Carnival Cruises no longer requires that passengers get vaccinated against COVID-19 for most voyages of less than 16 days, the company announced on Friday.

The Miami-based cruise line also announced that starting Sept. 6, vaccinated passengers sailing on voyages of less than 16 days will no longer have to test before boarding. Unvaccinated passengers or those who do not provide proof of vaccination must present the results of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within three days of embarkation, the company announced.

These new requirements apply to voyages from all ports except those in Canada, Bermuda, Greece and Australia, where government regulations still require vaccinations.

Voyages that are 16 nights and longer will continue to have vaccination and testing requirements that are specific to the itinerary for all passengers aged five and older, Carnival announced. Those requirements are spelled out in more detail at the company’s Have Fun. Be Safe. webpage.

“Our ships have been sailing very full all summer, but there is still room for more of our loyal guests, and these guidelines will make it a simpler process, and make cruising accessible for those who were not able to meet the protocols we were required to follow for much of the past 14 months,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

All new vaccination and testing policies remain subject to local destination regulations, according to the company.

Carnival, the largest cruise operator in the world, operates three vessels out of Long Beach.

Princess Cruises, which sails out of the Port of Los Angeles, also announced similar changes to their vaccination guidelines on Friday.

Carnival’s 50th anniversary ‘sailabration’ kicks off in Long Beach

Anthony Pignataro is an investigative reporter and editor for the Long Beach Post. He has close to three decades of experience in journalism leading numerous investigations and long-form journalism projects for the OC Weekly and other publications. He joined the Post in May 2021.