by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:57 PM ET, Wed June 23, 2021
Celebrity Cruises has revealed changes to its COVID-19 vaccine policies to ensure the company follows Florida's rules against asking for proof of vaccination.
As first reported by Travel Weekly, Celebrity now recommends all passengers 16 years and older scheduled to sail on voyages from Florida should be vaccinated against coronavirus, but will not require proof of inoculation.
Passengers who choose not to show proof before boarding a ship in Florida "will be treated as unvaccinated and subject to additional protocols, restrictions, and costs for COVID-19 testing."
The cruise line requires that all crew members and passengers 16 years and older on voyages departing from non-Florida ports must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before the scheduled sailings.
By updating its vaccine policy, Celebrity can still maintain the 95 percent threshold of fully vaccinated passengers and crew members mandated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while also avoiding any repercussions from officials in Florida.
Celebrity's official website said unvaccinated travelers would be required to take four total COVID-19 tests-one PCR and three antigen-before, during and at the end of each sailing, with a cost of $178 per person.
While vaccinated passengers will not have to wear masks on the ships, those who have not been inoculated will be required to wear masks at all times unless they're eating or drinking. Unvaccinated travelers may also be restricted from shore excursions due to local requirements.
Celebrity previously announced it would homeport two ships in Port Everglades, with Celebrity Edge setting sail on June 26 and Celebrity Equinox on July 25.
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