Disney cruises to require COVID-19 vaccinations for children 5 and older

Disney Cruise Line in January will require that all passengers 5 years and older be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, expanding the company's mandate to include younger children aboard its ships.

Disney, which operates four ships, is the first cruise line to update its policy with a requirement for children ages 5 to 11, who only recently became eligible for the vaccine. 

The updated policy takes effect on January 13, 2022, Disney said. Until that date, Parents of kids under 5 years of age must show proof of a negative test for a child between three days and 24 hours ahead of departure. The requirements apply to sailings in the U.S. and abroad. 

The requirements align with Disney's policy stating all vaccine-eligible guests be immunized against COVID-19. 

Th Food and Drug Administration late last month approved kid-size doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children as young as 5, as now recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Disney and most other large cruise lines now require passengers 12 and older to be fully vaccinated. Some have allowed unvaccinated children onboard with a pre-departure coronavirus test, but the numbers are limited due to policies requiring at least 95% of passengers to be immunized. 

Norwegian Cruise Line requires all passengers and crew be fully vaccinated, including eligible children, and bars ineligible children from boarding its ships.