Disney Cruise Line guests, crew members, ship visitors, and any other person embarking the ships or attending the port.

1.2 This Privacy Notice supplements and does not replace any other privacy notice which applies to you.

2 WHAT TYPES OF PERSONAL DATA DO WE COLLECT?

2.1 Your Personal Data is information which can be identified (either directly or indirectly) as relating to you. The Personal Data we will collect from you or about you from a third party (such as a testing provider), as part of our Health Screening Measures may include special categories of personal data which may be more sensitive, such as health information, and to which extra obligations apply.

2.2 Our Health Screening Measures include:

• Vaccination information: we may ask you to confirm whether you and those in your travel party have received a COVID-19 vaccine including proof of vaccination and date given. This may be done: for guests, prior to making a booking, at the port when checking-in or onboard; for crew, prior to embarking the ships.
• Temperature checks: we may test your temperature before embarkation and during your time on-board our ship. This will usually be done by using a hand held contactless thermometer operated by our crew or self-temperature checks using a provided thermometer.
• Health screening questionnaire: prior to embarkation, you will need to complete a health screening questionnaire for all members of your stateroom confirming your travel history and whether any members of your travel party have had any COVID-19 symptoms. You may be asked to complete this again during your time onboard. This may be done via our App (such as the Navigator App for guests), in-person when checking in or via email.
• COVID-19 tests: we may ask you to undergo a COVID-19 test, including PCR swab or antigen / lateral flow tests. You may be asked to have a test: prior to travel or embarking the ship; onboard the ship; if you have any symptoms consistent with COVID-19; as part of a surveillance program and/or if you are considered a close contact with someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 or is showing symptoms of it. Test results may be provided to us by you or by the testing provider.
• Contact Tracing: individuals on-board may be required to participate in our contact tracing programme, which includes on-board data collection. On-board data is data collected for other purposes which may be used to identify individuals who were in close contact (as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and subject to change) with a positive or suspected positive case of COVID-19. Examples of on-board data include restaurant reservations or entertainment bookings.
• Passenger Locator Form: we may require you complete a Passenger Locator Form about you and/or your travel party in accordance with public health and government guidance. The Passenger Locator Form includes your contact details and journey details. 

3 WHY ARE WE COLLECTING YOUR PERSONAL DATA?

3.1 We process your Personal Data in accordance with this Privacy Notice for our legitimate purposes and/or to comply with our legal obligations to:

• Promote the security and protection of people on our ships;
• Facilitate the business of Disney Cruise Line;
• Comply with health and safety obligations;
• Comply with legal regulatory compliance and auditing purposes, and cooperate with investigations carried out by the policy, government or regulatory.

3.2 We process Special Categories of Personal Data for more restricted purposes and only as permitted by law. We process Special Categories of Personal Data where:

• necessary for complying with employment, social security and social protection laws including health and safety;
• necessary for the reasons of substantial public interest and public health in limiting the risk of exposure to COVID-19 to all crew, guests and third parties to the ship(s);
• necessary to protect the vital interests of those on-board our ships including Disney Cruise Line guests, crew and ship visitors; and/or
• for health care purposes such as preventative medicine or to assess the working capacity of our crew.

3.3 Without your Personal Data we may not be able to allow you on-board the ship(s).

4 SHARING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

4.1 Where we are required to do so, we may share your Personal Data with third parties who provide professional services such as medical service providers or COVID-19 testing providers; and to government institutions such as public health authorities and port authorities. This may include authorities from the country you boarded the ship, destinations visited and your final port.

4.2 We may also share your Personal Data within The Walt Disney group of companies, if necessary (such as to help reschedule a cruise if you test positive for COVID-19 prior to embarkation) and/or to the third parties who provide products and services to us (e.g. cloud services) in order to carry out activities on our behalf. Where we share your Personal Data, we put in place appropriate contractual protections.

5 SECURITY OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA

The information that you provide will be stored securely on our electronic systems. Only relevant members of staff will have access to the information you provide to us.

6 RETAINING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We will hold the Personal Data which you provide to us as part of the Health Screening Measures for the purposes listed in this Privacy Notice for no longer than is necessary. We will continue to review the guidance issued by respective governments to determine how long that may be.

Personal Data collected for other purposes, and covered by other privacy notices will be retained for the duration set out in those notices.

7 YOUR RIGHTS

7.1 You can request access to or deletion of your Personal Data, or correct or update inaccurate Personal Data. These rights are not always absolute and there may be reasons we need to retain your Personal Data. We will always tell you if we need to do so. If you wish to exercise any of these rights, you can do so by e-mailing your request to [email protected]

7.2 If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you have a right to lodge a complaint with your local Supervisory Authority which in the UK, is the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”). The ICO can be contacted via www.ico.org.uk or telephone +44 0303 123 1113.

This Notice may be updated from time to time, and we may issue further guidance or amendments to this Notice.