Disney has announced that on or after January 13, 2022, all guests aged 5 and over must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to sail on a Disney Cruise.
Here is the announcement that was placed on the Disney Cruise Line site:
Currently, Disney Cruise Line continues to require all vaccine-eligible Guests (based on US eligibility requirements) to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at the time of sailing. This will be a requirement for all Guests (US and international) ages 5 and up for sailings beginning on or after January 13, 2022. Guests who are not vaccine-eligible because of age must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (paid for by the Guest) taken between 3 days and 24 hours before their sail date. Guests ages 5 through 11 may complete this testing requirement in lieu of being fully vaccinated for sailings that depart before January 13, 2022. Guests 4 years of age and under must complete the testing requirements. The test should be a NAAT test, rapid PCR test or lab-based PCR test. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted.
Following the CDC approval of vaccines for the 5 to 12 age group, Disney Cruise Lines has decided to change their policy for all sailings from January 13, 2022.
What if You Are Not Vaccine Eligible?
For the under 5’s and any other category which fulfils the requirement of not being vaccine eligible they must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (paid for by the Guest) taken between 3 days and 24 hours before their sail date.
Guests ages 5 through 11 may complete this testing requirement in lieu of being fully vaccinated for sailings that depart before January 13, 2022. Guests 4 years of age and under must complete the testing requirements.
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What Kind of Covid Test Does Disney Cruises Accept?
The test should be a NAAT test, rapid PCR test or lab-based PCR test. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted.
Disney Cruise Line has secured a special rate of $98.33 per PCR test (which includes a 3.5% processing fee) through our third-party vendor, Inspire Diagnostics.
Guests may also obtain their test from any independent testing supplier. Learn more about Pre-Trip Testing options available from Inspire Diagnostics by visiting Before Leaving Home: Know Before You Go.
All Guests, regardless of age and vaccination status, are required to take a COVID-19 test (paid for by Disney Cruise Line and administered by Inspire Diagnostics) at the terminal before boarding.
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What is the Definition of Fully Vaccinated?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines fully vaccinated as 14 days after receiving:
- a single-dose of an accepted 1-dose vaccine
- the second dose of an accepted 2-dose vaccine
- the full series of an active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials
- the second dose of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines (administered at least 17 days apart)
Disney Cruise Lines accepts the following vaccine types: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Remember that everyone aged 5 and over will need to comply with this if they are aged 5 and over for sailings from January 13, 2022 onwards.
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Inspire Diagnostics Safe Passage Website
All Disney Cruise guests, whatever their age, must upload their proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results on the Safe Passage website by Inspire Diagnostics.
A parent or legal guardian will need to use their own account to provide this information on behalf of minors. To learn more about how to provide proof of your negative COVID-19 test result, please visit Before Leaving Home: Know Before You Go.
After appropriate documents have been uploaded and reviewed by Inspire, Guests should see the words “Clear to Arrive” in the Pre-Sail Screening section when they log into their account before arriving at the port.
Disney Cruise Embarkation COVID-19 Testing
All guests, no matter what their age, or vaccination status, have to take a COVID-19 test at the terminal before boarding.
Guests will not be charged for this as it is paid for by Disney Cruise Line and administered by Inspire Diagnostics
This will be the second of two COVID-19 PCR tests required for unvaccinated Guests.
Guests with positive COVID-19 test results—as well as those sharing the same stateroom and their close contacts—will be denied boarding.
Debarkation Day COVID-19 Antigen Testing on Disney Cruise Lines
All unvaccinated Guests on 5-night and longer sailings are required to take a COVID-19 antigen test (paid for by Disney Cruise Line) on the ship the day before debarking.
What if You Want to Cancel Your Disney Cruise?
Guests sailing on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy through May 30, Disney Magic through May 8, and Disney Wonder through April 17, 2022, may modify their sail date or cancel their sailing without any Disney-imposed cancellation fees by contacting their travel agent by December 1, 2021.
Please note that cancellation fees imposed by third-party suppliers, including airlines, as well as travel insurance, are not refundable. Refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment.
Standard cancellation policies and terms and conditions apply for any cancellation or modification requests received on or after December 2, 2021.
Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando. In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.