Carnival Cruise Line Will Now Require Masks for All Guests, Regardless of Vaccination Status

Carnival Cruise line this week revealed a change in policy for all guests embarking on sailings its brands starting on Aug. 7.

Starting on Sunday, all guests on Carnival cruises will be required to wear facemasks in indoor areas onboard ships whether or not they are vaccinated.

The policy, which right now is set to expire in October, will impact guests when they are in elevators, at indoor entertainment venues, in retail shops, in the casino except when eating or drinking, and in other areas onboard where social distancing isn’t possible or where guests tend to congregate.

Carnival Cruise Line, in the announcement, said that the decision was made to match the lead of “similar sectors and venues” including Las Vegas casino, Disney theme parks, and Broadway theatres.

“These new requirements are being implemented to support their efforts to protect public health and safety,” Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line said.

“We expect these requirements will be temporary and appreciate the cooperation of our guests. Our first month of guest operations has been met with tremendous enthusiasm and very positive guest feedback, and we are committed to continue our restart with both fun and safety in mind.”

In addition to the mask update, Carnival Corp. brands will also be adding another new requirement for guests—a pre-cruise COVID-19 test. Starting on Aug. 14, a week after the mask policy, all guests will have to get tested within 72-hours of departure and show proof of negative test upon boarding. That requirement will be in place for Carnival Cruise Line, Princess, and Holland America. 

The cruise lines will also continue to operate with vaccinated passengers, as defined by the CDC, only. While most of guests onboard are expected to be vaccinated, the 5% or so that aren’t will have to continue to follow previous requirements including pre-cruise PCR testing, testing prior to boarding at the terminal (not a requirement for vaccinated guests), and testing within 24 hours of debarkation on cruises five days or longer.

Those testing requirements will also cost unvaccinated guests an additional $150 for those screening costs. Those unvaccinated guests on cruises leaving out of either Florida or Texas will also need to provide proof of travel insurance.