First Caribbean cruise since pandemic began ends trip early as 5 passengers test positive for COVID-19

Representational picture. AP

San Juan: One of many first cruise ships to ply by means of Caribbean waters for the reason that pandemic started ended its journey early after at the least 5 passengers examined optimistic for COVID-19 , officers mentioned Thursday.

The SeaDream I is carrying 66 crew and greater than 50 passengers, with the vast majority of passengers hailing from the US, in response to Sue Bryant, who’s aboard the ship and is a cruise editor for The Instances and The Sunday Instances in Britain.

She advised The Related Press that one passenger grew to become sick on Wednesday and compelled the ship to show again to Barbados, the place it had departed from on Saturday. Nonetheless, the ship had but to dock in Barbados as native authorities examined these on board. The captain introduced that at the least 5 passengers have examined optimistic, Bryant mentioned.

The incident marked the primary time SeaDream had resumed its West Indies voyages for the reason that pandemic, with the ship initially scheduled to return to Barbados on Saturday, in response to a web based itinerary. The ship had made a number of stops in St. Vincent and the Grenadines earlier than turning again.

The Norway-based SeaDream Yacht Membership, the ship’s dad or mum firm, wouldn’t say what number of passengers examined optimistic within the preliminary spherical of testing.

Bryant mentioned passengers have been required to have a detrimental PCR take a look at to enter Barbados and underwent one other take a look at on the dock administered by the ship’s physician. “All of us felt very protected,” she mentioned, including that the ship had been implementing strict hygiene protocols. “But by some means, COVID seems to have gotten on board.”

SeaDream mentioned the ship’s medical employees has examined all crew members and that each one examined detrimental. The corporate additionally mentioned it’s at present re-testing all friends, noting they’re all beneath quarantine together with non-essential crew members.

“We’re working carefully with native well being and authorities authorities to resolve this case in the very best manner,” SeaDream mentioned. “Our foremost precedence is the well being and security of our crew, friends, and the communities we go to.”

Authorities officers in Barbados didn’t return messages for remark.

Waters across the Caribbean have been largely bereft of cruise ships this yr, with the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention suspending cruise ship operations at US ports in mid-March. The no-sail order expired on 31 October.

Final week, the Cruise Strains Worldwide Affiliation, which represents 95 p.c of world ocean-growing cruise capability, mentioned its members have been voluntarily suspending cruise operations within the US by means of 31 December.

SeaDream was among the many first cruise traces to renew service in Europe. In August, the corporate reported that an asymptomatic passenger had examined optimistic for the coronavirus after disembarking from SeaDream I in Denmark. All different passengers and crew examined detrimental, the corporate mentioned.