Important update to Cunard’s vaccination and testing policy

The well‑being of everyone on board and in the destinations Cunard visits is of paramount importance.  As such, Cunard is updating their vaccination and testing policy.For all Queen Mary 2 departures from 24 April 2022 onwards, all Queen Elizabeth departures from 30 May 2022 onwards and all Queen Victoria departures from 5 June 2022 onwards, until further notice, all guests aged 12 years and over will need to be fully vaccinated* in order to travel with Cunard.  Children aged five to 11 years old must be fully vaccinated* or provide a valid negative Covid‑19 test certificate at the ship’s terminal.  Children aged four years and under are currently exempt from pre‑travel vaccination and testing policies.

Guests will need to present a valid negative Covid‑19 test certificate at the ship’s terminal.  All fully vaccinated* guests will also be required to show proof of their vaccination status at the terminal prior to boarding. For more information on acceptable proof of Covid-19 test results and vaccination status, please visit the Cunard website.

Updated testing policy

Voyages departing from Southampton –All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and purchase a private antigen test to be taken within one day prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal.  You can order your antigen test kit through any government approved testing provider.  Guests will need to present their negative antigen test certificate at the ship’s terminal.

All unvaccinated guests aged between five and 11 years will also be required to take a complimentary antigen test (in addition to their pre-cruise antigen test, as stated above) once they arrive at the terminal.

Voyages departing from Spain – 

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and purchase a private observed antigen test to be taken within 24 hours prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. You can order your test kit through any government approved testing provider. Guests will need to present their negative test certificate at the ship’s terminal. All unvaccinated guests aged between five and 11 years will also be required to take a complimentaryantigen test (in addition to their pre-cruise antigen test) once they arrive at the terminal.

Voyages departing from France and Italy –

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and purchase a private observed antigen test to be taken within two days prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. You can order your test kit through any government approved testing provider. Guests will need to present their negative test certificate at the ship’s terminal. All unvaccinated guests aged between five and 11 years will also be required to take a complimentary antigen test (in addition to their pre-cruise antigen test) once they arrive at the terminal.

Voyages departing from Germany –

All fully vaccinated guests will need to organise and purchase a private observed PCR test to be taken within 48 hours, or a private observed antigen test to be taken within 24 hours, prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. You can order your test kit through any government approved testing provider. Guests will need to present their negative test certificate at the ship’s terminal. If you’re travelling with children aged between five and 11 years who aren’t fully vaccinated, you will need to organise and purchase a private observed PCR test to be taken within 48 hours prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. You will need to present their negative test certificate at the ship’s terminal. All unvaccinated guests aged between five and 11 years will also be required to take a complimentary antigen test (in addition to their pre-cruise PCR test) once they arrive at the terminal.

Voyages departing from the United States of America –All fully vaccinated guests will need to organise and purchase a private observed antigen test to be taken within two days prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal.  Guests can order their antigen test kit through any government approved testing provider and will need to present their negative antigen test certificate at the ship’s terminal.

If you are travelling with children aged between five and 11 years who aren’t fully vaccinated, they will need to organise and purchase a private observed PCR test, to be taken within two days prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. They will need to present their negative test certificate at the ship’s terminal.

All unvaccinated guests aged between five and 11 years will also be required to take a  complimentary antigen test (in addition to their pre-cruise PCR test) once they arrive at the terminal.

*The definition of “fully vaccinated” is having completed an approved (by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL)) two-dose Covid‑19 vaccination course, or the approved single-dose Janssen Covid‑19 vaccine, at least 14 days prior to travel.

If more than 270 days (calculated from the day of disembarkation from the voyage) have passed since the full completion of a vaccination course, then a booster vaccine will also be required and must be administered a minimum of seven days prior to embarkation. Regardless of the date, if you have already had a booster vaccination then you are eligible to travel.

We strongly recommend all guests to have booster vaccinations, at the earliest opportunity should they be available to them, in order to comply with evolving vaccine policies from the countries Cunard visits.

Cunard’s protocols continue to be subject to change, and may do so prior to your sailing, as they work with experts and with government bodies across all the destinations that they visit to ensure all of their practices evolve in line with latest advice. Cunard look forward to welcoming you on board.