Crystal Cruises Announces it Will Extend Vaccination Requirement Through 2022

Crystal Cruises announced that it is extending its vaccination requirements for all river, ocean, and expedition deployments through the entirety of 2022.

Crystal River Cruises will require all guests and crew to be fully inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14-days prior to their embarkation date. Guests will need to provide documented proof of vaccination at the time of check-in before boarding the ship.

“The health and safety of our guests and crew is paramount to everything we do at Crystal River Cruises, and as such, we will require full vaccination through 2022 so that our guests can continue to explore the world in great comfort and safety,” said Walter Littlejohn, senior vice president and managing director. “After months of planning and preparation we welcomed guests back on board in late AUG and the feedback has been wonderful. Extending the vaccination requirement provides our guests with the health and safety information and assurances they need to plan future travels.”

For the cruise line's ocean ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony and luxury expedition yacht Crystal Endeavor, all guests 12 and over are required to be vaccinated at least 14-days prior to their embarkation date. Children 11 and under who are not currently eligible for vaccination must be pre-approved after initial waitlist, are subject to capacity control, and must provide proof of valid travel insurance. Guests traveling with unvaccinated children will be subject to unvaccinated protocols when with their children. Once vaccines are approved for age-eligible children, Crystal will require they be fully vaccinated.

“Protecting the health and safety of our guests and crew is paramount to everything we do and extending our vaccination requirements through 2022 is the next important step to continue to safeguard the health and wellness of our Crystal Family,” said Jack Anderson, president of Crystal. “Our guests have overwhelmingly told us that vaccinations are critical for them to feel comfortable traveling, and announcing this extension now will give them the information and reassurance they require as they look to plan future voyages with us.”

All officers and crew across the Crystal fleet are fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to service as a requirement of their employment. Crystal notes that the requirement will allow guests the freedom to explore ashore independently and facilitates smooth travel across multi-country itineraries.

At this time, the cruise line notes that it will assess whether a booster shot for all guests and crew across the full fleet will be required once more information is available.

The vaccine requirement is part of the company’s Crystal Clean+ measures, which also include COVID-19 tests at embarkation for both guests and crew, temperature checks when returning from ashore, a mask policy, social distancing guidelines, enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures and more. Additionally, Crystal River Cruises’ crew are also currently wearing masks in all public areas for another layer of guest protection.

In addition, Crystal’s Ocean, River and Expedition ships feature air ventilation systems for fresh, non-recirculated air in every single guest suite, stateroom and social spaces

For more information, visit the Crystal Cruises web site.