by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:14 PM ET, Fri September 30, 2022
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier this week that the country would end coronavirus-related vaccination, testing and quarantine requirements for international travelers, beginning on October 1.
As part of the changes, the government revealed Canada would also lift pre-departure testing and vaccination mandates for the cruise industry, as well as removing mask requirements from public forms of transportation, including on ships, airplanes and trains.
Princess Cruises was the first cruise line to announce it would welcome all guests on cruises visiting, arriving or departing from Canadian ports, including its Canada/New England voyages and Alaska sailings.
All of Princess' Alaska cruises feature Canada as part of the itinerary.
"We applaud these decisions by Transport Canada to make visiting the country easier and more convenient for all guests sailing our popular Alaska and Canada/New England itineraries, and look forward to welcoming everyone on our incredible Alaska and Canadian cruises," Princess Cruises president John Padgett said.
Seabourn also revealed it would welcome all guests on board its voyages that visit Canada, saying the new guidance would make it easier for guests to plan and travel on the cruise line's Alaska, Canada and New England voyages during the summer and fall seasons.
Seabourn is updating its health protocols to align with Transport Canada's revised guidelines for select voyages departing on and after October 1.
"We welcome the decision by Transport Canada that will make it easier for travelers to sail on our Alaska and Canada and New England voyages," Seabourn president Josh Leibowitz said. "These spectacular destinations have so much to offer and are highly coveted areas to visit. We look forward to welcoming our guests on board our ultra-luxury ships and delivering special 'Seabourn Moments' when they sail with us."
Royal Caribbean also updated Canada protocols, saying that vaccination is no longer required to sail from Canada or for U.S. cruises calling on Canada, but it is recommended that guests should be vaccinated and up to date with their booster doses, if eligible.
"We commend Canada's recent announcement lifting the remaining COVID-related travel restrictions," the cruise line told TravelPulse. "We welcome all guests onboard our ships, and our guests are happy to be cruising again."
The cruise line also relaxed pre-cruise testing requirements, starting with cruises that depart on or after October 1 from Vancouver and sailings from the U.S. that visit Canada. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said pre-cruise testing would be relaxed to the following:
-Unvaccinated guests age 5 and up must provide a negative result for a supervised PCR or antigen test within 3 days of boarding regardless of the length of their cruise.
-Vaccinated guests will only need to take a pre-cruise test if their sailings is 10 nights or longer, in which case they will need to provide a negative result for a supervised PCR or antigen test within 3 days of boarding.
-Guests 4 and younger do not have any testing requirements.
-Self test kits are accepted
TravelPulse reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line and a spokesperson said the company would share an update soon. A Carnival Cruise Line representative said it does "not have any ships stopping in Canada for quite some time, not until next year."
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