P &O Cruises and Cunard have ditched mandatory pre-cruise COVID tests for vaccinated guests on the vast majority of their sailings.

From 6 September, only guests sailing on longer, more complex itineraries will be required to have a supervised antigen or PCR test. This includes a number of holidays of 16 nights or more and other specific cruises.

The new guidelines apply to all cruises from Southampton and all other departure points with the exception of countries where government regulations and protocols may vary, including Australia and, for Cunard, Canada.

The vaccination policy for P&O Cruises guests remains the same.

P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow said: “These updated protocols reflect the current environment across the world and while certain key elements have relaxed, our commitment to protect the health and wellbeing of all guests, crew and the communities we visit remains an ongoing and vital consideration.

“They also ensure that the ease of cruising remains at the fore and that all guests of all ages can enjoy a holiday with unrivalled dining, relaxation and exploration options and unmatched service levels at extraordinary value for money.”

Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises have also said they’ll change COVID protocols on some sailings from 6 September.

All the updated guidelines and protocols are subject to local regulations of applicable homeports and destinations.