New Covid-19 Rules for Cruiser

Biden Administered on Thursday and announced a contagious COVID-19 testing requirement for passengers who are arriving in the U.S. from other countries. But travelers are exempted from the new rules.

As in the past, if the cruisers arrive by ship then they do not need to take the covid-19 test.

The new rule, which will take effect on Monday, Dec. 6, and that only apply to travelers flying into the U.S. In addition, travelers who are traveling from the ship or by car or any other vehicles at the border crossings with Mexico and Canada will be exempted from the rules.

Here you need to know all the details about the necessities

Starting on Monday, Dec. 6, it becomes compulsory for the traveler who is flying towards the U.S. for all the passengers, they must produce the covid-19 negative certificate. No matter whether they are vaccinated or not. The certificate must be taken within one calendar day of their departure.

This becomes mandatory for the passengers who include international visitors as well as U.S. citizens and residents returning home. This is an essential change from the current policy that allows a three-day window for fully vaccinated individuals who want to get a pre-travel COVID-19 test when they fly to the U.S.

The change comes just after the new variant omicron found in several countries. The new omicron variant of COVID-19 was deemed a “variant of concern” (the most severe category) by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Is it compulsory to take a COVID-19 test if we are entering the US by Cruise Ship?

No. after the announcement on Thursday, the testing requirements are only for those who are arriving in the U.S by airplane. A cruise ship will not be covered under the testing requirements to enter the country.

In other words, if you are traveling from the cruise to a U.S. port such as PortMiami to the international ports as Nassau in the Bahamas or Cozumel in Mexico, you won’t need a COVID-19 test before disembarking at the end of the voyage.

But that does not mean that the cruisers will not take any test or will not follow any covid-19 protocols in connection with such sailing. 

In keeping with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, cruise lines operating for the passengers out of U.S. ports currently are required to test negative for COVID-19 before boarding ships. Passengers need to take a test negative for COVID-19 before two or three days of arriving at a ship.

Also check: Travel Guide For Fully Vaccinated Individuals

If I plan the cruise out overseas then how does the new rule affect the trip?

In this case, the testing rule for cruisers is being modified.

Cruisers who are flying from the U.S. to catch a sailing in weather from Europe or South America will now need to take a COVID-19 test (and test negative) no more than one day when they fly back to their home by cruise. 

Till then, they have a three-day window before flying back home to take the test.

Most cruises have lined up the covid-19 test for the passengers when they are about to board the ship. And that is for free in some cruises or might be a modest fee in a day or two before the end of sailing. This means that cruisers have been able to get off the ships by doing some paperwork they need to fly home to the U.S. that same day.

What kind of COVID-19 test do I need to fly home if traveling from an overseas cruise?

As in the past, travelers who are entering the U.S. by airplane can show a negative result from either a PCR test or an antigen for COVID-19.

After discussing in recent days of the Biden Administration, requiring the more-involved PCR test. This is good news for cruisers who are worried about getting results of a COVID-19 test that takes a long time. But with antigen test results normally come back very fast.

Can I take the COVID-19 antigen test to return from an overseas cruise?

It may be so. But only supervised at-home tests will qualify. The CDC earlier stated that passengers could use only proctored at-home tests to meet the testing requirement for flights that are arriving in the U.S., and the new rule announced Thursday did not mention a change to this policy.

The at-home tests that have been allowed included the ​Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Home Test and Ellume’s COVID-19 Home Test for entering the U.S

Are there exceptions to the new COVID-19 testing rule?

Travelers who are traveling with kids of 2 years of age and younger are exempt from the new rule.