Norwegian cruises set sail from Seattle, US ports with 100% vaccination requirement

There may have been a long queue at the COVID testing facility in front of Pier 66 in Port of Seattle over the weekend, but the mood was unanimous among eager cruise passengers and staff: it was worth the wait.

This wait lasted more than a year. With this seven-day round trip from Seattle to Alaska, the Norwegian Encore made history as the first ship in the NCL fleet to return to cruise from a US port in over 500 days.

Harry Sommer, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, is sailing – with his family – aboard the Encore this week. Dr. Stephen Ostroff, former CDC and current member of the Norwegian SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council, is also on board. Ostroff was previously acting commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration.

Norwegian Cruise Line SailSAFE Council members with Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO Harry Sommer (center)

Courtesy of CTS Photos

Also departing this week is John Y. Mason, another SailSAFE council member who has worked with multiple government agencies and throughout his career has focused on minimizing the risk of microbial contamination for both humans and nonhumans.

They are among the reduced capacity cruises this week to celebrate the return of US operations. And they decide to spend their days at sea for another festive reason: Norwegian Cruise Line sails with a 100 percent vaccination requirement.

Every passenger and crew member is fully vaccinated. No exceptions.

“You want to cross. We want you to be safe, ”says the NCL Sail Safe website. “All guests and crew must be 100% fully vaccinated so that you can safely do what you’ve always wanted to do on a cruise – everything.”

The health and safety of cruises in the age of COVID took center stage on August 6, when cruise line officials and government officials held a panel discussion at Pier 66 in Port of Seattle the day before the Encore sailed. Panellists included Frank Del Rio, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner for the US Food and Drug Administration and chairman of Norwegian’s SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council.

“Dr. Having Gottlieb on my left, “said Del Rio,” is just a symbol of how seriously we take health and safety. It’s not a slogan. This is not a slogan for us. We mean what we say and we say what we mean. “

“We had the opportunity to create the safest possible environment for recreational activities,” said Dr. Gottlieb and referred to the “protective layers” including strict vaccination regulations and tests before boarding.

A vaccinated Norwegian Cruise Line crew member stands at a hand washing and disinfection station

Courtesy of CTS Photos

Yes, there has been a long line for passengers waiting for their pre-cruise test requests on Saturday, but such fixed guidelines have been tricking the wider community.

A first-time cruise traveler on that Encore sailing voyage who asked the Seattle PI to withhold her name said cruising and vaccinations went hand in hand for her. “That’s the only reason I got the vaccine,” she said. “I’ve never had the flu shot before but I wanted to go on a cruise and they said we all needed to be vaccinated so I did.”

“I wear a mask on land,” she added, noting that this would also be her first visit to Alaska. “But everyone on the ship is vaccinated and had to be tested negative in order to be allowed on the ship at all.”

While every Norwegian crew member has been fully vaccinated, they will continue to wear masks. However, passengers can enjoy a mask-free sailing as every person on board will be vaccinated and tested negative on the day of boarding.

So what about that long lineup for the pre-cruise testing area? Sure, there was an occasional clock check as the guests eagerly wanted to start their vacation. Every time the test center staff made an announcement to thank the guests for their patience, these guests were also reminded that they were entering the ship, “the masks could be removed”. And every time the waiting guests burst into applause and cheers.

Worth the wait? It certainly seems so for these vacationers.

Norwegian Encore sails weekly from Seattle to Alaska – including Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan – now through October 23 and again from May through October 2022.