With less than a month until cruises begin in the Mediterranean this year, Royal Caribbean has released its Barcelona & Italy health protocols.
The Mediterranean cruise season will commence in earnest in May, so Royal Caribbean has published what the pre-cruise & onboard Covid health requirements will be for passengers.
These particular protocols apply to sailings from Spain and Italy through May 31, 2022.
Some destinations we visit require additional testing and may have restrictions for guests who are not up-to-date with their vaccines.
Vaccines
All guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated, having received their final dose no less than 14 days prior to sailing.
Additionally, for the purpose of these Barcelona & Italy sailings, to be considered up-to-date, guests must have received all doses in their vaccine series and have received their booster if the second vaccine was administered over 270 days (9 months) ago.
Children aged 5 to 11 years are not required to be vaccinated. However, kids who have been fully vaccinated may present proof and follow the protocols for vaccinated guests. Children with one dose of a vaccine do not count as fully vaccinated.
Royal Caribbean will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in the place of a vaccination record.
Entry requirements
All guests traveling to Spain will need to complete an FCS Health Control Form prior to entering Spain.
All guests ages 6 years and up traveling to Italy will need to complete an European Passenger Locator Form (PLF) prior to entering Italy.
Testing
Pre-cruise from Spain
Guests who are up-to-date with their vaccines will be required to present a negative test result for a COVID-19 test taken no more than 2 days before sailing.
Guests who are not up-to-date with their vaccines will be required to present a negative test result for a COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day before sailing.
Embarkation from Spain
All unvaccinated guests ages 2 - 11 years will be required to take a boarding day antigen test in the terminal and receive a negative result in order to sail.
Pre-cruise from Italy
All guests who are up-to-date with their vaccines will be required to present a negative test result for a COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day before sailing.
Embarkation from Italy
All unvaccinated and not up-to-date guests ages 2 years and older will be required to take a boarding day antigen test in the terminal and receive a negative result in order to sail.
This test will be complimentary for children ages 2 - 11 years.
Guests ages 12 years and older who are considered unvaccinated or not up-to-date will be charged $55 USD per test.
Onboard testing
Guests who are considered unvaccinated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or who are not up-to-date with their vaccines will require additional testing during our sailings.
This test is at the guest's expense if they are ages 12 years and up and considered unvaccinated or if they are not up-to-date at the price of $55 USD per test. These guests will receive registration information once onboard based on the below:
- During the Cruise: Depending on the itinerary, guests 12 years and older — or 6 and older in Italian & Greek ports — will have additional testing requirements.
- Prior to Disembarking sailings from Spain: Guests 12 and older who meet the above criteria will test before disembarking.
- Prior to Disembarking sailings from Italy: Guests 6 years and older who meet the above criteria may be required to test before disembarking, based on the itinerary.
Guests under 2 years old are not required to test.
Masks
Masks are optional for vaccinated guests and expected for onboard for unvaccinated children aged 2 years and older.
Masks will be required in Adventure Ocean, in the cruise terminal, and may be required at various destinations.
These protocols are subject to change.
Shore Excursions
Fully vaccinated guests can visit most ports of call freely. Depending on their itinerary, guests who are not up-to-date with their vaccines may require multiple tests to disembark in ports of call. All guests going ashore must still follow local health and safety guidance when visiting each port of call.
What travel documents to bring with you
- Passport/European ID Card is needed for all guests with a validity of at least 6 months after their sailing’s return date. EU Nationals may also present their European ID card.
- Proof of Vaccine must be presented by all guests 12 and older. Acceptable proof of vaccination must be in the form of the original vaccination record document issued by your country's health authority or healthcare provider that administered the vaccination, with the full cycle of doses being completed no less than 14 days prior to sailing. Guests living in the EU are advised to present their EU Digital COVID-19 Certificate.
- Negative Test Result must be presented by all vaccinated guests upon arrival at the port.
- For Spain: Negative Test Result must be presented by all vaccinated guests upon arrival at the port.
- For Italy: Negative Test Result must be presented by all up-to-date guests upon arrival at the port
- For Spain: FCS Health Control Form must be completed here by all guests age 12 and up before entering Spain.
- For Italy: European Passenger Locator Form must be completed here by all guests ages 6 years and older before entering Italy.
- Proof of Residency may be needed for guests traveling with a passport/European ID card that was issued from a country different from their country of residence.
- Health Questionnaire to be completed on our Royal Caribbean App the day before you board.
Full protocols
