Some Cruise Lines Say They Won’t Accept Passengers Who Got Mix & Match COVID-19 Vaccines

Canadians who've received some mix and match COVID-19 vaccine doses may find it harder to book a trip on a cruise line, as some ships may not currently consider them fully vaccinated.

American cruise line Princess Cruises' latest policy states that only fully vaccinated people are able to board the ship.

Princess Cruises

However, it goes on to say that guests who've received one dose of a vector vaccine (like AstraZeneca) and one dose of an mRNA (like Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) "will not be considered fully vaccinated."

"Guests who have received two single doses of mixed vaccines that are the same type (e.g., mRNA) will be considered fully vaccinated and will be permitted to sail, so long as the final dose is received at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise," the policy adds.

The same vaccination requirements are listed for cruise company Holland America Line, too.

Similarly, Norwegian Cruise Line says their U.S.-based vessels will not accept passengers with mix and match COVID-19 vaccine doses, including mixed mRNA doses and mRNA doses mixed with AstraZeneca.

Royal Caribbean also reportedly updated their policy to say it would not consider passengers with mixed vaccines as fully vaccinated, although this has since been changed again.

Holland America Line

Days earlier, federal officials were forced to respond after Barbados said it would not consider travellers who got mixed COVID-19 vaccines to be fully vaccinated,

Although the country later updated its policies, Justin Trudeau promised that Canada would "work with the international community to make sure that people who are fully vaccinated in ways that Canadians recognize as safe and effective are also recognized around the world."

Back in June, Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) officially approved mixing and matching eligible COVID-19 vaccine doses.