If you have a Disney Cruise Line sailing anytime beginning September 2, 2022 or after, you’ll want to be aware of a change that is being made for sailing. Beginning September 2, for sailings departing US and Canadian ports, Disney Cruise Line will require Guests ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing. Those who are 11 and under are not required to be vaccinated, however it is recommend.
Disney Cruise Line accepts the following vaccine types for Guests ages 5 and older: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (VeroCell), Sinovac-CoronaVac and Covavaxin (Bharat Biotech). For Guests ages 5 and older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines fully vaccinated as 14 days after receiving one of the following:
- A single dose of an accepted 1-dose vaccine.
- The second dose of an accepted 2-dose vaccine.
- The full series of an active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the US-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials.
- The second dose of any “mix and match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines (administered at least 17 days apart).
Disney Cruise Line accepts Pfizer and Moderna for Guests ages 4 and younger; Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV, VeroCell) for Guests ages 3 through 4; and Sinovac (CoronaVac) for Guests ages 6 months to 3 years old. For Guests ages 4 and younger, the CDC defines fully vaccinated as receiving one of the following:
- 3 doses of Pfizer: the second dose administered 21 days after the first; and the third dose administered 56 days after the second.
- 2 doses of Moderna: the second dose administered one month after the first.
- 2 doses of Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (VeroCell): the second dose administered 21-28 days after the first.
- 2 doses of Sinovac-CoronaVac: the second dose administered 14-28 days after the first.
Guests will still be required to test for COVID-19 prior to sailing must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken one to 2 days before setting sail. If you do not, you will need to test prior to embarkation at the terminal. It is recommended that you test prior to arrival and you’ll need to upload your results to the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day.
Tests must be completed using a proctored in-person or telehealth service and come with digital results that can be uploaded to the Safe Passage website. A nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) or PCR test also is acceptable. Guests can purchase COVID-19 tests through the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website. They can also purchase them on their own. Fully vaccinated Guests who upload their pre-trip test results to the Safe Passage website will not have to test at the port. Those who don’t upload their test results by midnight will be tested at the terminal prior to boarding the ship. They will be charged for the the test. Guests with confirmed positive test results, as well as those sharing the same stateroom, will not be able to board.
The cost of embarkation tests for fully vaccinated Guests will be $74.00 plus tax for the initial antigen test, and, if needed, $125.00 plus tax for a PCR test.
Guests who are not fully vaccinated must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken one to 3 days before the sail date. The test should be a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), a rapid PCR test or a lab-based PCR test. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted. This will be the first of 2 tests required for Guests not fully vaccinated; the second test will be conducted at the terminal on embarkation day. Guests who are not fully vaccinated are required to complete a COVID-19 test at the terminal prior to boarding on embarkation day (paid for by Disney Cruise Line).
In addition, in order to sail, all Guests (adults and children, regardless of age) must upload their proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results on the Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage website by midnight prior to embarkation day.
For those who have recently recovered from COVID-19, if you have tested positive within 11 to 90 days of your sail date, you may qualify to be considered as “90-Day-Recovered.” With the appropriate documentation and approval, Guests considered “90-Day-Recovered” are not required to participate in COVID-19 testing during the Pre-Sail, Embarkation or Debarkation phases of their voyage.
For the latest information about COVID-19 policies for cruising Disney Cruise Line, make sure you follow The Mouse For Less.
For more Disney news and trip planning advice, follow The Mouse For Less on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok.
