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What Happens If You Get COVID on a Cruise

Are you curious about what happens if you test positive for COVID while on a cruise ? During my last few cruises, it has certainly weighed on me and is not something I would want first-hand experience with. Fortunately for you, reader, my new cruise friends Fain and Laura ( Travel Spree ) documented their COVID experience after Laura tested positive on their recent cruise on the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas.

Getting COVID on Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas

So what exactly happens when you test positive for COVID on a cruise? I’ve broken down Travel Spree’s 23-minute video into chapters that will help answer any COVID cruise-related questions you might have. You can find the chapter list below the video.

COVID on Cruise Breakdown. What Happens Next?

• 0:37 – Tests positive for COVID-19 after feeling chest congestion
• 1:30 – Someone comes to move you to a different room and tests your travel companion
• 1:48 – Guests services takes pictures of your passport and vaccination cards, as well as provides general info on the process of COVID lockdown
• 2:26 – Fain explains the paperwork left by Guests Services that details what happens next
• 3:30 – A little unsure what is happening next since they still haven’t come to test Fain or move them to a new room yet
• 4:27 – Both get moved to the same room despite Fain not being tested for COVID
• 5:10 –  Crew helps Fain & Laura with their bags as they get moved to the COVID floor, aka. Quarantine floor, aka. the 3rd floor
• 5:24 –  They are escorted through the crew/freight elevator to avoid other guests
• 6:22 –  They arrive in their new room, which is not an inside room. There’s a window, king-size bed, TV, etc
• 6:38 –  They leave a disinfectant cleaner and red biohazard bags for all trash
• 7:55 –  Room service in the quarantine rooms seems to be entirely complimentary
• 10:00 – Their first room service order arrives individually wrapped
• 12:56 – The crew does a welfare check to make sure everyone is ok
• 14:10 –  The process begins for them to depart at Port Miami
• 14:35 –  The to-go breakfast arrives, and Fain shows what’s inside
• 15:50 –  Fain explains that if you have COVID on a cruise, you won’t be the first to depart
• 16:22 –  Something I’m sure Royal Caribbean doesn’t want anyone to see is the hallway full of contaminated bags from all the COVID cruisers on the 3rd floor
• 17:05 –  Those with COVID depart the ship from a different section of the boat
• 17:24 – The crew are dressed in protective gear when checking COVID passengers off the ship
• 18:08 – A car takes them to the car lot where they parked during the duration of their cruise
• 18:38 –  Reporting live from ‘COVID Hell,’ Laura shares her experience after testing positive on Symphony of the Seas

Huge thanks to Travel Spree for sharing their COVID cruise story with the world. Though unfortunate, these are the stories that will help push the cruise industry even further with safety. 

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Have Fun. Be Safe.

• Have Fun. Be Safe. Guidelines

Cruising with Carnival is easy! Vaccines and testing are not required for most U.S. and European departures.*

Guests sailing to and from Australia must visit the Australia Have Fun. Be Safe. page for protocols specific to those cruises.

VACCINATION & TESTING

Although vaccines are not required, we encourage all guests, 5 years of age and older, to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, when eligible, and carry proof of vaccination. Testing is not required for either vaccinated or unvaccinated guests. However, we encourage all guests, 5 years and older, to take a pre-cruise COVID-19 test within three days of their cruise.

*Carnival Luminosa - 9/14/2023: This Carnival Journeys Transpacific voyage will be calling on certain destinations (including Australia) which are still observing COVID-19 protocols. Below are more details regarding vaccination and testing requirements for this voyage:

• Guests, aged 12 years and older, must be fully vaccinated to sail. Additionally, we strongly recommend that guests get a booster, if eligible.
• All guests, aged two years and above, regardless of vaccination status, are required to take a self-administered Rapid-Antigen Test (RAT) within 24 hours of boarding or a PCR test within 48 hours prior to boarding. Evidence of a negative result is required to cruise.
• Vaccine exemptions are required for guests, aged 12 years and older, with medical conditions preventing vaccination. If you, or a member of your party, meet the criteria for a vaccine exemption, you may apply here .
• Full details regarding vaccination and testing requirements and FAQs are available on the Australia Have Fun. Be Safe. page .

DESTINATION REQUIREMENTS

We will continue to monitor the protocols and requirements of the destinations we visit and will update our guests directly and this page of any changes.

Have questions? Check out our Have Fun. Be Safe. FAQs for all sailings, except Carnival Luminosa’s 09/14/2023 voyage.

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Cruise Ship Travel

CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance has been updated. The content of this page will be updated soon.

While cruising is a popular way to travel, there are some health concerns to be aware of. Find out more about health issues on cruises and steps you can take to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

If you are feeling sick before your voyage, do not travel and ask your cruise line about rescheduling or reimbursement options. If you feel sick during your voyage, report your symptoms to the ship’s medical center and follow their recommendations.

Common Health Concerns During Cruise Travel and what You Can Do to Prevent Illness

• Respiratory illnesses like influenza , COVID-19 , and the common cold. Get your annual flu shot and get up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines . Check directly with your cruise line about their COVID-19 testing or vaccination protocols before travel. If you have a weakened immune system , talk with your healthcare provider about your cruise travel plans. Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer . When you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue to prevent spreading germs. Consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas.
• Norovirus. Symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, primarily caused by outbreaks of norovirus, have been reported. To prevent norovirus , wash your hands with soap and water before eating and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or touching things that other people have touched, such as stair railings. Avoid touching your face. For more information, visit CDC’s  Vessel Sanitation Program  website.
• Seasickness. Cruise ship passengers may experience seasickness or motion sickness. If you know you get seasick or think you may be likely to get seasick, talk to your healthcare provider about medicine to reduce your symptoms. Some common medications, including some antidepressants, painkillers, and birth control pills, can make seasickness worse.
• Sunburns. Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher when traveling. Protecting yourself from the sun isn’t just for tropical beaches—you can get a sunburn even if it’s cloudy or cold.
• Bug bites. On your trip, use insect repellent and take other steps to avoid bug bites. Bugs, including mosquitoes and ticks, can spread diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and Lyme. Many ships visit ports where these diseases are a concern.

Before Your Trip

Check CDC’s destination pages for travel health information . Check CDC’s webpage for your destination to see what vaccines or medicines you may need and what diseases or health risks are a concern at your destination.

Make sure you are up to date with all of your routine vaccines . Routine vaccinations protect you from infectious diseases  that can spread quickly in groups of people. Outbreaks of chickenpox, influenza, and COVID-19 have been reported on cruise ships.

Many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are not common in the United States but are still common in other countries. Crew members and fellow travelers often board a cruise ship from destinations where some diseases are more common than in the United States or where vaccination is not routine.

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider or a travel health specialist  that takes place at least one month before you leave. They can help you get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and information. Discussing your health concerns, itinerary, and planned activities with your provider allows them to give more specific advice and recommendations.

Plan for the Unexpected

Prepare for any unexpected issues during your cruise ship travels with the following steps:

Prepare a  travel health kit  with items you may need, especially those items that may be difficult to find at your destination. Include your prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines in your travel health kit and take enough to last your entire trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Depending on your destination you may also want to pack a mask ,  insect repellent , sunscreen (SPF15 or higher), aloe, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, water disinfection tablets, and your health insurance card.

Get travel insurance.  Find out if your health insurance covers medical care abroad. Travelers are usually responsible for paying hospital and other medical expenses out of pocket at most destinations. Make sure you have a plan to  get care overseas , in case you need it. Consider buying  additional insurance  that covers health care and emergency evacuation, especially if you will be traveling to remote areas.

If you need medical care abroad, see Getting Health Care During Travel .

After Travel

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare provider and tell them about your travel. Avoid contact with other people while you are sick.

More Information

• Cruise Ship Travel in CDC Yellow Book
• Information for Cruise Ship Travelers
• Maritime Guidance

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Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
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Creating the best cruise experience possible means prioritizing the well-being of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit. With the guidance of health officials around the globe and the counsel of our dedicated shoreside and shipboard medical teams, we continually update our health and safety protocols to align with global best practices.

If you’re currently booked on a cruise vacation with us and have provided an email address, you will be advised of the latest health and safety guidance leading up to departure. Be sure to update your guest account so that we may reach you.

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Our enhanced cleaning methods, sanitization protocols, and onboard medical center set a new industry standard for cruising healthy and safety. If you’d like to request additional personal protective equipment onboard while onboard, it’s available to you at guest services.

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Our high-quality onboard medical care offers state-of-the-art equipment and more doctors and nurses on each ship than ever before. In the event of a possible public health event onboard, we're fully prepared with medical evaluations, rapid testing, and critical care on each ship.

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To minimize potential health risks to our guests, our crew members, and the communities we visit, we meet with local officials, health authorities, and tour operators in each destination continually.

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