Royal Caribbean has continued to update its vaccination protocols for cruises departing from the United States.
Mix and Match is a go for Royal Caribbean
The CDC has clarified its position on mixing COVID vaccines with Royal Caribbean, and as a result Cruise Line has updated its FAQ page with the relevant information. It now means that guests will be classified as fully vaccinated even if they have received doses from two different approved manufacturers.
Details from Royal Caribbean: “For departures from the USA, the CDC now recognizes a mixed series of mRNA vaccines (e.g. 1 shot of Pfizer with 1 shot of Moderna, in any order) as fully vaccinated. The doses must be given at least 28 days apart. The guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the last dose. “
Royal Caribbean website
The change will be welcome news for those who have received mixed vaccinations. Guests are classified as fully vaccinated not only if they stay on the same vaccine, but also if 1 vaccination is from Pfizer and 1 vaccination is from Moderna. Both are mRNA-type vaccines.
Doses must be given at least 28 days apart to be accepted and guests will be fully vaccinated 14 days after the last dose. Royal Caribbean also accepts Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine, which requires only one shot and no mRNA type.
Before the vaccine update
So that guests could be fully vaccinated before a cruise vacation, they could previously only get the cans from one of the approved manufacturers such as Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen.
Before the cruise line updated its website on September 20, 2021 with the new guidelines from the CDC, it said, “We know that some guests may have been vaccinated with doses from two different vaccine manufacturers. Whether these are accepted depends on where you are sailing from and on the mix of manufacturers. “
Also read: How important a cruise vaccine could be in 2021
It also said: “The US CDC has clarified its position on mixed vaccination and has provided Royal Caribbean with updated guidelines. Currently, the CDC does not recognize a mixed combination of COVID-19 vaccines as fully vaccinated. In order to be recognized as fully vaccinated, guests must complete a series of vaccinations with products from the same manufacturer, with the last dose being given at least 14 days before their departure date. “
This message comes a day later Celebrity Cruises has also updated its vaccine requirements based on the guidance of the CDC. The cruise lines now state on their website: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have clarified their position on mixed vaccinations and have made updated guidelines available to Celebrity Cruises. For departures from the USA, the CDC will now recognize a mixed combination of mRNA-COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer / Moderna) as fully vaccinated. “
It is important to note that the changes only apply to US departures and guests should review all logs prior to their cruise vacation as details may vary depending on where ships depart.
