Credit: DPPA/Sipa USA
Dutch Caribean Island Aruba.
NEW YORK (77WABC) – Norwegian Cruise Line announced Wednesday that it has extended its vaccine requirement until at least the the end of the year. The extension comes as the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to surge across the country.
“Under the guidance of globally recognized public health experts and to prioritize the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit, we have decided to extend guest vaccination requirements for all sailings through December 31, 2021,” Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement from Christine Da Silva, vice president of communication and events for NCL, to USA Today. “However, we eagerly await an expansion of the age criteria for vaccinations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration so we can once again welcome these guests back on board.”
The statement also adds that passengers who are not old enough to be vaccinated will not be allowed to sail, as vaccines are not yet available to children under 12.
Norwegian said back in April that it would require 100% of passengers and crew members to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before boarding. The vaccine requirement was originally scheduled to end on Oct. 31.
