Royal Caribbean has announced that passengers over the age of 2 will have to provide a negative coronavirus test before boarding, regardless of their vaccination status.
The decision comes after six passengers tested positive for Covid-19, four of whom had vaccinated plus two unvaccinated minors, on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas ship out of the Bahamas. All passengers on board were required to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding in the Bahamas.
Lyan Sierra-Caro, Royal Caribbean’s spokesperson told USA TODAY that the added precaution comes as the delta variant continues to spread across the US. Previously, vaccinated passengers were not required to show a negative test.
All other testing requirements and policies are still in place. This is an additional layer of precaution to ensure the safety of everyone onboard
Lyan Sierra-Caro, Royal Caribbean’s spokesperson
From now on, passengers will be required to take either a PCR or antigen test at an accredited test provider at least three days before their scheduled departure for all cruises five nights or longer. The test must be administered no more than three days before boarding and passengers must show proof of their negative test result at check-in.
For cruises departing from Rome, vaccinated passengers will have to take a rapid antigen test during check-in at the terminal, while unvaccinated passengers will have to undergo additional testing. The same applies to passengers on cruises departing from Limassol(Cyprus) and Barcelona.
We will continue to monitor public health circumstances as they evolve and make necessary adjustments to our protocols
Lyan Sierra-Caro, Royal Caribbean’s spokesperson
According to Travel + Leisure, the delta variant continues to spread significantly across the country. It has forced several destinations such as Disney and Las Vegas to re-implement indoor mask mandates.
