COVID-19: Saga says cruise customers will need vaccines before boarding

Over-50s holiday and insurance specialist Saga is to require customers to be fully vaccinated before boarding cruises, the company has announced.

It also said it had pushed back the restart date for its travel business from April to May - to allow customers time to receive the jab.

Holidaymakers will have to be vaccinated at least 14 days before travelling and also take a pre-departure COVID test.

Saga said in a statement: "The health and safety of our customers has always been our number one priority at Saga, so we have taken the decision to require everyone travelling with us to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"Our customers want the reassurance of the vaccine and to know others travelling with them will be vaccinated too."

Other measures will include reduced capacity of customers on board ships to a maximum of 800, an increase in the number of crew per customer in order to provide enhanced cleaning, and better air conditioning.

The company's position is in contrast with that of tour operator TUI.

TUI's chief executive Fritz Joussen has rejected the idea of turning away customers who do not have the vaccine.

Elsewhere, the boss of Qantas - based in Australia, which has some of the world's toughest travel restrictions - has said it would insist in future that international travellers have a jab before they fly.

Last week it emerged that holiday firms had seen a spike in bookings from older people planning long-awaited trips as the coronavirus vaccine is rolled out.

Operators said they were seeing demand for breaks both home and abroad, partly to make up for holiday plans not fulfilled last year.

Many firms in the travel and hospitality sector are on their knees after coronavirus restrictions crushed demand - and thousands of jobs have gone.

A number of cruise ships were caught up in the early stages of the coronavirus crisis, resulting in quarantines and in some cases a number of deaths.