MIAMI, Florida: Carnival cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise, Princess Cruises and Cunard, have made plans to drop mandatory COVID-19 testing for vaccinated passengers.

The cruise lines will allow unvaccinated passengers to travel without an exemption in some cases, it added.

The decision follows a similar move made this week by rival Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Except for Carnival cruises in Australia or on voyages longer than 16 nights, unvaccinated passengers must still present a negative COVID-19 result, but they will no longer need to apply for an exemption.

Amidst rising inflation and labor shortages, in recent months the cruise industry has been recovering from an over one-year pause in offering cruises due to the COVID-19 crisis.