Visiting from {destination_country}? {destination_flag}
Go to SiteAm I required to take a COVID-19 test or be vaccinated prior to embarking on my cruise?
All travelers are welcome to sail regardless of vaccination status and will no longer be required to provide proof of pre-departure testing to board, except for specific sailings where vaccination or testing are required by law.
As destinations around the globe continue to adapt their health and safety protocols, we continually evaluate and update our own requirements as new information becomes available. If you’re currently booked on a cruise vacation with us and have provided an email address, you will be advised of the latest requirements leading up to departure. Be sure to register your guest account so that we may reach you.
The following destinations require guests to take additional pre-cruise precautions against COVID-19 prior to boarding.
Australia, Fiji, and Tonga
Chile
Back-to-Back sailings visiting Australia, Fiji, Tonga, or Chile
Are there any vaccination, testing, or documentation protocol requirements to board a sailing visiting Australia?
The below applies to the following sailings:
October 1, 2023 Celebrity Solstice from Honolulu to Sydney*
October 19, 2023 Celebrity Solstice from Sydney to Singapore
November 25, 2023 Celebrity Edge from Singapore to Sydney
December 9, 2023 Celebrity Edge roundtrip from Sydney*
December 21, 2023 Celebrity Edge roundtrip from Sydney*
Documentation
For itineraries that have a port of call in Australia and New Zealand, there are 3 documents guests must complete as soon as possible prior to sailing:
To comply with government protocols when sailing to Australia, all guests must self-disclose their vaccination status, as well as read and acknowledge the Health, Travel, and Financial Risks statement. Please ensure you have completed the form Access Here for each member of your traveling party or you may not be permitted to sail.
All guests (except for Australian citizens) must also complete the Australian Electronic Travel Authority (eTA) form Access Here.
*The government of New Zealand requires all guests (excluding Australia and New Zealand citizens) with a port call, embark or debark in New Zealand to submit a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) form prior to boarding the sailing Access Here.
October 1, 2023 Celebrity Solstice guests, please also be advised, guests must check their Visa and ESTA requirements before traveling.
Vaccination
All guests ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated to sail. All guests 11 and younger may sail with us if they are unvaccinated.
COVID-19 booster vaccine shots are not currently required to sail but are highly recommended.
All guests ages 12 and older must provide documentation of full vaccination at the terminal as a condition for boarding.
Please plan to carry your vaccination documentation with you at all times while in port should local authorities or businesses request it to help facilitate entry and/or experiences.
Please note: A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). Vaccines must be approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Testing
All guests aged 2 and above, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative test result for a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 2 days before boarding day, or a self-administered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within 1 day before boarding, for sailings of any length.
Required testing for all guests can be completed using a PCR test administered at a private laboratory, or any self-administered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). Rapid Antigen Tests are not required to be administered under live video supervision.
You will be required to present the negative test result at the time of boarding. You can show it in the form of a printout or email if taking a PCR test. Or if taking a RAT, you can show a picture of your negative RAT test on your phone, or present the actual negative test itself.
Guests under 2 years of age do not require testing.
Please note: Guests who have recently recovered from COVID-19 may present a Certificate of Recovery and proof of the positive PCR or RAT test result taken between 11 and less than 90 days prior to the sail date in order to board and be exempt from testing. The Certificate of Recovery can be presented as an NHS COVID Pass, EU Certificate of Recovery or as a letter from a healthcare provider. In addition, you must still present a vaccination card. Please be aware that some ports of call do not accept a Certificate of Recovery for the purposes of debarking and enjoying the destination. We will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in place of a vaccination record.
Are there any vaccination or testing protocol requirements on a sailing visiting Chile?
All travelers are welcome to cruise with us to Chile regardless of vaccination status.
To travel in Chile, unvaccinated guests ages 5 and older are required to provide proof of a negative proctored PCR or antigen test, taken at least 48hrs prior to embarkation.
If guests choose to self-test with an antigen test kit, they must purchase a kit with a proctoring telehealth service that can provide a verified negative proctored result.
Please note: A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). Vaccines must be approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Are there any vaccination or testing protocol requirements on a back-to-back sailing?
Guests on back-to-back sailings aged 2 and above must comply with a complimentary Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) administered by the ship prior to joining any leg of their sailing with enhanced testing requirements. As of May 1, 2023, enhanced testing is required for sailings visiting Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and Chile.
What health screening measures are being taken at the terminal on boarding day?
During check-in, you will be asked to complete a health attestation. If you attest to or show signs of a fever, cough, or fatigue, you will be directed to a secondary screening.
If I am required to be vaccinated, what proof of vaccination is accepted?
Guests can furnish proof from the government site, app or photo as proof of vaccination. Laminated Vaccination cards are accepted.
What if I cannot get vaccinated due to a pre-existing allergy? What if I am not vaccinated for religious reasons? What if I have recently recovered from COVID-19 and am not now eligible to be vaccinated?
Vaccination Accommodations Requests
Before requesting a vaccination accommodation, there are several things to keep in mind. As you prepare to submit a request for vaccination accommodation, please:
Submit your request at least 30 days prior to your cruise departure date or even earlier if possible.
Be aware that we may not be able to process requests submitted less than 14 days to sailing.
Be aware that approvals or denials for vaccine accommodation may be issued up to 2 weeks prior to sailing or later.
Wait for a response to your request before booking travel arrangements such as flights and hotel accommodations. Celebrity Cruises will not be responsible for any travel-related expenses incurred by you or members of your traveling party should your request be denied.
How to submit a vaccination accommodation request:
If you believe that you meet the requirements for a vaccination accommodation, please send an email to vaxaccommodations@celebrity.com. You can also have your local travel agent or International Representative contact us.
Your initial email to vaxaccommodations@celebrity.com should include the following details:
The full name of the person who needs the accommodation, as the name appears on their reservation.
Ship Name
Date of Sailing
Reservation Number
Best phone number to reach the requesting guest (or their legal guardian if they are a minor)
Best email to reach the requesting guest or their guardian, should it be different than the one you are emailing from
Religious Requests: For religious accommodation, please describe the nature of your sincerely held religious beliefs, religious practice or observance that conflicts with the vaccination requirement.
Medical Requests: For your request to be considered by our medical team, a letter from a physician is required. Please see the specific requirements for the letter below:
The letter must come from a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
The letter must include the full name and date of birth for the guest requesting the accommodation.
The letter must clearly indicate the pre-existing, non-COVID medical condition or disability that is contraindicated for vaccination.
The letter should include a note that the guest is medically fit to travel.
The letter must be signed by the MD or DO.
Vaccine accommodation requests should be submitted individually and will be considered individually. It may be possible for some members of the same travel party to receive an approval, while others are denied.
Our receipt of your vaccination accommodation request in no way implies or guarantees an approval.
If your vaccination accommodation request is granted
Approvals apply only to the sailing for which they were granted and need to be renewed for each new sailing as protocols and operational needs change frequently. Approvals do not imply or guarantee an approval for any future sailings.
Please note that vaccination accommodated guests must adhere to all health protocols and travel requirements for unvaccinated guests as required by the cruise line and at the local, state and national level.
If your vaccination accommodation request is denied
If we are unable to approve your request, you can:
Change the ship/sail date and submit a new request, if your denial was based on operational capacity.
Cancel only the unvaccinated guest(s) from the booking, if the remainder of the traveling party still wishes to sail. The unvaccinated guest will receive a full refund after cancellation.
Cancel the booking that includes the unvaccinated guest and receive a full refund for the booking. Only those guests in the impacted booking are eligible to receive a full refund. Related bookings (family, friends, etc. traveling on another booking) remain subject to the standard cancellation penalty schedule.
If I test positive for COVID-19 right before my cruise, at the terminal, or on the cruise, what is your refund policy and what associated costs are covered?
Full policy can be found here
What are your cleaning and sanitization standards on the ship? What guidelines apply, and how do you know they are sound? How is the crew trained to implement them effectively?
In compliance with strict standards set by U.S. Public Health Services (USPHS) and the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), our ships have always been maintained using the most rigorous cleaning regimens. All ships are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized prior to every voyage, and consistently and frequently throughout your sailing, with disinfecting cleaning agents and techniques that have been certified by health authorities as effective against SARS-Cov-2 (coronavirus). All chemicals are EPA-certified, alcohol-based, scentless, and safe for the general population. High-traffic and frequently touched areas like elevators, escalators, stairways, and promenades are cleaned every two hours and gangway rails every 20 to 30 minutes during busy times. Staterooms are cleaned daily and only while guests are out of the room, with particular attention paid to frequently used items and surfaces. All stateroom and housekeeping attendants will be continuously trained on the latest sanitization guidelines. We'll ensure cleaning standards are upheld through frequent stateroom inspections using black light technology to show surface wiping efficacy. Crew will have mandatory, ongoing training classes and refreshers that are documented to ensure all the latest protocols are being followed, in compliance with various international regulations, including the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
How are you ensuring guests are washing and sanitizing their hands?
Hand hygiene on board has always been a priority for us, as a proven way of helping protect the health and safety of our guests and crew, with numerous hand washing sink stations and hand sanitizer stations located throughout the ship. Now we have increased and enhanced those efforts by increasing the number of Purell® sanitizer stations around the ship by 75% and introducing Purell sanitizer wipe stations in high-touch areas.
Will personal protective equipment like masks and personal hand sanitizer be available onboard?
We recommend each guest bring their personal preference of protective equipment, but if you do happen to forget or misplace your mask or other items, you may ask the Guest Relations desk or visit the sundry station onboard.
How is air circulated and filtered on board? Is the air safe on board a cruise ship?
On Celebrity Cruises ships, 100% fresh ocean air is continuously supplied from outside. Intake of air occurs on one side of the ship for cooling and ventilation, then the air is removed via exhaust on the opposite side of the ship. This continual intake of fresh air replaces the air in any space, with a total air change up to 12 times an hour in staterooms, and about 15 changes an hour in large public spaces. Fan coil units in your stateroom and public spaces provide an extra layer of protection, continuously scrubbing the air of pathogens, using a high-grade MERV 13 filter that captures aerosols 0.3 to 1 micron in size with ~90% efficacy— fine enough to filter aerosolized viruses. An independent study by the University of Nebraska Medical Center confirmed that cross-contamination of air between adjacent spaces is virtually impossible thanks to this powerful system.
How are my linens and towels washed to ensure they are sanitized?
The temperature of washers and dryers onboard follows the guidance of the U.S. CDC to ensure all laundered goods, including towels, bed linens, and cloth napkins, are fully sanitized.
Is it a reccomendation to wear a mask onboard?
While onboard and in the cruise terminal throughout boarding, screening and disembarkation, masks are optional unless otherwise required by local ordinance.
We continuously monitor global health ordinances and may adjust this advisement to ensure the health and safety of our guests and crew. Guests will be notified pre-cruise or onboard, should we make changes to this policy.
Will crew members be vaccinated and wearing personal protective equipment like masks?
The health and safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. All crew members are vaccinated and provided with the tools and the training to follow all new protocols — including how to properly don personal protective equipment like face masks and gloves in roles where they may be necessary. Advisement to wear masks is subject to global and local health advisement.
If a guest or crew member starts feeling unwell during a voyage, what steps are taken? Can you test for SARS-CoV-2 while on the cruise, and if so, how soon do you have results?
If any of our guests or crew members ever feel unwell during their sailing, they can be evaluated by medical staff, with an in-stateroom visit or by video tele-consultation. Rapid SARS-CoV-2 tests can be conducted right onboard in our medical lab that allows for rapid, accurate onsite RT-PCR testing with results in under an hour, alongside a multitude of other evaluative tests. This is just one capability of our enhanced Medical Center where we've added more doctors and nurses, upgraded equipment, and a dedicated Controlled Care Center where potentially infectious guests or crew can be cared for away from general medical areas.
If a guest or crew member tests positive on board, what is your response plan?
In the event any of our guests or crew tests positive for COVID-19 onboard, we have a robust, tiered response plan in place that we've developed with guidance from local authorities and leading public health experts. The tiers increase protocols and vigilance onboard while providing transparent updates to guests the whole way. In partnership with local authorities, Celebrity Cruises has developed transport protocols to ensure the ship can return to port safely.
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