Do I need vaccinations to travel?

Requirements

Last updated: 27/05/2025

Important advice to follow

The health and well-being of all our guests is important to us. So please ensure that you follow any guidance provided to you by P&O Cruises with regards to the most up-to-date vaccination requirements prior to embarking on your cruise holiday. 

Vaccination requirements vary by destination and change from time to time. We recommend that you seek advice from your medical practitioner or travel medicine clinic at least six weeks before your cruise holiday. You should discuss your personal travel plans in order to obtain appropriate advice and any recommended prophylactic medication and vaccinations prior to travel. 

We recommend seasonal influenza vaccination for all our guests; you should speak to your GP about receiving the flu vaccine before you travel. 

It’s your responsibility to have with you any necessary health certificates. These are explained below.

Mandatory vaccination requirements

Yellow fever

There are currently yellow fever vaccination certification requirements for the following cruise holiday:

R601 (Aurora) 3 Jan – 19 March 2026:

• 16 - 24 January 2026 - recommended but not required. The WHO and PHE strongly   recommend vaccination for anyone traveling to Brazil
• 24 - 25 January 2026 - required. Panama have a port entry requirement that: evidence of YF Vaccination due to previous ports on the itinerary. The WHO and PHE strongly   recommend vaccination for anyone traveling to Brazil

 

J601 (arcadia) 20 January - required

• Ghana require evidence of Yellow Fever Vaccination to enter the country

 

This may be subject to change, and we therefore advise you to discuss your itinerary with your medical practitioner or travel medicine clinic and review any vaccination information provided to you by P&O Cruises before your cruise.

You must provide the original certificate, which must be fully completed, signed and stamped by the medical practitioner. The vaccination must be given 10 days before entering a yellow fever area for it to be effective and valid. If a yellow fever vaccination is contraindicated for a medical reason, an exemption can be issued by your medical practitioner and this must be brought with you to the ship. Local port health authorities will decide if a vaccination waiver can be issued. The exemption should be documented either in the international vaccination booklet or on a headed letter. The letter should be signed by the clinician and contain the medical practice’s stamp. Your name, date of birth and dates of travel must be included in the letter. Guests without the correct documents will be denied boarding.

The validity of the yellow fever vaccination has now been extended from 10 years to the lifetime of the traveller. 

Please be aware that there has been an increase in yellow fever activity in Brazil; we therefore advise you to discuss with your travel health practitioner whether vaccination is recommended. We recommend vaccination if you’re planning to visit Iguazu Falls.

Polio

Some nationalities are required to provide evidence of having had a polio vaccination in the four weeks to twelve months prior to visiting the following countries: Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Egypt. 

This affects the following cruise holiday:

• R616 (Aurora) Grand Mediterranean, 14 Sep – 8 Oct 2026

This requirement is in place for nationals of polio-exporting countries including, but not limited to, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Philippines. 

This list is subject to change, so please discuss this with your medical practitioner or travel medicine clinic at least six weeks prior to your planned holiday.

Malaria

We strongly recommend that you visit your medical practitioner or travel medicine clinic to discuss your personal travel plans. Please take a copy of your itinerary with you, including for travel arrangements before and after your cruise holiday, so a full risk assessment can be made and the appropriate malaria prevention advice given.

COVID-19

There are currently no COVID-19 vaccination or pre-cruise testing requirements for any P&O Cruises sailings.

Unfortunately, due to changing national and international rules, we can’t confirm what the COVID-19 vaccination requirements might be for our future cruise holidays.

Please remember

We strongly suggest that you discuss with your medical provider or your travel health clinic whether you should have a vaccination.

More travel health advice

For further information, please visit the UK government-funded website www.travelhealthpro.org.uk.

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