Cruising is a brilliant way to travel, as it allows you to visit a variety of countries in a short period of time.
However, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor or qualified pharmacist before you travel to learn about the health requirements for the countries on your itinerary and to check whether you will need any vaccinations prior to travel such as Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, Diphtheria and Tetanus.
For a list of destinations and vaccine requirements for your cruise, please see below.
Recommended websites for cruise vaccine requirements:
World Health Organization - https://www.who.int/
UK Foreign Office - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Fit for Travel - https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home
NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations
For individual cruise lines’ vaccination policies, including Covid-19 immunisation requirements, such as P&O, Princess, Marella and MSC Cruises, rather than the destination, please see their official websites.
Africa
There are a number of ports that have both mandatory and advisory measures.
Holiday vaccinations for Hepatitis A, Tetanus, and Yellow Fever certification are required if you have visited areas where Yellow Fever transmission is possible. Yellow Fever risk areas, as defined by the World Health Organisation, can be found below. Other recommended vaccinations include Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Rabies, and Typhoid, though these vary depending on your destination.
The following ports have specific health requirements:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Republic of the Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Reunion
- Saint Helena
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
Asia
Asia is another destination with a number of ports that require specific vaccinations and health requirements.
Hepatitis A, Tetanus, and Yellow Fever vaccinations are required for visitors from countries where the disease is spread. You can find out which countries are designated risk areas below, which will give you an idea of the conditions required to enter the country. Other injections may be required, such as Hepatitis B, Rabies, Diphtheria, and Typhoid, depending on where you are cruising.
Ports, where vaccinations and health requirements may be required, include:
- Bangladesh
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Timor-Leste
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Macao
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- South Korea
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Australasia
Within Australasia you have Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Hepatitis A and Tetanus are the major vaccinations to consider, and people who have travelled to certain high-risk areas for contamination must also obtain a Yellow Fever certification. In addition, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Rabies, and Typhoid immunisations are recommended.
We highly recommend that you check the health requirements for the following ports in Australasia:
- American Samoa
- Australia
- Christmas Island
- Cook Islands
- Federated State of Micronesia
- Fiji
- French Polynesia
- Guam
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Nauru
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Niue
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Pitcairn
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Caribbean
By far one of the most popular areas to cruise in, with many ports to explore. Hepatitis B and Tetanus are the two main vaccines for Caribbean cruises, while neither is essential. Depending on whether you have travelled to dangerous areas, you can also be required to hold a Yellow Fever certificate at specific ports.
Many locations in the Caribbean have specific health criteria or vaccines to assure your safety and well-being while you're there. These consist of:
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bonaire
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Montserrat
- Puerto Rico
- Saba
- St Barthelemy
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Martin
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Saint Eustatius
- Saint Maarten
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos
- US Virgin Islands
North America and Central America
North and Central America don’t have quite as many health requirements as some other areas in the world. Hepatitis A and Tetanus are the most common injections. In some places, you may also be required to carry Yellow Fever certification, especially if you have visited high-risk countries.
Injections for Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Rabies, and Typhoid are also options. We recommend that you consult your doctor before visiting the following ports:
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Bermuda
- Canada
- Greenland
- Mexico
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- USA
Europe
Europe continues to be one of the most popular areas to explore whilst on a cruise holiday. There aren't many vaccinations that are absolutely necessary before travelling to Europe and Russia, but we would recommend that you speak with your doctor just in case. Tetanus, tick-borne encephalitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, diphtheria, and rabies are some of the immunisations which may be required.
There are several European countries, some of which require more health and travel precautions than others.
- Albania
- Belgium
- Bosnia Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Middle East
The Middle East is certainly increasing in popularity with cruise guests. We strongly advise that you check the health restrictions including immunisations for entering its ports. Tetanus and Yellow Fever certificates are essential needs. Whether they apply to you depends on other locations you have been and whether they are regarded as danger zones. These regions, which are classified as Yellow Fever risk areas, are seen below.
It's usually important to discuss your trip plans with your doctor before booking a cruise that stops at ports in the Middle East to find out what health requirements are necessary for destinations like the following:
- Bahrain
- Iran
- Jordan
- Oman
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
South America and Antarctica
There are some amazing places to cruise in South America and Antarctica! Tetanus and Yellow Fever certification are required for sailings to Antarctica and South America, though this varies depending on the risk areas visited, including those highlighted below.
Hepatitis A, B, Diphtheria, Rabies, and Typhoid are among the other advisory requirements. To ensure that your trip is as enjoyable as possible, the following ports have specific health requirements that you must follow:
- Antarctica
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela