Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has announced that it will be requiring its guests to have had their booster doses of coronavirus vaccines done before sailing in cases when it has been more than three months since the original vaccination.
According to the cruise line’s official statement, the new rule applies to sailings starting from mid-February, namely:
• The Europa 2’s sailings starting from the Feb. 14-28 voyage
• The Hanseatic Spirit’s sailings starting from the Feb. 19-March 6 voyage
• The Hanseatic Nature’s sailings starting from the Feb. 19-March 8 voyage
• The Hanseatic Inspiration’s sailings starting from the Feb. 24-March 16 voyage
• The Europa’s sailings starting from the Feb. 24-March 9 voyage
The cruise line said that this is done with the purpose of “further increasing safety for passengers and crew and based on the current vaccination recommendation of STIKO, which recommends a booster vaccination after three months.”
Proof of the full vaccination against COVID-19, as well as the booster vaccination, must be presented at embarkation, Hapag-Lloyd said.
“This must be visible in the vaccination passport or in the digital proof of vaccination,” the cruise line wrote. “We therefore recommend that you take care of your booster vaccination appointment in good time and have a new digital proof issued. It should be noted that non-compliance with these requirements leads to the termination of the cruise ticket, and embarkation will not be permitted. Proof of recovery without additional proof of vaccination is not sufficient.”
Hapag-Lloyd said that the new requirements will be in place until further notice. The cruise line also reminded that from Feb. 2, its guests aged 12 and above will also need to be fully vaccinated to sail (as opposed to the current rule of guests aged 18 and above).
