If I am cruising Europe and not up to date on my vaccinations by the European Medicines Agency standards, in which countries will I be required to complete additional testing to go ashore? Which countries only recognize EMA-authorized vaccines?

To be considered up to date by all European countries we sail to, your vaccination must meet both of the following requirements.  

1. You received your most recent vaccine dose no more than 9 months (270 days) ago. This could have been the final dose in your original vaccine series (or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson). Or a booster dose.


2. Your most recent vaccine dose is on the list of EMA-approved vaccines:
   • AstraZeneca
   • Johnson & Johnson
     
   • Moderna
   • Nuvaxovid
   • Pfizer

Guests who do not meet these two requirements will need to take a test onboard before visiting some ports of call, as shown in the section below.

Royal Caribbean also accepts additional vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization: Sinopharm, Sinovac, COVAXIN, Covovax and CoviShield. Guests may board the ship if vaccinated with these, but certain European countries will not recognize these guests as vaccinated, and they will need to take a test onboard before visiting some ports of call, as shown in the section below. 

These rules apply to all guests 12 and up in all countries except Italy, where they apply to guests age 6 and up. 

You can visit all ports freely without further testing onboard. 

You will be required to take a test onboard before going ashore in the following countries: 

• Belgium  
• Cyprus  
• Denmark  
• Estonia 
• France   
• Germany  
• Greece  
• Ireland
• Italy (for guests 6 and up)  
• Latvia  
• Montenegro  
• The Netherlands  
• Portugal 

You will be required to take a test onboard before going ashore in the following countries: 

• Belgium (also accepts CoviShield)  
• France
• Germany 
• Gibraltar
• Italy (also accepts CoviShield) 
• Malta
• Portugal 

NOTE: These countries consider those who have received a non-EMA authorized vaccine to be unvaccinated regardless of the date of their last dose. 

All Royal Caribbean guests age 12 and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding. Currently the only country with entry testing requirements below age 12 is Italy.  

Kids age 6-11 that are not vaccinated; are vaccinated but not up to date; or were vaccinated with a non-EMA authorized vaccine, must take a test onboard to go ashore in these countries. Note that Italy accepts CoviShield in addition to the EMA-authorized vaccines. 

For guests age 12 and up, the cost of testing to go ashore is at their own expense, conducted onboard by a licensed third-party testing provider for $55 USD per test. Royal Caribbean does not retain any part of the testing costs. Any required testing for kids age 6 to 11 is complimentary.

If your current vaccination series doesn't meet EMA standards, you can get a booster of an EMA-authorized vaccine and be considered up to date, immediately. 

Guests must be prepared to present their vaccination record showing all doses, including their original vaccination series, as well as any booster doses they may have received if applicable. Make sure your entire cruise trip is within the 9-month window to be considered up to date for all port stops.