Norwegian Cruise Line Brands Will Require Vaccinations ‘Indefinitely’

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) brands—Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises—will continue to require passengers to be vaccinated “indefinitely.”

That’s according to a statement from CEO Frank Del Rio, who spoke this week on the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

Del Rio, when asked about the eventual relaxing of the CDC’s Conditional Sail Order in January, and whether or not Norwegian has plans to relax its vaccine made in order to better fill its ships, responded:

“We’re going to announce very, very soon that we have indefinitely extended our 100% vaccination requirement,” he said. “I think that today that continues to be a competitive advantage to our three brands.”

“I think our three brands emerge from this COVID crisis in much better standing in the consumer’s eye because of our strong early stands on health and safety, vaccinations. It’s something we want to build on.”

Del Rio said he believes, after the CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccination for children 5 to 11 this week, that the tendency for NCLH guests, and cruise guests in general, to be more vaccinated than the public will continue.

“We’re not going to sacrifice the health and safety of anyone for the sake of adding a point or two or three or whatever the number is to load. So we will continue mandating a 100% vaccination as long as the science dictates that that’s what we ought to do,” he said.

NCLH first announced the vaccination requirement in April and then extended it to the end of the year in August. All three of its cruise lines have been operating with the requirement in place since their post-COVID restart.

Norwegian most recently continued its “Great Cruise Comeback” with Bliss from Los Angeles. Norwegian executives have not been shy about how crucial the vaccination requirement is for the success of its comeback.

“If you don’t have a vaccine, you are not stepping foot onboard a Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ship. Period. No exceptions.”

Norwegian expects to have 17 ships in the water and in service by the end of the year, which would be 75% of its total capacity. The expectation is that its full fleet will be operating sometime around the start of the second quarter of next year.

Executives also said that they expect a ramp-up of demand toward the holiday season, with marketing investments for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Wave Seasons driving consumers.