Carnival Cruise Line has up to date its pre-cruise testing protocols, particularly as they relate to sailings to The Bahamas.
This had brought about some confusion in current days, as different cruise traces haven’t required testing on shorter cruises with Bahamian ports of name, however Carnival nonetheless mandated assessments for all passengers, no matter vaccination standing or cruise size, if visiting The Bahamas.
No Testing Required for Some Passengers
In an replace to his Fb web page, Carnival Cruise Line model ambassador John Heald has shared a letter from Christine Duffy, president of the road. The letter has additionally been despatched to booked Carnival visitors and shared with journey companions.
“We’re happy to share that our COVID protocols proceed to evolve,” Duffy stated. “Efficient August 8, 2022, visitors ought to be guided by the next COVID-19 testing necessities associated to cruises visiting The Bahamas.”
On cruises 5 nights or much less, vaccinated passengers don’t have to current a pre-cruise COVID-19 check results of any sort. It is a change from the clarification Carnival Cruise Line offered simply three days in the past.
Unvaccinated passengers, nevertheless, should nonetheless present a unfavorable check consequence to be permitted to sail, even on shorter sailings. This can be both a supervised PCR or antigen check, and it could be taken as much as three days earlier than embarkation.
All visitors age 2 and older – no matter vaccination standing – should current a unfavorable check consequence for any Carnival cruise, to The Bahamas or every other vacation spot, if the crusing is 6 nights or longer.
As with all of Carnival’s well being and security protocols, these necessities can and certain will proceed to evolve, and the cruise line stays in touch with its vacation spot ports to make sure compliance with all native protocols.
“We stay, as all the time, dedicated to the well being and security of our visitors, crew and the communities we serve,” the message concludes.
Much less Confusion
This clarification is a welcome discover for visitors booked on upcoming brief sailings to The Bahamas.
Beforehand, Carnival Cruise Line did require testing for all passengers visiting the favored island nation, regardless of The Bahamas having no mandate for vacationers to current unfavorable check outcomes upon coming into the nation. That requirement was led to The Bahamas on June 19, 2022.
As different cruise traces have ended their very own testing mandates for shorter sailings, no different cruise line has continued to require testing for sailings to The Bahamas, in keeping with the nation’s personal well being and security protocols.
The Bahamas is a very fashionable Caribbean vacation spot for shorter cruises from a number of Florida homeports, with ports of name in Nassau, Freeport, and Bimini. A number of cruise traces even have leased Bahamian islands for their very own personal resorts, together with Royal Caribbean Worldwide’s Excellent Day at CocoCay, Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Nice Stirrup Cay.
Carnival Cruise Line and different traces within the Carnival household use Half Moon Cay as a personal vacation spot in The Bahamas, in addition to Princess Cays.
Personal islands had been by no means exempt from The Bahamas protocols, however as of June 19, there was no testing mandate to go to these tropical locations.
It have to be famous, nevertheless, that the Journey Necessities webpage for The Bahamas, does state, very clearly, “These protocols are topic to vary at any time in response to new COVID-19 measures.”
Ought to the island nation select to reinstate testing necessities for guests, cruise traces may also have to change their protocols to have the ability to proceed visiting Bahamian ports of name.
As this case stays ever fluid, cruise passengers ought to keep in shut contact with their cruise line about all up to date protocols and necessities for upcoming sailings.
