Two people test positive for COVID-19 on first post-pandemic cruise from North America
Workers prepare for the arrival of the ‘Celebrity Millennium’ ship, a Maltese registerd vessel at the under-construction Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong on March 16, 2013. The ‘Celebrity Millennium’ arrived early on March 16 to become the first ship to berth at the terminal, the site of the former Kai Tak airport, which plans to open in the middle of this year. AFP PHOTO / Dale de la Rey (Photo credit should read DALE de la REY/AFP via Getty Images)
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MIAMI (NewsNation Now) — Two people on the first cruise setting sail from North America since the pandemic tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of the cruise.
The Celebrity Millennium cruise, which is operated by parent company Royal Caribbean Group, issued a statement announcing the diagnoses. They added that both passengers are asymptomatic and currently in isolation.
“All guests on Celebrity Millennium were required to show proof of vaccination as well as a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before sailing from St. Maarten this past Saturday. This situation demonstrates that our rigorous health and safety protocols work to protect our crew, guests and the communities we visit.”
Celebrity Millennium
The cruise was adjusted for COVID-19 protocols including changes to everything from buffets to how safety routines were conducted.
“The buffets are handled very well and instead of the passengers utilizing the utensils and serving themselves, the crew wearing gloves were serving the passengers,” Stewart Chiron, “The Cruise Guy,” said to NewsNation’s Brian Entin.
Other Royal Caribbean cruises have not set sail yet, but will not require their passengers to be vaccinated. They will instead mandate all passengers be tested for COVID-19.
NewsNation affiliate WFLA reported the vessel is currently docked in Curaço and the passengers who tested positive remain on board in isolation. The ship will return to St. Maarten this Saturday to disembark.
