Disney Cruise Line Announced Vaccination Requirement for Guests 5 to 11 Years Old

Disney Cruise Line announced its vaccination requirement for guests 5 and above. Children aged 5 and above will need to show proof of COVID19 vaccination starting next year.

This requirement is a follow-up on Disney Cruise Line’s earlier policy wherein passengers eligible for vaccination need to complete their COVID19 vaccine doses.

On Wednesday, the company updated this policy. It announced that COVID19 vaccination “will be a requirement for all Guests (US and international) ages 5 and up for sailings beginning on or after January 13, 2022”. On the other hand, guests below 5 years old will need to show proof of a negative COVID19 test result.

Disney Cruise Line will accept CDC-approved and WHO-approved COVID19 vaccines. This includes Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novovax, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. As for the tests, the cruise line will accept a NAAT test, and both rapid and lab-based PCR tests. Plus, passengers should take the test 3 days to 24 hours before the passenger’s sail date.

Vaccination Requirement for Guests 5 Years Old and Up

While Disney Cruise Line will still accept unvaccinated children below 5 years old, Norwegian has a different take. Norwegian Cruise Line announced its 100% vaccination requirement in April. And this month, the company stated that this policy will remain in place indefinitely.

The announcement came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11.

The President and CEO of Norwegian, Frank Del Rio said that the move will “allow for an expanded group of 100% vaccinated guests, especially families to sail on our brand”.

Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group, announced that both passengers and crew eligible for COVID19 vaccination will need to get the vaccine. However, there are a few exemptions. Royal Caribbean will still allow unvaccinated kids under 12. Unvaccinated passengers under 12 on Royal Caribbean will have to provide a negative COVID19 test.

And for vaccinated kids 5 to 11, its website says that “kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the protocols for vaccinated guests”.