Full Vaccination Required Ages 5+ Starting 1/13/22

[Anais]

We are supposed to cruise in August.
We are coming from France and vaccination is only open for children 12 and up. Does that mean we can't sail because my 8-year-old daughter can't get vaccinated in our country?

 

[DietCokeMommy]

I'm happy to hear this, we got our kids vaccinated the very first weekend it was available. I was hoping they would remove the time slots needed for the kids club, but I forgot about the 3 and 4 year olds. It would be great if they did the suggestion above, but I think we're on the first cruise where this is the requirement, so I probably shouldn't hold my breath.

 

[erionm]

We are supposed to cruise in August.
We are coming from France and vaccination is only open for children 12 and up. Does that mean we can't sail because my 8-year-old daughter can't get vaccinated in our country?

A lot can and probably will change between now and August 2022.

 

[AquaDame]

Reminder that the COVID policy is still in place for the forums: https://www.disboards.com/threads/policy-on-covid-related-discussions.3840344/

Please remember we aren't here to debate Disney's decision or each other on our choices. Thank you~!

 

[paule350]

Oh hell no.

 

[MomOTwins]

We are supposed to cruise in August.
We are coming from France and vaccination is only open for children 12 and up. Does that mean we can't sail because my 8-year-old daughter can't get vaccinated in our country?

Currently, that is correct--you would not be able to sail. However, as another poster said, nine months is a long time and perhaps you will have access to the vaccine for your daughter before then. My suggestion would be (1) if you have a concierge stateroom and your deposit is non-refundable, go ahead and give Disney a call now to see if given the recent change in policy they will give you a full refund or allow you to reschedule if you can't get a vaccine before August; or (2) if not concierge, wait until you get closer to the date when cancellation penalties kick in before deciding whether to cancel.

 

[tvguy]

Yayyyyy! No more 3-day pre-cruise testing. This will be so much easier for our cruise in March. Though I do hope they also do away with port testing for the fully vaxxed by then. I understand why they do it, but when you are flying in, and don't have an easy way to get home, that 45 minutes in the tent is so stressful!

As one of the cruise vloggers I follow mentioned, this is a ship rule. The ports you go to may have different rules for make sure you know before you go. And make sure this is still in force for the ship too because if there is a spike in December, this may change.

 

[Anais]

I hope you are right.

 

[Case1096]

Any thoughts on how they will handle kids that turn 5 just before their actual sail date and won't have the time to be considered fully vaccinated?

 

[CaptHomer]

I bet your agents are having fun on the phones with DCL canceling cruises today

 

[mom4fun]

Boosters and infant requirements are coming soon.

 

[jvncnt]

Very sad to hear this. Looks like we will be cancelling our cruise!

 

[DopeyDame]

WOOHOO!

I am feeling *SO* much better for our January cruise now.

In the email it said it encouraged you to bring a copy of your vaccination record in addition to SafePassage. Do you think a phone picture is sufficient, or should we bring the actual cards?

 

[seasalt81]

Any thoughts on how they will handle kids that turn 5 just before their actual sail date and won't have the time to be considered fully vaccinated?

When the requirements for 12+ came out, there were no exceptions for kids who turned 12 too close to the sail date or even while on the cruise. Those families needed to reschedule, I believe. My guess is it will be the same.

 

[mousefan73]

That's a good question. On another thread someone posted this info received by email from DCL, though it doesn't clarify the UK dosing for 12-15s receiving just 1 dose. My gut says DCL will stick with CDC dosing recommendations, but who knows.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements​

Currently, Disney Cruise Line continues to require all vaccine-eligible Guests (based on U.S. eligibility requirements) to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This will be a requirement for all Guests (U.S. and international) ages 5 and older for sailings beginning on and after January 13, 2022.​

​

In consideration of guidance from the CDC and the World Health Organization, Disney Cruise Line accepts the following vaccine types: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.​

​

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines fully vaccinated as 14 days after receiving:​

• a single-dose of an accepted 1-dose vaccine
  • the second dose of an accepted 2-dose vaccine
  • the full series of an active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials
  • the second dose of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines (administered at least 17 days apart)

I am curious if any experts out there know if the UK ONE dose is from the dosage amount the same as 2 doses US? Anotherwards the UK kids get all at once and the US get it split up over two??

 

[mousefan73]

We are supposed to cruise in August.
We are coming from France and vaccination is only open for children 12 and up. Does that mean we can't sail because my 8-year-old daughter can't get vaccinated in our country?

I wouldn't even think about that right now. For the EMA is looking at the 5-12 and by then it will be approved and who knows what the big picture is by then.

 

[disneykate914]

This is really interesting... From what I read, it's coming from a Bahamian mandate, but the UK (Bahamian "parent territory") hasn't even approved a 5-12 vaccine for their own children. As a matter of fact, UK is much slower in recommending vaccination of their sub-18 group at all.

Disappointed to see them pushing this on US citizens.

 

[Frozencleo]

When the requirements for 12+ came out, there were no exceptions for kids who turned 12 too close to the sail date or even while on the cruise. Those families needed to reschedule, I believe. My guess is it will be the same.

This is actually not true, I just asked my travel agent about it, as we will have a kid turning 5 less than two weeks before a cruise we have booked. She told me that if they turn 5 within 5 weeks of the sail date, they are exempt from the vaccine requirement and will be treated like an unvaccinated 4 year old (so, test 3 days before). She told me this is the current policy in place for 12 year olds turning 12 within 5 weeks of sailing, although it’s not on the know before you go website or anything.

 

[HiStitch626]

This is actually not true, I just asked my travel agent about it, as we will have a kid turning 5 less than two weeks before a cruise we have booked. She told me that if they turn 5 within 5 weeks of the sail date, they are exempt from the vaccine requirement and will be treated like an unvaccinated 4 year old (so, test 3 days before). She told me this is the current policy in place for 12 years turning 12 within 5 weeks of sailing, although it’s not on the know before you go website or anything.

I would get that confirmed directly from DCL.

 

[lorenni]

I wouldn't even think about that right now. For the EMA is looking at the 5-12 and by then it will be approved and who knows what the big picture is by then.

Not that easy though. Because if you are already PIF you only have until December 1 to cancel or reschedule without penalty. A lot of us have rescheduled old cruises and we’ve been PIF for well over a year at this point.

We cruise in March 2022 and 5-11 yo vaccines are not yet approved where we live. But now I get 13 days to take a gamble on whether they will be approved AND rolled out in time to satisfy the DCL requirement.

I am 100% in favor of the requirement but I do think they should have given more time or at least provided a testing exemption for passengers who do not yet have access to the vaccine.