TAMPA (WFLA) – Two people on the first cruise setting sail from North America since the pandemic tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of the trip.
The Celebrity Millennium cruise, which is operated by Royal Caribbean, issued a statement announcing the diagnoses.
The tests came back positive during end-of-cruise testing, which is completed 72-hours before returning to the United States.
“The individuals are asymptomatic and currently in isolation and being monitored by our medical team,” Celebrity’s statement read. “We are conducting contact tracing, expediting testing for all close contacts and closely monitoring the situation.”
The cruise was adjusted for COVID-19 protocols including changes to everything from buffets to how safety routines were conducted.
All passengers were required to show proof of vaccination in addition to a negative COVID-19 test within a 72-hour period before the ship departed from the Caribbean island of St. Maarten Saturday.
“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.
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.
