CELEBRATION, FL —  Effective Sept. 2, 2022, for sailings departing U.S. and Canadian ports, Disney Cruise Line will require passengers ages 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing, as defined by the CDC.

The move represents an easing of DCL’s protocols. Still in effect until Sept. 1, the current rule requiring full vaccination for sailings departing US and Canadian ports applies to passengers ages five and older.

In an update on its site, DCL reminds travellers that along with the easing of the rules effective Sept. 2, 2022, it “highly recommends that Guests ages 11 and younger be fully vaccinated before sailing.”

Disney Cruise Line accepts the following vaccine types for passengers ages 5 and older: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (VeroCell), Sinovac-CoronaVac and Covavaxin (Bharat Biotech).

Disney Cruise Line accepts Pfizer and Moderna for Guests ages 4 and younger; Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV, VeroCell) for Guests ages 3 through 4 years of age; and Sinovac (CoronaVac) for Guests ages 6 months through 3 years.

In July 2022 the CDC ended its COVID-19 program for cruise companies, and since then many cruise lines have stepped back their COVID-19 protocols.

Most recently, Carnival Corp. cruise lines including Princess, Carnival, Cunard and more pulled back on some requirements, effective Sept. 6.

Earlier this month Royal Caribbean updated its rules for U.S. and European port sailings. Meanwhile NCLH announced that for its cruise lines – NCL, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas – vaccinated guests aged 12 and older will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols effective Sept. 3, 2022.