Carnival Strengthens COVID-19 Measures in Light of Delta Variant Concerns

Effective immediately, all passengers aboard Carnival Cruise Line must wear masks while onboard and provide negative pre-cruise test results, irrespective of their vaccination status, as announced by the line on Wednesday.

Starting August 7, all cruisers aged 2 and older will be required to wear masks, and from August 14, they must present negative PCR or antigen test results obtained within three days of sailing to board. These requirements will remain in place until October 31, 2021.

"Carnival will continue to run vaccinated cruises as defined by the [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)], ensuring all crew members are fully vaccinated," the line stated. "However, out of an abundance of caution and following similar guidelines in other sectors and venues, including Nevada casinos, Disney parks, and Broadway shows, all guests will be required to wear masks in specific indoor areas of Carnival's ships."

Mask mandates will apply in specific areas, including tight spaces like elevators, crowded locations, and venues frequently used by children under 12, such as kids clubs, onboard Build-A-Bear Workshops, Family Harbor, and Sky Zone. Additional mask-required zones will be marked with signage.

I'm currently on the inaugural revenue cruise of Carnival Cruise Line's new 5,282-passenger vessel, Mardi Gras. This marks my fourth cruise since U.S. ships reopened to passengers in May, so I believed I was ready for the onboard experience.

However, I discovered a massive ship operating at 70% capacity with no testing or mask requirements, no social distancing, and self-serve buffets. This feels the most "normal" of all my cruises since the pandemic started. While it doesn't seem unsafe, it's slightly unsettling for me, as I've become accustomed to stricter onboard protocols and capacities that were capped at just 25% on the other three voyages.

I'm uncertain if this is due to typical first-cruise issues — the ship did not have a shakedown cruise — but on the first two nights, dinner wait times exceeded 90 minutes, leading to crowds forming outside. Entertainment venues like the theater and Punchliner comedy club seem relatively small, requiring three showtimes to fit everyone on board, all of which have been standing-room-only with very few seats blocked off. Elevators have also been quite crowded.

It's important to highlight that the ship is operating with a fully vaccinated crew and passengers, with at least 95% of guests vaccinated as per CDC guidelines. Carnival will maintain this vaccination level across all its vessels.

The 5% allowance for unvaccinated guests is designated for children under 12 who are not eligible for vaccination, as well as adults who cannot be vaccinated and have obtained exemptions from the cruise line. For these passengers, the rules remain unchanged: they must present negative PCR test results no older than three days before embarkation, along with antigen tests at the port on the day of boarding and again 24 hours after departure for voyages of four days or more. Unvaccinated travelers will incur a fee of $150 to cover their testing expenses.

The cruise line has implemented several additional safety measures, including frequent cleaning, more hand-sanitizer stations, restricting high-touch items (such as throw pillows and printed schedules) in cabins, and checking vaccine status before allowing entry into smaller public spaces like the piano bar and arcade. However, the overall relaxed atmosphere of this voyage has felt quite surprising to me.

Fortunately, just as I was pondering how to best compare this experience to my recent cruises, Carnival made an important announcement.

"These new protocols are being introduced to safeguard our guests and crew while onboard, and to ensure that our homeports and destinations feel assured that we are contributing to their public health and safety efforts," stated Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We anticipate these measures will be temporary and appreciate our guests' cooperation. The first month of our guest operations has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm and very positive feedback, and we are dedicated to continuing our restart with both enjoyment and safety as priorities."

Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed the updates during a live Facebook broadcast from onboard the Mardi Gras.

"This situation is constantly evolving, and things will always fluctuate -- much like the roller coaster here on the ship. The silver lining is that cruising is back, and thousands have already enjoyed a fantastic experience and are currently having a wonderful time aboard this ship...."

"However, following the lead of other major companies -- including Disney, McDonald's, and Las Vegas -- we must exercise caution and ensure we get this right, making any necessary adjustments to ensure that the fun continues."

Not surprisingly, the announcement was met with some complaints from potential passengers, but the majority of comments were supportive of the decision.

In light of the increasing COVID-19 cases linked to the delta variant, this appears to be a sensible move, especially since the CDC has recently advised everyone, including vaccinated individuals, to resume wearing masks in indoor public spaces. This decision aligns with trends we've observed from other cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, which has broadened its coronavirus testing protocols.