Disney Reaffirms COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Recently Recovered Guests

Disney Cruise Line reaffirmed its COVID-19 policies yesterday, allowing guests who have recently recovered from COVID-19 aboard its ships – without any pre-cruise, embarkation or disembarkation testing required.  

The policy has been a long ask for many cruisers who have been wary of booking a cruise only to end up contracting the virus close to their sail date. Even after someone has recovered from a COVID-19 infection, it is possible for them to continue to test positive for weeks. This could mean any pre-cruise, embarkation and disembarkation required to cruise could come back positive, even if the recently recovered traveler was no longer actively infected. 

Disney says that they've had the policy since cruising restarted last year. This week, they added it to the Know Before You Go, making it more clear to potential cruisers. Under the Disney policy, approved guests who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection within the last 90 days will be able to join sailings, as long as they can provide proper documentation as outlined by the cruise line from a healthcare provider stating they have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days prior to sailing.

Disney has been a leader in COVID-19 policies. Back in November 2021, Disney became the first line to announce that it would require guests 5 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, effective for its mid-January 2022 sailings onward.

Folks who believe they are eligible to be considered as '90-Day-Recovered'will need to upload a copy of their positive COVID-19 NAAT, rapid PCR, antigen, or lab PCR test result, taken between 11 and 90 days from the sail date to Disney’s Safe Passage site. Note that the test result must also include the passenger’s birthdate. 

Guests will also need to upload a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or public health official (printed on the official letterhead showing the provider’s name, address and phone number) confirming the guest is medically cleared for travel and has recovered from COVID-19 infection within the last 90 days. 

Important to note: All guests five and older who board Disney ships as '90-Day-Recovered'passengers will still need to show proof of full vaccination completed within 14 days of the sail date. 

To keep up with the ever-changing COVID-19 protocols across cruise lines, check out our article on Vaccines, Masks and Testing: What Cruise Lines Require Now, which is updated regularly.