Several ocean cruise ships were turned away from ports of call or were prohibited from letting passengers disembark in the Americas this week because of Covid-19 cases aboard, CNN reports.
That’s nothing like the massive disruption when the pandemic hit in March of last year, but it comes at a time when the cruise industry was just getting back in the swing of things. An Expedia Group study released in late November found that there had been more than a 20% month on month increase in demand in Canadian cruise searches for travel in the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022.
Aruba and Bonaire turned the Carnival Freedom ship away last week due to a number of COVID-19 cases on board.
The Washington Post quotes Carnival officials as saying that “a small number of people infected aboard the Freedom ship have been isolated from other passengers and crew.”
CNN said the ship was able to find another port to visit in the Dominican Republic.
“The rapid spread of the Omicron Variant may shape how some destination authorities view even a small number of cases, even when they are being managed with our vigorous protocols,” Carnival said in a statement. “Some destinations have limited medical resources and are focused on managing their own local response to the variant.”
The Miami Herald said Aruba and Curacao turned away the Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas after 55 fully vaccinated crew members and passengers were diagnosed with the virus.
CNN said Mexican officials refused to allow Holland American Line’s Koningsdame to disembark in Puerto Vallarta on Thursday after 21 crew members tested positive for Covid-19. A “small number of fully vaccinated crew” tested positive and all showed either mild or no symptoms, Holland America Line told CNN.
