Covid-19 acknowledgement for sailings in Australia

We have consulted with leading medical experts to create an extensive response plan for mitigating and managing Covid-19 cases on our ships, and have also made arrangements with local port, health, and transportation authorities to support our ships should it become necessary.

We have enhanced our shipboard medical capabilities with the necessary staffing, medications, supplies, oxygen, equipment, and procedures to triage and treat multiple Covid-19 cases across the full clinical spectrum, including intensive care. Our highly experienced doctors and nurses are up to date on the latest Covid-19 scientific status and trained on all relevant Covid-19 procedures.

In addition to our onboard Medical Centers, our shoreside Health Operations Centre is staffed 24/7 by our team of dedicated medical and public health professionals.

Other measures in place include, but are not limited to:

• Covid-19 viral testing capabilities on board, including PCR.
• Guests will have access to free of charge initial Covid-19 related medical consultation and ongoing testing in Australia.  
• Detailed quarantine and isolation management plan.
• Required isolation for Covid-19 positive cases on board. 
• Detailed management plan for close contacts including required testing, mask wearing and in-room dining. 
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing, including in guest rooms and public areas. 
• On board signage and regular communication to guests about Covid-safe practices.
• Regular monitoring of disease activity and health regulations in the destinations we visit, so we can adjust our voyage itineraries as necessary.

Each ship has a dedicated team of medical staff operating the onboard Medical Centre, to serve general health care needs for guests and crew. Our highly experienced doctors and nurses are up to date on the latest Covid-19 scientific status and trained in relevant Covid-19 procedures. We have also enhanced our shipboard medical capabilities in terms of staffing, medications, supplies, oxygen, equipment, and procedures to triage and treat multiple Covid-19 cases across the full clinical spectrum including intensive care.

You can contact the Medical Centre using the phone in your suite or stateroom to request non-urgent appointments. This avoids congregation of patients in the Medical Centre and allows the medical staff to pre-determine the best location for the consultation, including your accommodation. 

Whenever possible, anyone suspected of having Covid-19 will be assessed and treated in their suite or stateroom, with all medical first responders wearing full PPE. Medical staff will arrange the safe transfer of any unwell individuals to the ship’s Medical Centre if additional treatment is required that cannot be provided in the guest’s accommodation. Onboard Covid-19-related Medical Centre initial Covid-19 related consultation and suspected case testing will be free of charge.

Subsequent medical consultations, non-Covid-19 related medical consultations, treatment, and medication will be charged at private rates, and must be paid for by the guest and should be claimed on their international travel insurance. All voyages on our ships are outside the scope of Australian Medicare, New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation, and private health insurance.

For more information on our vaccine and testing policy, please visit our vaccine and testing policy page.

Guests who are not fully vaccinated due to a valid medical exemption need to be pre-approved and provide us with the appropriate evidence as soon as possible, after making your booking and no later than 14 business days before voyage departure, as you will not be permitted to board without pre-approval. We manage an exemption process for a small number of guests with medical contraindications to the vaccine subject to the regulations of the ports we visit. Exemptions are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Only medical conditions considered to be a contraindication to Covid-19 vaccination will be accepted as reasons that you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons for the purpose of travel. Previous Covid-19 infection is not grounds for a medical exemption.

To apply for a medical exemption, you must submit your evidence of medical contraindication to cunard.exemptions@carnivalaustralia.com no later than 14 days prior to your cruise departure. If you are approved, you will be provided with an approval letter, which you will need to present at the terminal to be able to check in and board the ship. If you do not meet the vaccine policy for your voyage or have a valid medical exemption approval letter, you will not be permitted to board the ship.

Evidence of medical contraindications must be:

• A medical certificate that indicates you are unable to be vaccinated with a Covid-19 vaccine because of a medical condition, provided by a registered medical practitioner (a doctor), be written in English, and must include the following information:
  • Your name (this must match your travel identification documents and the name on your cruise booking.
  • Date of medical consultation and details of your medical practitioner (that is, your doctor).
  • Details that clearly outline that you cannot have a Covid-19 vaccine because of a medical condition which means you cannot receive a Covid-19 vaccination (medical contraindication to Covid-19 vaccine).
• For temporary medical exemptions, the exemption must be valid for the entire duration of your cruise and the ‘valid to’ date on the vaccination status must fall after the date you are due to disembark the cruise. If your medical exemption is temporary, you must also provide a letter from your medical practitioner stating that the medical contraindication is not due to previous Covid-19 infection.

You should always ensure you understand all requirements to travel from your home country and the destinations you plan to visit. Details continue to be updated regularly and official websites and apps developed by government departments & agencies, and tourism ministries are the recommended resources, including https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Any guest reporting or exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms must notify and be reviewed by our on board medical staff for testing. Guests who test positive for Covid-19 will be assessed either in their room, or in a designated area of the Medical Centre.

Positive cases that do not require admission to the ship’s Medical Centre will most likely be asked to isolate in their own suite or stateroom for the duration of their isolation. Positive cases will be required to isolate onboard for a minimum of five (5) days (or for the entire voyage if the voyage is less than 5 days). In order to leave isolation, the guest must produce a negative test result and show improved symptoms, both of which will be monitored by the onboard medical team, who will advise the guest when they may only leave isolation.

Our dedicated medical teams will also be on hand to take care of such guests, either for the duration of the required isolation period or until the scheduled port of disembarkation.

Close contacts of guests who test positive while on board are required by local government guidance protocols to follow these requirements for seven (7) days on board (or for the entire voyage if the voyage is less than 7 days):

• Perform daily rapid antigen testing. We will provide you with seven rapid antigen tests (RATs) and kindly ask that you test yourself daily and let us know the result.
• You are required to wear your face mask at all times when outside your stateroom.
• You are required to have your meals and drinks in your stateroom.

Any instances of positive cases on board will be managed by our on board medical teams in conjunction with the local authorities, to determine the best course of action. The framework of protocols for cruise ships can differ slightly to those on land and to other forms of travel. Some ports may require guests and their close contacts who test positive on board to disembark in port and continue their period of isolation ashore.

The on board isolation period is subject to change by the relevant state health departments.

Guests will have access to free of charge initial Covid-19 related medical consultations and testing in Australia.

Subsequent medical consultations, non-Covid-19 related medical consultations, treatment, and medication will be charged at private rates, and must be paid for by the guest and should be claimed on their international travel insurance. All voyages on our ships are outside the scope of Australian Medicare, New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation, and private health insurance.

While our on board Medical Centers are equipped to handle many medical conditions, including Covid-19, there may be occasions where it becomes necessary to disembark or evacuate a guest to receive further medical treatment. To ensure guest safety, this decision will be made by the on board doctor and the captain in coordination with our shoreside medical experts and the relevant port and health authorities. Depending on the location of the ship and other operational factors, medical evacuation may need to take place via helicopter, medical water vessel, or road ambulance, or a combination of these. 

Our Customer Care team will provide support to any guest who requires medical evacuation, along with their family and travel party.

Guests who are in isolation on board at the end of their voyage, due to testing positive for Covid-19, will be disembarked in a controlled manner, separate from other guests. We will also follow any necessary requirements of local authorities.

If a guest is unwell and requires ongoing medical care, we will assist in making the necessary arrangements to transfer them to a local hospital or medical facility, as required by the local authorities.

Please note, all accommodation, transport, and other expenses are the responsibility of the guest unless local authorities require otherwise. Also, private transport does not include taxis, rideshare, or public transport. Any remaining isolation period once off the ship is subject to relevant state health department’s isolation requirements.

Guests who are not fully vaccinated due to a valid medical exemption need to be pre-approved and provide us with the appropriate evidence as soon as possible, after making your booking and no later than 14 business days before voyage departure, as you will not be permitted to board without pre-approval. We manage an exemption process for a small number of guests with medical contraindications to the vaccine subject to the regulations of the ports we visit. Exemptions are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Only medical conditions considered to be a contraindication to Covid-19 vaccination will be accepted as reasons that you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons for the purpose of travel. Previous Covid-19 infection is not grounds for a medical exemption.

To apply for a medical exemption, you must submit your evidence of medical contraindication to cunard.exemptions@carnivalaustralia.com no later than 14 days prior to your cruise departure. If you are approved, you will be provided with an approval letter, which you will need to present at the terminal to be able to check in and board the ship. If you do not meet the vaccine policy for your voyage or have a valid medical exemption approval letter, you will not be permitted to board the ship.

Evidence of medical contraindications must be:

• A medical certificate that indicates you are unable to be vaccinated with a Covid-19 vaccine because of a medical condition, provided by a registered medical practitioner (a doctor), be written in English, and must include the following information:
  • Your name (this must match your travel identification documents and the name on your cruise booking.
  • Date of medical consultation and details of your medical practitioner (that is, your doctor).
  • Details that clearly outline that you cannot have a Covid-19 vaccine because of a medical condition which means you cannot receive a Covid-19 vaccination (medical contraindication to Covid-19 vaccine).
• For temporary medical exemptions, the exemption must be valid for the entire duration of your cruise and the ‘valid to’ date on the vaccination status must fall after the date you are due to disembark the cruise. If your medical exemption is temporary, you must also provide a letter from your medical practitioner stating that the medical contraindication is not due to previous Covid-19 infection.

You should always ensure you understand all requirements to travel from your home country and the destinations you plan to visit. Details continue to be updated regularly and official websites and apps developed by government departments & agencies, and tourism ministries are the recommended resources, including https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

We strongly recommend all guests purchase comprehensive international travel insurance at the time of booking for any Cunard voyage, even for domestic voyages, to ensure they are covered if things do not go according to plan. While we will be providing free of charge Covid-19 related medical consultations and testing should it be required, guests will be liable for any other incurred cancelation, travel change fees, non-Covid-19 related medical services and medical evacuation, and other associated costs, unless they are covered under travel insurance. Australian Medicare, New Zealand ACC, and private health insurance will not cover you for any medical costs on board, even on Australia and New Zealand voyages.

Guests should ensure that they read the product disclosure statement for any insurance policy they are considering, to ensure it provides the level of cover they need, including Covid-19 for cruise travel, as some policies do not cover this. 

While we hope you never have to use it, having appropriate travel insurance will ensure you're able to relax and enjoy your holiday with the peace of mind that you're protected should you need it.

Our itineraries are never guaranteed and may be altered for various reasons. In the event of Covid-19 cases on board, depending on the level of transmission and perceived risk by local port and health authorities, we may not be permitted to visit certain destinations included in the itinerary. Guests will be kept up to date on board of any changes to the itinerary. 

Where there is a potential risk of ongoing Covid-19 transmission, guests will be advised. Communication may include on board announcements and letters to guest accommodation.

Any guest who tests positive for Covid-19, will need to comply with the relevant state health requirements set by the relevant state health departments. If there is a required isolation period and that has not been completed by the guest by the end of the voyage, it will need to be continued upon disembarking, which will delay any onward travel or accommodation arrangements. 

We strongly recommend taking out appropriate international travel insurance which may cover changes to post cruise travel arrangements.

Guests arriving in Australia on a voyage that has transited international ports are responsible for ensuring that they meet Australian government entry requirements. Failure to do so may result in denial of boarding, being issued a fine, deportation, or the ship being denied entry.

Guests are responsible for ensuring they meet the entry requirements of the countries included in their itinerary, including any vaccination requirements.

Details continue to be updated regularly and official websites and apps developed by government departments and agencies, and tourism ministries are the recommended resources. These include:

• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/covid-19-travel-information.html

Any guest who fails to comply with the on board public health measures may be disembarked at the first available opportunity. Other consequences could include being denied service, required stateroom isolation, and being banned from sailing with Cunard and other Carnival brands in the future.

If you are non-compliant, no refund of the fare for missed cruise days or travel expenses (if flying home) will be covered.

If your travel party is impacted and/or they are required or voluntarily choose to disembark with you, the same policies will apply to them: no refund of fare for missed cruise days or coverage of travel expenses home.

There will be a Cunard representative on-site at the terminal to support any guests who are denied boarding. However, if you are denied boarding for failure to produce proof of being fully vaccinated at time of embarkation (which means the final dose must have been received at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the voyage), any costs incurred will be at your own expense.

If you test positive for Covid-19 within 7 days prior to departure, you will not be able to travel, and you should notify us or your Travel Advisor so that we can cancel your booking.

Guests should make a claim through their travel insurance to recover any cancelation fees incurred.

If you are a close contact (from the same household) of a Covid-19 positive person you must have valid proof of a negative Covid-19 test result and declare your close contact status at the terminal and will be referred to secondary screening where you’ll have to undergo a rapid PCR test and test negative to be able to board the ship.

As required by local health authorities, close contacts are required to follow these requirements for 7 days on board (or for the entire voyage if the voyage is less than 7 days):

• Perform daily rapid antigen testing. We will provide you with seven rapid antigen tests (RATs) and kindly ask that you test yourself daily and let us know the result.
• You are required to wear your face mask at all times when outside your cabin.
• You are required to have your meals and drinks in your stateroom.

Rest assured, Cunard will take great care of you so you can relax and enjoy the vacation you deserve.

Guests traveling from overseas to join a voyage departing from Australia must ensure they are able to meet the Australian government entry requirements. Guests should also ensure that they understand any requirements to return to their home country following their voyage, including any testing requirements. 

Guests from overseas should ensure the vaccination course they have received is approved or recognized by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

We strongly recommend guests obtain appropriate international travel insurance which may cover costs associated with changes to travel arrangements. 

Guests traveling from overseas should also ensure that their travel insurance provides cover for Covid-19 related medical care. If ongoing medical treatment is required after disembarkation, any associated costs will be incurred by the guest.