On Wednesday, Disney Cruise Line announced that all passengers ages 5 and up are required to be fully vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus, effective in 2022.
Beginning Jan. 13, all passengers over 5 will be required to show proof of vaccination to be able to board. All passengers under age 5 will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test between 3 days and 24 hours of departure. Tests must be NAAT, rapid PCR, and lab-based PCR. Rapid antigen testing is not allowed.
The vaccine and testing mandates, which apply to both U.S. citizens and international travelers, allow several different vaccines. The ones approved are Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Prior to boarding, guests must upload their vaccination card or proof of negative COVID-19 test results on the cruise line’s Safe Passage portal. On the day of departure, at the terminal before boarding, guests, regardless of age and vaccination status, will be required to undergo another PCR test. Any guest with a positive test result will be denied boarding.
“As we set sail again, the health and safety of our Guests, Cast Members, and Crew Members is a top priority,” the announcement states. “Our focus remains on operating our ships in a responsible way that continues to create magic for all on board. We are resuming sailing in a gradual, phased approach that emphasizes multiple layers of health and safety measures, considering guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical experts. Under this guidance, we’ve reimagined your cruise experience so we all can enjoy the magic responsibly.”
In addition to the vaccine and testing mandates, Disney Cruise Line is reducing guest capacity and “adjusting experiences” to promote physical distancing. This includes suspending close-up interactions with the Disney Characters, and all “youth activities” will be “experienced in small group settings.” Capacity at areas of the ship like the upper decks, dining rooms, food and beverage locations, lounges, theaters, pools, and other spaces will be limited.
Despite the cruise line’s vaccine mandate for passengers, face coverings are required for all in indoor settings. The only exceptions include actively eating, drinking, or taking a photo. Unvaccinated guests sailing for longer than 5 days are required to take an antigen test on the ship the day before debarking.
Last month, the CDC announced that its conditional sailing order for cruise ships would remain until Jan. 15, 2022. This was, in part, because of the Delta variant.
The lead of the CDC’s maritime unit, Capt. Aimee Treffiletti, said this move was “in the best interest of public health” in an interview with USA Today.
“The pandemic isn’t over. We’ve seen what the delta variant can do,” Treffiletti told USA Today. “Despite, you know, really what have been the best efforts of the cruise industry to provide a safer and healthier environment for crew, passengers and communities, COVID-19 has still been a challenge, particularly with the delta variant.”
Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Earlier this month, the CDC signed off on a recommendation allowing a lower-dosage Pfizer vaccine to be administered to that age demographic.