Just as various cruise lines are changing the onboard health protocols and tightening health and safety requirements, Norwegian Cruise Line has another change on the horizon for their upcoming crossings.
Starting January 17, 2022, embarking passengers must arrange their own COVID-19 tests prior to departure.
Passengers have to pay for their own tests
In a letter to passengers and travel agents, Norwegian Cruise Line explained the change in its policy.
“At check-in, guests must have a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test performed by a verified third party at least two days prior to embarkation for cruises originating in a US port and three days prior for voyages departing from a non-US port. If you cannot prove a negative result at the time of embarkation, a test is available to you at your expense for USD 99.00 per person at the terminal. “
Before this change, NCL tested all passengers at the terminal at no additional cost.
Nor did Norwegian guidelines make it entirely clear whether or not passengers were required to take a test in the days leading up to their cruise. Customer service calls made it clear that such pre-cruise testing was recommended and recommended, but the word “required” was not used. On the website of the shipping company it is said that for cruises with a departure until January 16, 2022, only the check at the terminal – “managed and paid for by the shipping company” – is necessary.
Image via NCL.com.
For cruises beginning January 17, 2022, passengers must make their own testing arrangements. Medically supervised home tests are accepted.
This change can be an unwelcome surprise for booked guests who either have to make test arrangements before their cruise or pay US $ 99 per person at the terminal. For a family of four, the additional $ 396 fee can be a blow to the cruise budget.
While the letter was sent out with the details of the change in mid-November, some passengers have found that they have not received an individual notification of the new requirement even though they have been booked for an upcoming cruise after January 17th.
Additional testing requirements may be required for passengers traveling to the port of embarkation, depending on their origin and airline and international travel requirements. In addition, different ports of call may have additional inspection requirements for cruise passengers.
Passengers should always check the updated protocols and requirements in the days and weeks prior to departure to ensure they are able to comply with them. As the pandemic conditions evolve, new or changed requirements are still likely.
Stricter requirements for cruise ships
In the past few days, several cruise lines – including Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International – have also tightened health and safety protocols on board. The mask requirement was reintroduced, and in the case of Norwegian Cruise Line their “cruise mask-free” policy has been removed and masks are now required indoors and outdoors where social distancing cannot be observed.
These changes are due to growing concerns about the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is rapidly spreading in many areas. At the moment there is still a great deal of uncertainty about the dangers of this new variant and how it can interact with existing vaccines.
Unsurprisingly, cruise lines are tightening health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure as major outbreaks could cripple the industry that was just beginning when it reboots.
