Royal Caribbean: Guests Have to Show Proof of Vaccination, Unvaccinated to Pay for Testing

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in this 2009 file photo. Josh Ritchie/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, File

The Royal Caribbean cruise line says unvaccinated passengers will have to pay testing fees and be subject to various restrictions for sailings departing from Miami, even as Florida Gov. Ron De Santis has banned companies from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccinations through an executive order.

The company said in a statement that passengers will be asked for their vaccination documentation at check-in, and anyone age 2 and above who is unvaccinated will be required to go through “multiple COVID-19 tests,” which would be priced at $136 per person. Testing for guests between the ages of 2 and 15 will be complimentary.

“We strongly recommend all guests 16 and older be fully vaccinated. To be considered fully vaccinated, the final dose of the vaccine must be completed at least 14 days before sailing,” the statement reads. “Those who are 16 and older and do not have or are unable to provide documentation will be considered unvaccinated.”

Passengers can provide a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccination Record Card as an example of vaccination proof.

Royal Caribbean then states that people who are unvaccinated must undergo “additional COVID-19 testing at their own expense,” and have to go through restrictions based on CDC recommendations, adding that anyone who disagrees with the protocols can be issued a refund.

The cruise line’s new guidelines follow after a federal judge struck down the CDC’s “no sail order,” which effectively means the agency can’t require that all cruise passengers be vaccinated.

“Since the majority of our guests will be vaccinated on Freedom of the Seas, there will be venues and events restricted to vaccinated guests only. We’ll do our best to create opportunities for all guests to enjoy their time with us. Please note, your SeaPass card will be required to access lounges, shows, and dining venues, so keep it handy at all times during your cruise,” the company said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gives a thumbs-up as he leaves a press conference where he spoke about the cruise industry at Port Miami, on April 8, 2021. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Some venues will only grant access to vaccinated passengers, where people who have taken the shot won’t be required to wear a mask.

Masks won’t be required for children under the age of 2.

DeSantis’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.