Great news! Celebrity Cruises is back in the water! We are your resource for the most up to date information around vaccination & testing requirements, whether you will need a mask, taking shore excursions, and health & safety measurements taken by the cruise line.
US SAILINGS
Do I need a vaccine to travel on a Celebrity Cruise?
Celebrity has announced a vaccine requirement for its initial departures in summer 2021. All passengers 12 years of age or older must have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Younger passengers can sail with proof of a negative test for COVID-19.
While Celebrity Cruises will not require a proof of vaccination they do require a negative viral COVID-19 Test taken within 2 days of departure. Someone that prefers or opts out of showing proof will be held to a different set of protocols onboard, as well as additional costs to incur to confirm they are healthy.
Celebrity still intends to sail with at least 95% vaccinated guests, but it will allow an option to show proof of being vaccinated.
- Celebrity Silhouette sailings out of the U.K., the rule is that all passengers who are 18 years or older must be vaccinated.
- Celebrity Edge/Equinox/Summit: (Florida): all guests 16+ must be vaccinated (including children who are age-eligible for vaccines), will need to show proof of vaccination. All guests will be asked to confirm their status as fully vaccinated for COVID-19 during check-in and provide proof of vaccination in advance of boarding. Guests who decline or are unable to show proof of vaccination at boarding will be treated as unvaccinated and subject to additional costs, restrictions, and protocols to be advised as soon as they have been determined.
- Celebrity Apex: (Greece): all passengers who are 18 years or older must be vaccinated.
- Celebrity Flora/Xpedition: (Galapagos): Vaccine required for 16+ years old
- Celebrity Millennium (St. Maarten): Vaccine require for 16+ years old
Temporary COVID-19 Testing Requirements:
All vaccinated guests 12 years and older must present a negative Covid-19 test result taken as either as an Antigen or PCR test conducted within two days of embarkation and complete a health questionnaire prior to sailing.
All unvaccinated children between the ages of two and eleven years old, will be required to bring a negative Antigen or PCR test result conducted within three days of embarkation.
Things to know:
- Each guest is responsible for making their own arrangements with an accredited testing provider as well as covering all associated costs.
- Unvaccinated children between the ages of two and eleven years old will be required to bring a negative PCR test conducted within three days of boarding.
- These guests will have an additional PCR test at the terminal prior to embarkation and on the day before disembarkation.
- A registration link for required testing will be sent separately.
- Should a guest be unable to complete the testing requirements, a 100% refund or Future Cruise Credit will be offered.
- For your convenience Celebrity is working on an option with an authorized medical provider to offer home-test kits for vaccinated guests.
- This testing option will be available to purchase on our website September 8, 2021 and can be delivered to your home in two days to make their testing process quick and seamless.
- Guests arriving at the terminal without a negative COVID-19 test result may be denied boarding.
- Please note, the CDC has advised unvaccinated guests cannot be tested twice in one day as it may affect the accuracy of the test results, therefore the COVID-19 test required before arriving at the terminal cannot be taken on boarding day.
We do not collect vaccination cards or store proof of vaccination. Those cruise lines that have vaccine requirements to cruise will likely ask for proof at the time of boarding.
Travel Insurance Requirement for Unvaccinated Guests - Florida Based Ships As a condition of boarding, each unvaccinated guest 12 years and older departing from a Florida homeport on a Celebrity cruise must provide proof of a valid insurance policy that has a minimum of (a) $25,000 per person in medical expense coverage and (b) $50,000 coverage for emergency medical evacuation and no COVID-19 exclusions.
Celebrity will ask fully vaccinated guests to provide documentation of vaccination before boarding (for example, a U.S. CDC vaccination card). A guest who is either unvaccinated or cannot provide documentation of vaccination will be considered unvaccinated and must undergo SARS-CoV-2 testing and adhere to all additional health protocols.
What Vaccines are accepted?
Sailings departing from the US:, Currently, the CDC does not recognize any mixed combination of COVID-19 vaccines as fully vaccinated. For sailings departing the United States, to be recognized as fully vaccinated, guests 12 years of age and older, must complete a vaccine series with products from the same manufacturer, with the last dose administered at least 14 days prior to sailing. Additionally, Celebrity Cruise will not accept any form of Certificate of Recovery.
Acceptable proof of vaccination must be in the form of the original vaccination record document issued by the country’s health authority or healthcare provider that administered the vaccination.
The governments of Antigua, Dominica and the US Virgin Islands, have now advised all passengers ages 12 and older, traveling aboard a cruise ship, must be fully vaccinated in order for the ship to be allowed entry into St. Johns, Roseau, St. Thomas, St. Croix, or St. John. To comply with this requirement, guests ages 12 and older must provide documentation of full vaccination at the terminal as a condition for boarding. As of September 3, 2021, the government of the Bahamas will also require all guests, 12 years of age and older, traveling aboard a cruise ship, to be fully vaccinated.
Sailings departing outside of the US: For Celebrity Silhouette sailings in the UK, Celebrity Apex sailings in Greece and Celebrity Flora, Xploration and Xpedition in the Galapagos, we will follow their respective country guidance and allow for a mix of AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
- Guests sailing on Celebrity Silhouette from Southampton, Celebrity Apex sailing from Athens or Celebrity Flora, Xploration and Xpedition in the Galapagos may have mixed doses as follows:
- AstraZeneca as long as the AstraZeneca dose is administered first, and then either the Pfizer or Moderna dose follows within 8-12 weeks.
- One dose of Pfizer or Moderna followed four weeks later by a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna.
Some ports of call may not accept mixed vaccines and therefore could prevent guests with mixed vaccines from going ashore. See below for ports of call requirements
Celebrity has not announced a vaccine or testing policy for other ships that might return to service in the coming months.
Please note that these guidelines are subject to change.
Do I need to wear a mask?
For ships where at least 95% of both crew and passengers are fully vaccinated, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in any area.
Although it is up to the cruise ship operators about wearing masks onboard, Celebrity recommends coming prepared to wear masks while indoors and/or when in a crowded area and physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Masks may be required to be worn in terminals and during embarkation and disembarkation. While guests will be vaccinated, cruise lines will follow protocols and requirements for each destination while ashore.
Things to know:
- All guests should carefully review pre-booking and pre-travel health advice on our website and the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Can I get off the ship at port?
Independent On-Your-Own tours are available unless locally restricted. While in port, guests must comply with local guidelines. Celebrity tours will extend the highest health and safety standards we’re following on board. Most experiences are outdoors, and guests will be encouraged to stay with their group. According to the CDC's Conditional Sailing Order cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that — if they are fully vaccinated — they may engage in self-guided or independent exploration during port stops, if they wear a mask while indoors. The cruise ship operator is additionally advised that foreign jurisdictions may have their own requirements.
- On-Your-Own tours are permitted in Aruba, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Curacao, Nassau, St. Croix, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Alaska ports of call.
- Celebrity curated tours are required in Barbados, Roatan, St. Johns, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Tortola.
Things to know:
- Buses will be at reduced capacity and will be sanitized frequently
- Small Group Discoveries will be available, and for guests that prefer to tour with their family or group, Private Journeys will be available
- Guests must follow the health protocols for every port we visit
- Independent On-Your-Own tours are available unless locally restricted.
- While in port, guests must comply with local guidelines.
- Unvaccinated guests may be restricted from going ashore depending on local government restrictions.
- Caribbean: On-Your-Own tours permitted in Costa Maya, Cozumel, St. Thomas. St. Maarten/Nassau. Celebrity curated tours are required in Roatan.
- Alaska: On-Your-Own tours permitted in Alaska ports of call.
- Unvaccinated guests may be restricted from going ashore depending on local government restrictions.
These restrictions are under the control of local government and are subject to change without advance notice, so we encourage guests to come prepared for potential mask requirements ashore.
Health & Safety on the Ship
From bow to stern, we’re taking extraordinary measures to keep you Healthy at Sea. We’re sailing with fewer guests for more space—and more luxury. Our enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols and enhanced medical center set a new industry standard.
From bow to stern, we’re taking extraordinary measures to keep you Healthy at Sea. We’re sailing with fewer guests for more space—and more luxury. Our enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols and enhanced medical center set a new industry standard.
Celebrity has not yet made an announcement about how buffets will operate.
Things to know:
- All guests and crew embarking a ship will likely undergo enhanced pre-embarkation health screening in accordance with prevailing health best practices, such as health questionnaires and touch-free temperature checks as appropriate
- Ships have introduced enhanced fresh air distribution into public spaces and staterooms and HEPA filtration systems to key areas such as Medical Centers and dedicated isolation rooms
- Rapid response and contact tracing plans exist in case of on-board illness
- Ships have a team of highly-trained medical staff including qualified doctors and nurses who have experience in caring for a broad range of medical conditions and medical centers with both outpatient and inpatient facilities including critical care capabilities
- There are enhanced Health & Safety Trainings and Continued Education for Crew Members focusing on COVID-19
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