Carnival Cruise Line says unvaccinated passengers won't be allowed on board unless they have a doctor's note

• Carnival Cruises says unvaccinated passengers must have a doctor's note.
• The note should confirm that the person is medically exempt from receiving a COVID vaccination.
• This doesn't apply to children under the age of 12.

Carnival Cruise Line has updated its COVID-19 protocols for unvaccinated passengers.

In a statement shared on Carnival's website on August 22, the cruise line said unvaccinated people traveling on Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Maryland-based ships will only be allowed to board if they have been exempt for medical reasons.

Starting Saturday, August 28, these passengers will be required to present a letter from their medical provider and an exemption approval letter from Carnival. The statement added that due to these new rules, "all other vaccine exemptions previously granted" for upcoming voyages will no longer be valid.

An exception will be made for children under the age of 12, who must present a birth certificate or passport when they board.

Unvaccinated guests who have not received an approval letter will be able to move their trip to a future voyage or cancel their trip with a full refund, Carnival added.

This comes after 27 people onboard a Carnival Vista ship - including one passenger and 26 staff - tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. The passenger who tested positive - 77-year-old Marilyn Tackett from Oklahoma - died after being admitted to hospital, Insider previously reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on cruise travel last week, announcing that "travelers who are at increased risk for severe illness avoid cruise ship travel, regardless of vaccination status."

People in this category include older adults over the age of 45 and people with certain medical conditions, such as cancer or heart conditions, according to the CDC website.