Walt Disney Co's cruise division has said that it will require vaccination proof from all passengers above the age of 12 travelling from Florida to the Bahamas, as the COVID-19 Delta variant sweeps across the United States.
For sailings beginning September 3, travellers under the age of 12 will have to provide a negative COVID-19 test, the cruise operator said in a blog. It also plans to cancel the September 4 "Disney Fantasy" sailing.
Disney's cruise line had earlier said that it did not insist on vaccinations, but the change in stance comes after the US health regulator asked people at a high risk of severe COVID-19 illness to avoid cruises irrespective of vaccination status.
The Bahamas, which is a major hub for cruises, has also said that it will not allow those ships to dock in the country unless all passengers 12 and older provide proof of vaccination.
Carnival Corp's namesake cruise line said on Sunday August 22 that it requires vaccination proof for all passengers aged 12 and above.
Carnival's Diamond Princess Cruise Ship Delays Return To Sailing
The Diamond Princess cruise ship, which became one of the earliest hotbeds for COVID-19 infections when the pandemic broke out last year, will delay its return to sailing to spring of 2022, vessel operator Princess Cruises has said.
Carnival Corp-owned Princess Cruises said that it has cancelled the ship's planned fall cruise in South America that was meant to mark its return to service. It also cancelled the ship's Antarctica voyage that was set for spring next year.
The ship will now instead return next year for a season of sailings in Japan, the country where it was stranded in last year following hundreds of infections on board. At the time, the ship had the biggest concentration of cases outside China.
Carnival did not respond to a request for comment on the reason for the delay in the resumption of cruises by the Diamond Princess.
A passenger on one of the company's cruise ships, the Carnival Vista, died earlier this month after testing positive for COVID-19.
Princess Cruises, which restarted sailing last month, also delayed the return of service for its Island Princess cruise ship.
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