Cruise & Cruise Line

Atlas Ocean Voyages To Require COVID-19 Vaccination

Image: World Navigator. (photo via Atlas Ocean Voyages)
Image: World Navigator. (photo via Atlas Ocean Voyages)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 5:27 PM ET, Thu August 26, 2021

Atlas Ocean Voyages has announced that it will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for all guests, beginning with World Navigator's October 4, 2021, sailing from Europe to the Caribbean.

The change to the company's mandatory vaccination requirement is hardly unexpected as destinations are constantly updating their COVID-19 protocols and procedures, prompting cruise lines to adjust their policies in response.

Atlas said it aims to ensure an uninterrupted and safe guest experience, meaning that all guests will need to present a valid certificate proving that they have been fully vaccinated against the virus at least 14 days prior to embarkation.

For all voyages, Atlas will also administer a mandatory COVID-19 antigen test at embarkation and require guests to provide a valid negative result from a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours earlier or a valid negative result from an antigen test taken up to 48 hours prior to embarkation.

"The safety and health of guests and crew remain Atlas Ocean Voyages' top priority. All Atlas shipboard staff and crew members are vaccinated, and the cruise brand continues to monitor the ever-changing international travel requirements and will adjust its health and safety protocols as appropriate," the company said in a statement Thursday.

World Navigator's 13-day October 4 sailing is slated to travel from Lisbon, Portugal to Bridgetown, Barbados, with stops in the Canary Islands and Saint Lucia.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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