Carnival Cruise Line is pleased to announce that we are adjusting certain protocols to reflect the lifting of CDC requirements for the U.S. cruise industry.

We remain, as always, committed to the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve. These changes will be made in phases, with the first of these updates effective on Thursday, August 4, 2022 and focused on short cruise itineraries of 5 nights or less.

More changes will be announced shortly and all changes are subject to any requirements of destinations on the itinerary.

Effective for embarkations on or after Thursday, August 4:

• No pre-cruise testing for fully vaccinated guests booked on cruises with itineraries 5 nights or less.
• Pre-cruise testing for itineraries 6 nights or longer can be conducted three (3) days before departure.
• There will be no in-terminal testing for unvaccinated guests on day of departure, but all unvaccinated guests ages 2 and older must provide proof of a negative result of a lab-administered or supervised self-administered antigen COVID test taken within three (3) days before embarkation.

Guests should continue to carefully review all pre-cruise communications and refer to the Have Fun. Be Safe. page on Carnival.com for more information.

if you are going on a cruise make sure to follow these tips too.

Check in After 2 pm

Most cruisers are eager to get on the ship as early as possible, which means that the cruise terminal can be really busy–and more than a little stressful–during the first few hours of boarding (generally from 11 m-2 pm). And while you may be able to get on the ship that early, chances are you won’t be able to get into your cabin until later in the afternoon, which means your first few hours on board will be spent hauling your stuff around. Not exactly the most relaxing start to a vacation! Instead, avoid the rush and the crowds by waiting to check in until after 2 pm (assuming your ship sets sail at 4 pm or later!)  You’ll be able to walk right on without waiting and then go straight to your cabin.

Pick the Right Time to Go

Want to get a great deal on a cruise? Book your cruise for just after Labor Day when kids are back in school–the 2nd week in September offers some of the very best deals of the year. Coming in at a close second is the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a time when most people are too busy to travel.

Spring for a balcony

Room options are typically either Inside (no windows), Outside (window/porthole view to the outside), Balcony (a room with a balcony on the outside of the ship), and Suite (a larger cabin often with separate living and sleeping areas and more amenities). If you plan on taking advantage of in-room dining, have kids who will be taking naps or typically get seasick, you will really appreciate the extra space and killer view you get from a balcony room or suite.

Make sure to read over section on summer tips here.