Disney Cruise Line Lifts Vaccination Requirements For Children 5-11 Years Old

Illustration of a Disney Cruise Line cruise ship. (Wikimedia Commons/ajmexico)

JAKARTA - Cruise line Disney Cruise Line said earlier this week it was lifting the vaccination requirement for children under 12 years old.

Starting September 2, the requirement to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer apply to prospective passengers aged 5 to 11, for cruises leaving US and Canadian ports.

The previous cruise line rules, which still apply to cruises departing until September 1, required passengers aged 5 years and over to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Previously, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the COVID-19 vaccination for children up to 6 months of age.

With the change, the vaccination requirements will still apply to all guests aged 12 years and over. The cruise company noted that vaccinations are recommended for younger travelers.

"Taking into account CDC guidelines, Disney Cruise Line strongly recommends that Guests 11 years of age and under are fully vaccinated prior to sailing," the Disney Cruise Line website reads, launching CNN Travel Aug. 16.

However, COVID-19 testing is required for all guests, with different requirements for vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers.

Fully vaccinated passengers who give a negative COVID-19 test result taken one to two days before sailing, are exempt from testing at the cruise port.

Meanwhile, prospective passengers who are fully vaccinated but do not give the required negative test results are required to take a test at the cruise port and will be charged for the test.

As for prospective passengers who have not been fully vaccinated, they must give a negative test result before travel and have a second test at the port before departure which is paid for by Disney.

CNN Travel has contacted Disney Cruise Line for comment on the revised policy.

Disney is not the only cruise line to relax COVID-19 rules, with some cruise companies going further in easing protocols.

Starting September 5, Royal Caribbean will allow all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, to sail from several US ports as well as European homeports.

Celebrity Cruises has also announced plans to ease vaccination requirements on cruises from some ports starting September 5.

And, Carnival Cruise Line has plans to allow unvaccinated guests to sail on most cruises starting September 6.