Carnival Cruise Line updates onboard mask requirements as omicron spreads

Carnival Cruise Line updated its mask policy Friday for sailings through Jan. 31 as omicron spreads.

All passengers 2 and older are "requested" to wear masks indoors except when they are eating, drinking or in their staterooms. The cruise line requested that passengers wear masks in large gatherings outside if physical distancing cannot be maintained.

"All guests must wear masks during the entire embarkation and debarkation process (at the home port and ports of call, including the onboard pre-debarkation process), during any Carnival-approved shore excursions and while on any transportation vehicles, including water shuttles," Carnival says on its website.

On shore, passengers are asked to follow local COVID-19 protocol.

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Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International also tightened mask protocols on cruise ships in the face of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Norwegian requires passengers to wear masks indoors except for when eating or drinking or in their stateroom.

The cruise line asks passengers to wear their masks outdoors if social distancing isn't feasible and to follow local regulations during port visits.

Royal Caribbean told passengers in a note Friday that it would tighten mask restrictions through Jan. 5.

"With the recent uptick of COVID-19 in the world and added omicron variant concerns, we feel it prudent to temporarily tighten our onboard health protocols to require masks indoors at all times, unless actively eating or drinking," the cruise line said. "This new update also applies to vaccinated areas and venues."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carnival Cruise Line updates mask requirements as omicron spreads