International cruises and the passenger locator form.

If you will be visiting or returning to the UK on an international cruise, you need to complete a passenger locator form. You must do this either:

• in the 48 hours before boarding – if the cruise lasts 19 days or less
• during the cruise – if the cruise lasts longer than 19 days

When you complete the passenger locator form you must include all the countries that you have been in in the 10 days before arriving in the UK. This includes all the countries where the cruise ship docked, regardless of whether you disembarked in those countries or not.

You must complete the passenger locator form even if you are only transiting through the UK.

You do not need to complete a passenger locator form if either:

• you are on an international cruise, but you will not leave the ship at any point in the UK
• you are on a cruise that begins in and only calls at ports in the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man.

COVID-19 testing and quarantine rules.

Apart from the passenger locator form rules, standard international travel testing and quarantine rules apply for people arriving on cruise ships. 

Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office advice for international cruise travel.

Read the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice on international cruise travel.

UK Chamber of Shipping COVID-19 framework for cruise operations.

The UK Chamber of Shipping have published detailed COVID-19 guidance for cruise passengers, operators and seafarers:

• Framework for UK cruise operations during COVID-19: passengers (PDF, 342KB, 8 pages)
• Framework for UK cruise operations during COVID-19: operators (PDF, 547KB, 26 pages)
• Framework for UK cruise operations during COVID-19: management of seafarers (PDF, 326KB, 7 pages)