Norwegian Cruise Line said on Monday it was easing safety measures related to COVID-19 on its ships by dropping testing, masking and vaccination requirements, as the pandemic loosens its grip on the world.

The cruise line, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, said even with the easing of its health and safety protocols, it would continue to follow the travel guidelines as required by the destinations it visits.

Since the pandemic broke out two years ago, cruise travel took a hit on account of lockdowns, bans and safety. But with the world reopening, cruise operators are dropping mandatory COVID-19 testing requirements.

In August, rival Carnival Corp said it would drop mandatory testing for guests vaccinated against COVID-19 and allow unvaccinated passengers to travel without an exemption in some cases.

Shares of the cruise operator were down about 1% in morning trading.

(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Anil D'Silva)