Prior to the holiday season, several major cruise lines have discontinued COVID-19-related testing measures, reverting to the status quo before the global pandemic.

As of this month, a number of cruise lines, notably Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages, have simplified or eliminated COVID-19-related pre-boarding procedures, following an industry-wide trend. It comes only weeks after Norwegian Cruise Line became one of the first cruise lines to eliminate all pandemic-related requirements, like as testing, vaccinations, and masks.

According to the firm, this month Disney will no longer compel travellers, regardless of immunisation status, to undergo COVID-19 testing. Currently, the cruise line requires all unvaccinated passengers to undergo a screening one to two days prior to departure.

The new rule will take effect on November 14.

Adults-only cruise line,  Virgin Voyages eliminated all vaccine and testing obligations for all of its ships on October 30. This action was taken in accordance with the rest of the travel industry.

According to Royal Caribbean, unvaccinated passengers aged 12 and older departing from a U.S. or Caribbean port must be tested within three days of embarkation, whereas vaccinated guests are free from testing. Previously, Royal Caribbean required both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers aged 5 and older to be tested for cruises of 10 nights or longer.

Royal Caribbean will accept a number of boarding documents, including a photograph of a self-administered home test.

MSC Cruises, along with several other cruise lines, has eliminated all testing for vaccinated passengers travelling to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Similarly, Carnival has eliminated vaccination and testing requirements for all passengers on cruises of 15 nights or less.

When cruise lines first began sailing in a post-pandemic environment, several instituted tight testing and vaccination regulations in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. During the summer, however, the CDC officially discontinued its pandemic-era programme for cruise liners and shifted to a recommendation that all tourists be “up to date” with their COVID-19 vaccinations before to embarking on a cruise.