Federal Government confirms cruise vaccination review

The Federal Government has confirmed it is reviewing conflicting cruise vaccination protocols, raising the hopes of thousands of unvaccinated cruisers that they may, at last, be allowed back on ships.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee should announce its vaccine mandate review within the week – just in time for the new cruise season, which kicks off in September.

After that, the Federal Government will make its recommendation, with the states expected will follow.

Cruise Passenger has been leading reporting of the debate, which has divided cruise passengers. It is believed to affect families travelling with children and teenagers, who at the time, were ineligible to be vaccinated.

Current regulations

Currently, the Federal Government has no vaccination mandates in place for cruises. But NSW, Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland abide by the Eastern Seaboard Protocols based on advice from the federal Communicable Disease Network Australia.

In a letter seen by Cruise Passenger, Shenuka Wraight, Director of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet confirmed the review to Tamworth state MP, Kevin Anderson.

Wraight wrote: “The Eastern Seaboard and Western Australia Cruise Protocols, together with the Communicable Disease Network Australia National Guidelines for Cruising, provide a framework to support the cruise industry in managing Covid-19 risks. 

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The letter to State MP Kevin Anderson.

“The CDNA is currently undertaking a holistic review of the guidelines, with a view to finalising this work prior to the start of the next summer cruising season.” 

Wraight’s advice of a review, now confirmed by Cruise Passenger with the Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care, is highly significant, given government bodies have so far remained silent on any changes to the rules.

Cruisers have been vocal about wanting to end vaccine mandates.

In a poll on a Royal Caribbean Facebook group, of 768 people asked, three-quarters of the respondents said they wanted to allow everyone to cruise. The remaining quarter said they wanted to keep the rules in place.

The current situation

Currently, the Federal Government has no vaccination mandates for cruises, but NSW, Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland abide by the Eastern Seaboard Protocols. They were based on advice from the CDNA, which falls under the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care. 

The Department of Health and Aged Care confirmed the current review.

“The CDNA National Guidelines for Cruising in Australia are being reviewed ahead of the next cruising season.

“State and territory governments are responsible for The Eastern Seaboard and Western Australian Cruise Protocols.”

Essentially, while the states set their own rules, they remain informed by Federal health advice.

Current CDNA guidelines state: “At a minimum, the cruise operator should ensure that at least 95% of passengers aged 12 years and over are ‘fully vaccinated’.”

If this recommendation changes, then it’s likely Australians will no longer need the jab to cruise.

Australia remains one of the few global destinations still enforcing vaccination mandates. Viking Cruises has announced they will be lifting vaccination requirements (where not enforced by the government) on November 1, 2023. This marks the last major cruise line to uphold any vaccination requirements after the countries they’re sailing in have dropped them. 

Generally, lines have not just dropped vaccination requirements when able but also removed testing and mask requirements. 

Cruise Passenger is awaiting official comment from the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

cruise vaccination rules could be about to change
Many families with unvaccinated children are awaiting the review results.

What could change after the review? 

  • The vaccination requirement that all passengers 12 and older must be ‘fully vaccinated’ to board a cruise ship 
  • That is all crew must be vaccinated 
  • The requirement for pre-cruise healthy screenings 
  • The requirement that symptomatic passengers on the day of boarding must be referred for extra medical assessment 
  • The requirement for symptomatic passengers to return a negative PCR test before boarding
  • The requirement for a pre-cruise PCR or RAT test
  • The requirement for the crew to test every 14-days or when showing symptoms 
  • The requirement for cruise lines to provide free initial medical assessments for respiratory symptoms 
  • The requirement to isolate for five days following a positive Covid test result 
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Will the government change isolation rules?

What are people saying? 

Many cruisers are nervously awaiting the results of the review. Including those who have cruises booked despite not being vaccinated and those with younger children who aren’t vaccinated. 

Ben Vee wrote on one forum: “We are due to pay our cruise balance by the end of September, and I’m not confident they’ll decide before that time.

“We’re in limbo at the moment. We’re really looking forward to the cruise, but if we have to cancel that’s around $4800 we’re not going to pay.”

Kylie Barnfield said her daughter is just about to turn 12, the current age cut-off for vaccination requirements. But she does not want to vaccinate her daughter just for a cruise. 

“My daughter turns 12 in January and she’s had Covid twice. I’m choosing not to vaccinate her but would love to take her on another cruise. 

“Very frustrating and ridiculous.”

For more information on cruise vaccination rules, click here.

30 thoughts on “Federal Government confirms cruise vaccination review”

  1. Just a note: It’s the State Government that sets the Covid protocols, based on Federal Government department advice, not the cruise lines.

  2. Very sad. Booked, paid and cancelled my dream cruise with Cunard.
    They want 02 vaccinations+Booster for all voyages leaving Sydney.

    No more boosters to cruise.

    Shall await the reviews

  3. I think the RAT test is now OTT. Perhaps anyone who has cold or flu symptoms at embarkation should be tested, but the vast majority of responsible people shouldn’t have to be tested. I agree that the nature of cruise ships is there are many people who will be close together for an extended period of time, but so are crowded buses and trains and restrictions have been lifted there.
    I for one will be wearing a mask in crowded areas and sanitising hands, but that is my choice. I am fully vaccinated BTW.

  4. The below is a email that I received from the Queensland Government DLO department yesterday (2102023). I have even rang and they have confirmed on the phone that all requirement for queenslanders to be vaccinated was revoked on 31st of October 2022. Carnival Cruises have told me that they are only doing what the government has told them they have to do. The below tells a different story.Someone is lying to us.

    I am advised that the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA) developed a set of nationally consistent principles for cruising in Australia (the Guidelines). The principles in these Guidelines were adapted into the Eastern Seaboard and Western Australian Cruise Protocols (the Protocols), which were designed to support the resumption of cruising in Australia in 2022. The Guidelines and Protocols, including passenger COVID-19 vaccination requirements, are currently under a national review to ensure they are consistent with how COVID-19 is now being managed in the community.

    The declared COVID-19 public health emergency in Queensland ended on 31 October 2022, when all remaining public health directions were revoked. Compliance with this Protocol by the cruise industry is therefore voluntary.

  5. The testing and vax requirements should be dropped now that the virus is understood more, obviously covid will continue to go around but it’s up to our own personal responsibility to look after our health. Take your boosters if you want, mask if you want, if you think the risk is high then don’t go. Simple.
    I’m not getting any more jabs and if they try making it required for cruising I know a heck of a lot of us will simply spend our money elsewhere.

  6. It’s past time to drop the Covid vaccination and testing requirements. Travel needs to get back to pre-Covid without all the hassles and requirements.

  7. I think the vaccinated should be banned instead for a while and let’s see how outbreaks go. My guess is there wouldn’t be any except within the crew who are all vaccinated too.
    The vaccinated are incubating the virus mutations with their waning immunity and should stay home where they are safe.
    Particularly the ones like Sean who are whining and moaning that teenagers aren’t ‘bothering to get vaccinated’ for a cold.
    Can’t wait to get on board and spread all the covid around.

  8. I cannot believe that it has taken the government this long to review the vaccine.

    I have been ready to go on a cruise and spend over $8000 but have not been able to because of this ridiculous mandate.

    I am healthy and do not need any vaccine as my immune system can handle the fight like it should

    I and everyone I know that has not had the vaccine will never be a threat to the community. This was just implied as a threat in order to scare people to get the vaccine.

    Unfortunately some had no choice and I feel sorry for those who jobs were threaten because of this.

    I hope this decision is resolved soon so I can start enjoying more holidays without being interrogated.

  9. Maintain the full vaccination requirements.

    Cruise ships have, on multiple occasions, proven to be incubators for COVID 19 spread.

    If you can’t be bothered to get vaccinated to keep yourself or others safe onboard – then don’t cruise – just camp by the beach and watch the rest of us sail on by.

    Maximum sympathies to those, who, for medical reasons, can’t get vaccinated.

    But the anti-jabbers can remain as permanent land lubbers until they see sense.

    Next time I cruise – I want to know that all aboard are FULLY vaccinated and tested – no exceptions.

    Enjoy your cruise!

  10. People like Lyndall and Stephen need to understand that the vaccine has been proven completely ineffective and unsafe (even though the gov keep pushing). Unless they have had at least 5 shots or just recovered from covid they are not “up to date” anyway. The unvaxxed are no threat to the health of others – that’s a well disproven fallacy. Let’s lift this discriminatory rule and bring back the freedoms of workers and passengers.

  11. Lyndall Johnson,it’s actually the vaccinated who are spreading covid, not the unvaccinated. The unvaccinated have acquired natural immunity long ago, where as the vaccinated (studies now show) have literally destroyed their immune systems after the second and third dose. And because you have not allowed a 99.97% survivable virus to just come and go naturally, you bought into the fear campaign and now need a jab every 6-12 months to stave off covid. The unvaccinated have never been a threat to the vaccinated.

  12. Take away the mandates all together. They are outdated and discriminatory. If they keep the mandates they should make everyone get up to date with booster every 3 months. I would like to see how long that would last.

  13. I did not realise this was affecting families cruising until we booked for a Christmas holiday. Our grandchildren were not able to book. We instead spent our $12,000 on a houseboat and everyone can join us. Would have liked to be doing it on board a ship with staff doing the cooking etc, but that will have to wait until we can all cruise together.
    Kelly Roberts.

  14. The current situation is ridiculous. We’ve cruised many times on different cruise lines since July last year (mostly in Australia). We’ve done all the (minimum) vaccinations and followed testing requirements, yet you can fly overseas and catch the same cruise lines with no vaccination, testing, or masks (masks which seem to be only a P&O and Princess obsession, and having your nose stick out is fine!). After just getting back from Europe and Thailand where there isn’t even a mention of Covid-19 Australia and NZ still seem to be obsessed by it (I personally think it’s almost a mental illness now).

  15. I have been fully vaccinated and I have had covid 3 times after being vaccinated. My daughter has not been vaccinated and has never had covid. I will be glad when every person wanting to cruise is able to do so if they choose not be be vaccinated. The immunisation is more of a risk and has caused many complications with some people. People are being forced to be vaccinated and that is taking away their rights. There are more cases of gastric on board cruise ships than there is covid. Bring on the no vacs so families can travel again.

  16. Many people who want to take their children on a cruise are finding they need to vaccinate their 12 year olds. This seems ridiculous now especially since many of them have already caught it at school. I vote for removal of all requirements.

  17. Oh thank god! I am not alone in thinking the test, test test of healthy people is OTT!
    Did we test for the flu without symptoms prior to 2020? No! If you’re sick stay home, if not then there is no reason to constantly test for a virus.
    The govt keeps harping on about treating covid ‘like the flu’ but then keeps all these leftover pandemic guidelines in for months after it’s all supposedly over.
    Everyone who was going to get vaccinated did, anyone who didn’t obviously is not getting any sicker than the rest of us, so IMO, let them back to cruising.

  18. We also have a cruise booked at the end of September. We can’t legally go if they don’t change it before that. It does seem pretty silly to keep the vax mandate when we can fly and cruise from NZ.

    I actually feel bad for those who think it’s safer if everyone is vaccinated, this is not something like polio that we can get herd immunity on from vaccines…
    It’s more like the flu.
    If you had yours, you should be as safe as you can be, right?… and the virus is circulating through people whether or not they had vaccinations.

  19. About time. As others have said, our kids are being excluded which stops many of us families from being able to cruise. There is no more danger from a teenager or young adult without a vax than an adult who had a couple of vax in 2021, which is the requirements (no boosters needed!)
    Hopefully they make the change to allow everyone on again sooner rather than later. The few who are scared should stay home if they are really that worried.

  20. Stephen, you are the minority.
    Unfortunately some of you in that minority have been scared by the media so much that you would rather catch covid from someone vaccinated than someone who has recovered from an infection. Read that again.
    Most people now realise this vaccine requirement is outdated.

  21. It makes me so angry that these ridiculous mandates are in place. To the people who STILL believe that the vaccines prevent or minimise the impact of COVID must be living under some kind of rock. It’s been proven (and duly noted) in high courts that these vaccines HAVE never been effective, nor safe!

  22. An interesting article about vaccinations. We are cruising next March we are all vaccinated but it would be nice not to have to do any pre testing or masks.

  23. So someone vaccinated 2-3 years ago can cruise although the vaccine was only good for 3-6 months according to Governments Health Depts. In fact they are not vaccinated along with the unvaccinated. Govts say the ‘cruise industry’ support these mandated but I cannot find out the name of the cruise industry responsible. Is this a lie by Govt. One can only wonder! Furthermore if there was an outbreak of covid previously, it was ONLY the vaccinated who spread it. Time to stop this rot and give the unvaccinated back their FREEDOM.

  24. The story quotes passengers as being vocal in wanting the mandate lifted. This is the view of the minority who choose to not vaccinate and risk the health of other passengers. I will not cruise if the mandate is lifted.

  25. Unfortunately this will affect those who may want to cruise, but because of health issues and the danger of catching Covid on board with such a loosening of restrictions means many of us will not now take the risk!

  26. Its way overdue for the blatant discrimination to end, as the actual evidence from large peer reviewed studies have been showing for most of 2023 that the unvaccinated are NO risk, and actually are less likely to get covid again, as the more boosters one has the more often they get infected.

    And other studies have shown that immunity from a previous infection with COVID is robust and long lasting, which the vaccines seem to hamper.

  27. Dropping of the vaccination requirements would be a great outcome, as there are no medical grounds upon which to retain them

  28. About time! It’s not a vaccination review, it’s a discrimination review!
    My family and I would have done 4 or 5 cruises by now.
    I’m still saddened that we’ve been treated like this.

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