UPDATE: Disney is now requiring all guests ages 12 and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for all sailings, and has updated certain testing requirements. Click here for more information.

Disney Cruise Line has been running some staycation cruises in the UK and a test cruise sailing from Florida, but it has not resumed regular sailings from the US…yet!

Earlier today Disney Cruise Line announced that they will be sailing once again from the US with paying passengers starting in early August (just a few weeks away)! When sailings resume, things will be a little bit different and there will be additional requirements as part of Disney’s focus on health and safety. Some of those requirements relate to COVID-19 tests, and today we’re breaking down what you need to know.

If you’re planning to go on a Disney Cruise when sailings resume in August, there are some important rules you need to know. Some of these rules relate to COVID-19 testing. Specifically, all Disney Cruise Line passengers for upcoming ships will have to meet some COVID-19 testing requirements before leaving home and on embarkation day. Disney has also added some testing requirements on debarkation day for select cruises. Let’s break them down here.

Before Leaving Home

Before you even step into the cruise line terminal, you’ll need to meet some COVID-19 testing requirements in order to sail. First, Disney notes that every guest in your travel party will have to create an account with Inspire Diagnostics.

This is a third-party partner Disney Cruise Line is using for its COVID-19 testing and vaccination verification. Starting 33 days before your cruise, every guest has to log into Inspire Diagnostics’ Safe Passage site and create an account linked to their reservation. Parents and guardians will have to make accounts on behalf of any minors in their travel party.

UPDATE: Disney has since updated its website to note that “parents and legal guardians may use their own accounts to submit test results on behalf of their children.”

Next, the requirements vary depending on whether a guest is fully vaccinated or not. Guests who are fully vaccinated can voluntarily provide proof of vaccination. If a guest is fully vaccinated and voluntarily provides this proof, they will be exempt from the pre-arrival and embarkation day COVID-19 testing requirements (unless they’re arriving from outside of the U.S.).

Note that a person is considered to be fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. If a guest is fully vaccinated and wants to voluntarily provide proof, they can visit the Safe Passage website up to 33 days before their cruise and upload an image showing proof of their vaccination (preferably a vaccination card). It’s also recommended that the guest bring that proof of vaccination to the port for embarkation day. You can see Disney’s full details below.

Note that the Disney website has been updated to note that vaccinated guests arriving from outside the U.S. who are required to undergo the rapid test on Embarkation Day will not be charged for the test. It also now notes that travel insurance will not be required for vaccinated guests arriving from outside the U.S. on sailings originating in the U.S.

If a guest is not fully vaccinated or chooses not to voluntarily provide proof of vaccination, then the guest will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test. That test must have been taken between 5 days and 24 hours before the sail date. The guest can get testing from any independent testing provider or even purchase a PCR testing kit from Inspire Diagnostics for $98.33 per test.

The information from these tests must then be properly sent or uploaded to the Inspire Diagnostics system an appropriate time before the sail date. You can see more information from Disney regarding these tests below.

Disney notes that guests with a positive COVID-19 test result, along with everyone in their travel party, will be denied boarding. Guests may also be denied boarding if Inspire Diagnostics doesn’t receive the required documentation or test results needed to sail.

Again, Disney notes that guests should bring copies of their negative test rules (and/or proof of vaccination) to embarkation day.

Embarkation Day

Alright, so you’ve submitted your proof of vaccination or proof of negative COVID-19 test BEFORE you even leave your home. What’s next? Well, then there are specific COVID-19 testing/vaccination requirements on embarkation day.

First, we do want to note something very important — the Disney Cruise Line website notes that requirements can change. So, guests are directed to check back 24 hours prior to their sail date for the latest information.

In terms of the embarkation day requirements, Disney notes that guests will be required to undergo a rapid PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics at the terminal before they can board. This test will cost $65 and the cost will be charged to the folio of all guests ages 12 and older. Guests who have a positive COVID-19 test at this point (as well as everyone in their travel party) will be denied boarding.

Guests who are fully vaccinated may voluntarily provide proof of vaccination during embarkation day instead of undergoing the COVID-19 embarkation testing.

If you will be voluntarily providing proof of vaccination, be sure to bring the documents that can prove your vaccination status.

Debarkation Day

Recently, Disney Cruise Line updated their website to add an additional COVID-19 testing requirement. According to the website, all unvaccinated guests sailing on 5-night and longer cruises will be required to undergo a PCR COVID-19 test on Debarkation Day, prior to debarking.

This test will be paid for by Disney Cruise Line.

Overall

So again, there is a COVID-19 testing requirement before you leave your home, another on embarkation day, and another on debarkation day for select cruises. Guests who are fully vaccinated can provide proof of vaccination voluntarily to exempt themselves from these testing requirements (with some exceptions).

Note that there are other health and safety requirements you’ll need to look at for the upcoming Disney Cruises including travel insurance requirements, mask rules, and more. We’ll continue to look for more updates regarding Disney Cruise Line and we’ll share those all with you.

Click here to see what’s going on with Disney Cruise Line and their plan to establish a new year-round port.

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Will you be setting sail with Disney Cruise Line soon? Tell us in the comments!