Norwegian Cruise Line Plans to Require Vaccinations for All Crew Members

Norwegian Cruise Line announced it would require that all crew members receive a COVID-19 vaccine treatment before the company begins sailing again.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings told Business Insider employees working for the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands would need to be “vaccinated before boarding our vessels to begin their duties, subject to availability of the vaccine.”

While Norwegian is working hard to get crew members vaccinated, the cruise company declined to comment when asked about the possibility of requiring all passengers receive the two-part coronavirus vaccine.

“We will continue to partner with global and domestic authorities and the Healthy Sail Panel, our team of leading expert advisors, to explore all options necessary to protect guests, crew and the communities visited,” a Norwegian spokesperson told Fox News.

Last week, a cruise company in the United Kingdom revealed all passengers who book a sailing must receive the COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks before boarding. The UK-based tour operator Saga hosts voyages for travelers 50 years and older and plans to launch its “Spirit of Adventure” inaugural voyage on May 4 with a ship full of vaccinated tourists.

Norwegian also revealed last week canceled all cruises through April 30 as the company “continues to work through its return-to-service plan to meet the requirements of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”