All guests must take a self-administered COVID-19 lateral flow/ rapid-antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of embarkation or a PCR test within 48 hours prior to embarkation. You will be required to declare your negative test result and may be asked to show appropriate proof at the terminal.

Accepted pre-cruise lateral flow/antigen tests

The following formats are acceptable proof of a negative COVID-19 test: For lateral flow/ rapid-antigen tests (RAT): One photo which shows, all together, the RAT negative result, a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s licence), a clock displaying the time (a watch, mobile phone or wall clock, for example) and the date of testing (this can be written on a piece of paper). Please ensure you have this photo with you as you may be asked to show it at the terminal. Over-the-counter COVID-19 tests meet the requirements. While NHS tests are now only issued for those in medical need, if you have any remaining, these would also be accepted. For PCR results: The text message received from the relevant laboratory or health authority which confirms the travel COVID-19 PCR test result. Guests who are unable to provide their proof of vaccination status and a negative COVID-19 test result, as required, will unfortunately be denied boarding.

Currently approved vaccines

Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine) Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, including formulations Vaxzevria or Covishield Moderna (Spikevax) vaccine, including formulation Moderna Takeda Janssen vaccine Snovac Sinopharm Beijing Covaxin Nuvaxovid (Novavax)

↩ Return to Travel requirements

Vaccination and testing policy

View our COVID-19 vaccination and testing policy.

COVID-19 vaccination and testing are no longer required for the majority of our holidays.

COVID-19 vaccination and testing are no longer mandatory for guests travelling on our holidays, apart from those booked on cruise J301 (See policy for cruise J301 below).

While vaccination is no longer required for the majority of our holidays, we still highly recommend that all guests travelling on our ships are up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters when eligible and where available.

If you're displaying any symptoms of COVID-19 or feel unwell in the days leading up to your holiday, we highly recommend that you take a COVID-19 test before you travel and only travel to the ship if this is negative. If you’re symptomatic on the day of embarkation, we ask that you declare this to terminal or check-in staff.

COVID-19 vaccination and testing policy for cruise number J301

Below is our vaccination and testing policy for guests travelling on Arcadia's World Cruise, Classic Southern Hemisphere Journeys or Exotic fly-cruises (cruise number J301).

	COVID-19 vaccinations required		COVID-19 test required (to be organised by the guest)
	Fully vaccinated^*	Plus a booster if eligible (a minimum of 14 days prior to travel)^{^}
All guests	✔	✔	✔

We require all guests to be fully vaccinated* with an approved COVID-19 vaccine, plus a booster vaccine, if eligible^{^}, a minimum of 14 days before travelling. Guests who have had one booster vaccine are considered fully vaccinated.

*The definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ is having completed an approved (by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), the Therapeutic Goods Administration or the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL)) two-dose COVID‑19 vaccination course, or the approved single-dose Janssen COVID‑19 vaccine. Holidays with additional requirements will also require guests to have a booster vaccination if eligible^.

^{^}Please check your government website for details on booster eligibility.

The following formats are acceptable proof of a negative COVID-19 test:

For lateral flow/ rapid-antigen tests (RAT):

One photo which shows, all together, the RAT negative result, a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s licence), a clock displaying the time (a watch, mobile phone or wall clock, for example) and the date of testing (this can be written on a piece of paper). Please ensure you have this photo with you as you may be asked to show it at the terminal.
Over-the-counter COVID-19 tests meet the requirements. While NHS tests are now only issued for those in medical need, if you have any remaining, these would also be accepted.

For PCR results:

The text message received from the relevant laboratory or health authority which confirms the travel COVID-19 PCR test result.

Guests who are unable to provide their proof of vaccination status and a negative COVID-19 test result, as required, will unfortunately be denied boarding.

Proof of vaccination for holidays with COVID-19 vaccination requirements

If you’re travelling on a holiday with additional COVID-19 vaccination requirements, you will need to show proof of your vaccination status which will also be checked against your photo ID at the terminal/airport prior to boarding. This can be either in digital or printed format (a screenshot is fine) and must be an official certificate of vaccine status issued by your local health authority e.g. NHS England. Please visit your relevant NHS or local health authority website for full details of how to get an official record of your vaccine status in advance of your holiday (some authorities require up to 10 days to process applications to receive postal certificates).

The record card that is given out at the time of vaccination will not be accepted as proof of your vaccination status. Unfortunately, failure to provide proof of vaccination at the terminal/airport will result in denial of boarding at your own expense.

Guests in England can download the NHS app, register with their NHS number and photo ID and gain access to ‘Get your NHS COVID Pass’ – this allows you to download a PDF copy of your vaccine record and/or to request to receive an offline copy by email. Alternatively, to prove your vaccination status you can show a screenshot of your vaccination details which appear below your unique barcode within the app. This shows the details of each vaccination and the date given. There are different screens for each vaccination and booster. The teams at the terminal/airport need to see the information shown below the barcode which confirms the dates of vaccination. Please register for the NHS app well in advance of travel as NHS app accounts can take up to 14 days to approve. If using the app, in case of any connectivity issues we’d recommend taking a screenshot so that you can easily show this at the terminal/airport.

Please retain your proof of vaccination status throughout your holiday and keep this to hand when going ashore in case it is required.

Please visit the following websites for more information on the acceptable formats for proof of vaccination.

England:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/get-digital-covid-pass/

We will accept the digital or printed version of the NHS COVID Pass.

Wales:

https://gov.wales/get-your-nhs-covid-pass

We will accept the digital or printed version of the NHS COVID-19 pass accessed via the NHS website.

Scotland:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid19status

We will accept the printed or digital version of the NHS Scotland vaccination status record.

Northern Ireland:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/apply-travel-covid-vaccination-certificate

We will accept the printed or digital version of the official Department of Health COVID vaccination certificate.

Jersey:

https://www.gov.je/Health/Coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/CovidStatus.aspx

We will accept Jersey’s COVID-19 status certificate distributed to all vaccinated islanders.

Guernsey:

https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/vaccine/passports

We will accept Guernsey’s COVID Status Certificate distributed to all vaccinated islanders.

Isle of Man:

https://covid19.gov.im/vaccination/nhs-covid-pass-for-isle-of-man-residents/

We will accept the digital or printed version of the NHS England COVID-19 pass.

Europe:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en

We will accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

Vaccine trials:

We will accept the official letter distributed to all participants confirming vaccine trial status.

Armed Forces:

We will accept documented record of vaccination from the Armed Forces.

Our vaccination and testing policy is reviewed on a regular basis and may be changed or enhanced at any time. In this instance, impacted guests will be contacted directly in advance of travel. At the time of travel, some ports may stipulate specific vaccine or testing policies for guests going ashore that differ from this policy.

↩ Return to Travel requirements

Vaccination and testing policy

COVID-19 vaccination and testing are no longer required for the majority of our holidays.

COVID-19 vaccination and testing policy for cruise number J301

Below is our vaccination and testing policy for guests travelling on Arcadia's World Cruise, Classic Southern Hemisphere Journeys or Exotic fly-cruises (cruise number J301).

COVID-19 vaccinations required

COVID-19 test required

Fully vaccinated*

Plus a booster if eligible (a minimum of 14 days prior to travel)^

Proof of vaccination for holidays with COVID-19 vaccination requirements

Fully vaccinated^*

Plus a booster if eligible (a minimum of 14 days prior to travel)^{^}