Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced Wednesday it would scrap pre-departure Covid-19 testing requirements for all its brands starting August 1, 2022.
The company announced in a press release that guests will no longer be required to test for Covid-19 before boarding unless required by local regulations. The revised policies apply to Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Passengers aged 12 and up are still required to be vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding.
The pre-embarkation testing requirement, according to NCLH, will remain in effect for guests currently going on voyages departing from places having local testing regulations, including the United States, Canada, Greece, and Bermuda.
“The relaxation of the testing policy is in line with the rest of the travel, leisure and hospitality industry worldwide as society continues to adapt and return to a state of normalcy,” NCLH stated.
“All voyages across the Company’s three brands continue to operate under its robust science-backed SailSAFE health and safety program which will evolve along with the public health environment.”
Norwegian officials acknowledged that COVID -19 cases and hospitalizations have largely declined worldwide and vaccines are widely available, especially in the United States, where anyone six months of age or older can be vaccinated against the virus.
Viking Cruises was the first company to eliminate the Covid -19 pre-embarkation test in June, and now Norwegian is following suit.
The past two years have seen numerous restrictions and forced delays for cruise ships in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised Americans to avoid cruise ships because they pose a high risk of spreading covid-19.
As cases and hospitalizations declined, the CDC withdrew its cruise ship travel warning in March. The CDC will continue to publish a color-coded system to indicate a ship’s threat level, but only for companies that choose to use a tracking system.