With omicron cases soaring, some cruise lines adding COVID-19 vaccine booster requirement
P&O Cruises on Monday will become the first cruise line to require passengers to get booster shots against COVID-19 to board a ship as cases of the omicron variant continue to soar across the world.
The United Kingdom-based cruise operator recently notified customers on an unusually long, 35-night sailing to the Caribbean scheduled to begin Monday that they would need to show proof of such a COVID-19 vaccine booster to go ahead with the trip.
Until this week, the line only had required that passengers on sailings to the Caribbean be "fully vaccinated" for COVID-19, meaning two doses of an approved two-dose COVID-19 vaccine such as the Moderna vaccine or a single dose of an approved single-dose vaccine.
The new booster requirement only applies to the single sailing beginning Monday, which is out of Southampton, U.K. on P&O Cruises' 3,192-passenger Ventura.
P&O Cruises sister company Cunard Line also plans to implement a booster shot requirement for at least one unusually long upcoming sailing -- a 28-night voyage from Southampton to the Caribbean scheduled to begin on Jan. 14.
In a letter sent in recent days to passengers booked on the sailing, Cunard said they would need to show proof of a COVID-19 booster shot in addition to proof of being fully vaccinated at least a week before the trip began. The trip will take place on Cunard's iconic Queen Mary 2.
Related: Will omicron affect my cruise? Here's how lines are adjusting
In its letter to customers, Cunard noted "the length and complexity" of the 28-night itinerary and the need to "best protect the health and well-being of our guests, crew and the communities we visit."
The itinerary involves two lengthy crossings of the Atlantic Ocean, stops at six Caribbean islands and visits to the Atlantic islands of Madeira and Tenerife.
Queen Mary 2 currently is in the midst of another 28-night sailing from Southampton to the Caribbean that has been disrupted by positive cases of COVID-19 on board. The 2,695-passenger ship has missed several port stops and spent extra days docked in Barbados. The ship will skip an upcoming stop in New York as it works its way back to the U.K.
Cunard is offering passengers on that sailing a pro-rated refund for the portion of the trip that has been disrupted. The line says passengers on the Jan. 14 sailing who can't meet the new booster requirement can transfer to a later sailing or request a full refund.
The cruise industry has been the most aggressive segment of the travel industry in requiring customers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Most of the world's major cruise lines require all or most passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 -- a policy that many lines implemented from the first days they restarted operations in 2021.
All of the world's major cruise lines paused operations in early 2020 after the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic, and most didn't resume sailings for more than a year.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended that all travelers, regardless of vaccine status, avoid cruising for now, citing the surge in omicron cases.
The cruise industry was highly critical of the recommendation.
“The decision by the CDC to (recommend that travelers avoid cruising) is particularly perplexing considering that cases identified on cruise ships consistently make up a very slim minority of the total population onboard—far fewer than on land—and the majority of those cases are asymptomatic or mild in nature, posing little to no burden on medical resources onboard or onshore,” the main trade group for the industry, the Cruise Lines International Association, said in a statement to TPG.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.