Norwegian Cruise Line will soon let passengers ditch their face masks and allow kids younger than 5 to board without proof of vaccination.
The cruise line said Tuesday it would soon loosen a number of COVID-19 protocols, including masking mandates, vaccination requirements for young passengers and pre-departure testing protocols. The news comes as coronavirus cases around the U.S. and globe begin to trend downward after a major spike driven by the omicron variant.
“Maintaining the health and safety of our guests, crew and communities we visit continues to be our first priority, always,” the cruise line said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY. “As such, given the progress in the current public health environment, we’ve updated a few of our health and safety protocols and requirements.”
The announcement comes roughly one month after Norwegian canceled multiple sailings due to COVID-19-related issues.
Masks no longer required
Passengers on cruises embarking March 1 or later will no longer need to wear a mask on board. The cruise line tightened its masking policies in December to combat the omicron surge.
“Face masks while onboard are at guests’ discretion,” Norwegian indicated. “We recognize the added protections provided when wearing a face mask covering and recommend that all guests do so onboard when indoors, except when actively eating or drinking, or seated at a table in a dining setting, or when in their stateroom.”
Face masks are also recommended when physical distancing is not possible.
European sailings will have stricter masking rules due to local government regulations. Passengers on these cruises will need to cover their face indoors except when eating or drinking or in their stateroom. Masks will also be required outdoors when social distancing is not possible.
New testing requirements: No more free tests
Starting March 1, Norwegian will no longer require a pre-departure COVID-19 test at the pier that is administered and paid for by the cruise line. Instead, guests will need to secure their own tests in the days leading up to their trip.
Passengers leaving from U.S. ports will be required to take a test no more than two days before departure, while non-U.S. ports will allow travelers three days to test. Norwegian will accept negative antigen or PCR coronavirus tests administered by a verified third party or medically supervised home test.
The cruise line will offer testing at the terminal for passengers who cannot provide proof of a negative result, but these tests will need to be paid for by the guest. Norwegian warns testing costs may vary depending on the port and vendor.
“This will allow for a more streamlined check-in process with minimal person-to-person contact and limited wait time,” Norwegian said in its statement. “Protocols may vary by itinerary, and in those cases, we will do our very best to communicate itinerary-specific protocols to our guests as soon as possible.”
Passengers under 5 will be exempt from vaccine requirements
The cruise line has also updated its vaccination requirements. According to its website, children under the age of 5 can board if unvaccinated. All other passengers and crew must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure.
Norwegian joins other cruise lines in allowing children of a certain age to board unvaccinated. Disney Cruise Line allows children under 5 to forgo vaccination requirements, while Royal Caribbean requires vaccinations among those 12 and older leaving from U.S. ports.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., the parent company to Norwegian Cruise Line, instituted a 100% vaccination requirement in April 2021. In November, President and CEO Frank Del Rio called the strict vaccination policy a “competitive advantage” to its brands.
Under the new vaccination policy, Norwegian plans to commit to requirements laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and limit the number of unvaccinated guests 4 and younger to “well under” 5% of the total guest occupancy on each cruise.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.
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