Netherlands to Drop Mandatory Quarantine Requirements for Vaccinated Travelers

(2:24 p.m. EDT) -- The Dutch government has walked back regulations that imposed mandatory 10-day quarantines on citizens of high-risk countries like the United States traveling to the Netherlands.

The about-face comes just weeks after the Netherlands imposed the mandatory quarantines for all travelers staying over 12 hours in the country, sending holidaymakers and river cruise lines scrambling to come up with alternatives that did not include Dutch ports of call.

This followed the European Union's removal of the United States from the bloc's safe travel list in August.

The NL Times notes that the reversal of rules for vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and other countries will come into effect as of September 22, 2021. Until then, mandatory quarantine rules introduced earlier this month remain in effect.

The Times noted that the Netherlands would also no longer enforce physical distancing of 1.5 metres (approximately six feet) between persons in favor of introducing coronavirus access passports showing proof of immunization against COVID-19 for access into select venues and businesses.

To work around the previous rules, river cruise lines were bussing passengers out of the Netherlands to ports along the German border.

Cruise Critic will update this story with more information as it becomes available.