1st North American Cruise Since 2020, 2 Passengers Tested Positive With COVID-19

On Thursday, two passengers who shared a cabin on the first North American Cruise since 2020 tested positive for COVID-19.

Prior to or at the time of boarding, all personnel and adult passengers on board the Celebrity Millennium required to present confirmation of complete vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test.

While undergoing tests prior to disembarking the cruise at St. Maarten, the guests discovered they were positive.

In a statement to ABC News, the cruise company claimed, “The passengers are asymptomatic and are now in isolation and being evaluated by our medical staff.” “We’re doing contact tracing, speeding up testing for all close connections, and keeping a careful eye on the issue.”

The two positive guests, according to a Celebrity spokeswoman, will remain in St. Maarten until they test negative, after which the cruise company will assist them in making travel arrangements to return home.

The Millennium is the world’s largest COVID-19-vaccinated cruise to date.

Vaccines, according to celebrities, are “game changers” since they allow them to restart operations.

The ship, which normally carries more than 2,000 passengers, is only around 30 percent full.

Because our occupancy is minimal, there will be no masks or social distancing necessary,” Celebrity CEO and President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo told ABC News before the trip. “There will be plenty of space for the guests, as well as a variety of food options and activities.”

Celebrity has made various changes to their procedures, such as replacing their frequently congested muster drill with an online version and eliminating self-serve buffets. Their infirmary now has two physicians and 11 nurses on board, as well as extra ventilators and isolation chambers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still advises against cruise travel, but Celebrity was just given permission to sail the first cruise out of the United States from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, at the end of the month.