Carnival will permit unmonitored self-tests for unvaxxed guests on select sailings

The easing of COVID-19 protocols continues to ripple through the cruise industry, and Carnival Cruise Line is the latest brand to loosen their rules.

Carnival on Wednesday (Aug. 24) updated to its pre-cruise testing protocols for unvaccinated guests for voyages departing Sept. 6, 2022, and later.

“These changes are consistent with what local destinations have advised will be acceptable for arriving cruise guests, and Carnival will continue to work closely with local destinations to protect the health of its guests, crew and the communities the cruise line visits,” the company said in a statement.

Self-testing is accepted

In addition to lab administered tests, self-testing is now accepted for unvaccinated guests on cruises 15 nights and shorter.

Certain destinations do not accept unsupervised pre-cruise self-testing, including Bermuda, Canada, Greece, and Spain, the company noted.

“If used for visiting these destinations, self-testing must be supervised by a medical professional,” the company said.

Regardless of the type of test taken, unvaccinated guests will be required to present their negative test results via VeriFLY or as part of the embarkation process.

Additionally, travel insurance is no longer a requirement for unvaccinated guests unless it is required by a destination, such as Bermuda.

Irrespective of vaccination status, travel insurance is required for all guests visiting Fiji.

Details on guidelines for submitting proof of testing and other COVID-related protocols are available on Carnival’s Have Fun. Be Safe. webpage.

The changes come following the U.S. CDC ending its Cruise Ship COVID-19 program.

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