Choosing between not allowing guests that have not been vaccinated or finding some alternative arrangement was never going to be an easy task for Carnival Cruise Line. That is why the cruise line has decided to take a similar approach as Royal Caribbean did just weeks ago.
Carnival Cruise Line will be adding a lump sum to guests’ accounts for testing during and towards the end of the voyage. This was made clear by brand ambassador John Heald.
Testing Requirement for Unvaccinted
The cruise line was never going to make everyone happy, and to be sure that everyone on board stays safe and healthy, Carnival now requires testing for unvaccinated guests. This comes on top of the travel insurance that Carnival already added last week. The cruise line stated the following last week on its website:
“Each unvaccinated guest must provide proof of a valid travel insurance policy at the time of check-in that has a minimum of $10,000, per person, in medical expense coverage and $30,000 coverage for emergency medical evacuation and without COVID-19 exclusions. Guests without the required proof of insurance will not be permitted to sail and no refund will be provided.”
All guests not vaccinated, including children, will need to be tested onboard. Carnival will add $150 per person to guests’ accounts. This testing does not include the mandatory negative test result that guests have to show before boarding the ship but is for a test during and towards the end of the cruise.
For a family of four that have not been vaccinated but did get permission to sail, it will cost $600. A sum which John Heald understands is not a small amount of money to hand over:
“We know that this puts an expense on the cruise that you probably didn’t account for when you booked the cruise, but we have to keep everybody safe. I want to apologize as a father, and also as brand ambassador for the $150 dollar per person charge for the tests. We have to keep you safe, we have to keep everybody else safe, and we have to do this right.”
Although the charge will not be welcome, the thinking is likely that relatively few people will be affected. Carnival is sailing under CDC rules that state that at least 95% of the guests need to be vaccinated on board; otherwise, the ship will not sail.
Carnival Cruise Line is Extra Cautious During These Times
With two vessels already sailing, Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon concluded their first trips this week, Carnival Breeze sailing in a few days, and Mardi Gras and Carnival Miracle sailing in just a few weeks, Carnival Cruise Line is doing its utmost to make sure all goes well. And with two successful first cruises post-pandemic under the belt, the cruise line is doing exactly that.
However, even the slightest COVID-related issue could spell a media nightmare for the company. Not surprising then to see that the cruise line is implementing measures to ensure COVID-19 does not make an appearance on board.
The updated policies from the cruise line do keep the door open for those that want to sail but have not been vaccinated yet, even if it does come at significant additional costs.
