Guest Health and Safety Protocols

Learn what you can expect during your next Signature Land, Private, Custom, or River Cruise Expedition. Please check this page often as information continues to be updated.

For Private Jet information, please visit: Guest Health and Safety Protocols – Private Jet

 

For Expedition Cruises, Journeys, and Family Journeys, please visit: Guest Health and Safety Protocols – Expedition Cruises, Journeys, and Family Journeys

Health and Safety

As you explore with us, promoting health and safety is a top priority. We are traveling with multiple layers of health and safety measures developed in consideration of guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical experts. Given the evolving global health environment, our Health and Safety Protocols may change as we consider new guidance and recommendations from health agencies.

We’re providing you with these Health and Safety Protocols ahead of your trip so you understand our policies and can do your part. This includes information about personal health and hygiene and measures we have put in place for COVID-19 vaccination, cleaning, and more.

Vaccination Requirements

Below are the vaccination requirements based on commencement date of trip, type of trip and departure destination:

Signature Land – US Domestic

  • Departures commencing April 20, 2023 and beyond: No vaccination required

Signature Land – International

  • Departures through April 30, 2023: All Guests (regardless of age) must be fully vaccinated
  • Departures commencing May 1, 2023: Guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated
  • Departures commencing June 1, 2023: No vaccination required

River Cruises, Private Expeditions, Custom Trips

  • Departures through April 30, 2023: All Guests (regardless of age) must be fully vaccinated
  • Departures commencing May 1, 2023 and beyond: No vaccination required

NOTE: National Geographic Expeditions strongly recommends that all Guests be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of travel including a COVID-19 booster shot, if eligible. For international trips, destinations and local laws may still require vaccinations. Guests who are not considered fully vaccinated may be prevented from entering certain destinations. Destinations and local laws that require vaccinations may have different requirements and definitions of what constitutes full vaccination and may change those requirements on short notice. This may include requiring additional wait time after the full series of doses and a booster before considering someone fully vaccinated. Guests will continue to be required to comply with any trip-specific vaccination requirements, including those required by our cruise operators.

In consideration of guidance from the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO), National Geographic Expeditions accepts the following vaccine types: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Novavax, Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV (VeroCell), Sinovac-CoronaVac, and Covavaxin (Bharat Biotech).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines fully vaccinated as 14 days after receiving:

  • A single dose of an accepted 1-dose vaccine
  • The second dose of an accepted 2-dose vaccine
  • The full series of an active (not placebo) COVID-19 vaccine in the US-based AstraZeneca or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trials
  • The second dose of any “mix and match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines (administered at least 17 days apart)

For all trip types requiring vaccination, Guests must submit proof of vaccination to The Anvil Group prior to the start of the trip. Anvil is our third-party vendor for verifying proof of COVID-19 vaccination. More information about this process will be provided prior to departure.

Pre- and mid-departure COVID-19 testing may be required depending on the destination and type of trip. Information will be provided in your pre-departure materials. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of State website.

Travel Insurance

National Geographic Expeditions strongly encourages Guests to purchase their own travel insurance, including medical coverage, evacuation insurance, and trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage. Insurance is available for purchase during the booking process. Some destinations may require travel insurance for entry.

Health Acknowledgement

Please make sure that you have reviewed any advisories or restrictions that may be in place for travel. In addition, please be sure you are familiar with our booking and cancellation policies. Guests who are or may be at increased risk of severe illness due to contracting COVID-19 should consult with their health care provider before traveling.

Contact

Please contact a travel specialist at (888) 966-8687 if you have any questions or concerns.