The cruise company has resumed travel to the Caribbean. It is not going well

The first cruise ship to sail to the Caribbean since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic is now in quarantine off the coast of Barbados after at least five passengers tested positive for COVID-19.

All 53 passengers and 66 crew members aboard the small ship, SeaDream I, were tested today to determine if there are any other cases on board. The ship’s captain announced at noon Wednesday that one person had tested positive, sending the boat into quarantine. Further tests reported Thursday identified four more cases, all of which are close contacts of the first case.

The owner of the ship, SeaDream Yacht Club, reported that his medical team had finished re-examining all the crew and all were negative. SeaDream said it was still working on all 53 passengers, 37 of whom are American.

News of the COVID-affected ship was first brought ashore by cruise industry reporter Gene Sloan, who is aboard the ship and currently quarantined in his cabin. Sloan, who boarded on Saturday, thoroughly documented his experience, including all COVID precautions on board. He has repeatedly called the voyage a “turning point” for the cruise industry, which has been hit hard by a pandemic that was marked for the first time by devastating outbreaks on luxury cruise ships.

In his early posts, Sloan noted the “gauntlet” of temperature testing and controls passengers had to undergo to board, which was intended to create a COVID-free “bubble” at sea. Passengers had to test negative several days before boarding, the day of boarding and a few days after boarding. However, it appeared that the cruise was using an Abbott rapid test, the same test used in the White House. Experts have raised concerns about the accuracy of these tests in detecting asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infections and therefore about their use for general screenings.

Not so distant memory

But unlike the White House, Sloan noted the mask worn by the passengers and crew on board, as well as the social distancing, which was easy to maintain as the boat carries only 53 of its 112 guests. Additionally, off-ship excursions have been solely to empty beaches or catamaran snorkeling trips, Sloan noted.

“In some respects, SeaDream I is the perfect cruise ship in the coronavirus era, “he reported early Wednesday.” A small fraction of the size of a typical cruise ship, is designed for a yacht-like luxury experience revolving around to outdoor relaxation on its sun decks, to water sports off its retractable marina and to Zodiac landings on remote beaches or other uncrowded locales. “

He added: “For many of the 53 passengers who booked this trip, the COVID crisis at home has quickly become a distant memory.”

But that distant memory had returned at lunchtime. Sloan reported later Wednesday that ship captain Torbjorn Lund announced on the intercom around noon that a passenger had tested positive. Late Thursday, Sloan reported that Lund has announced four more cases.

Since the first case, passengers and non-essential crew have been confined to their rooms “with great caution,” SeaDream said in a press release. The company added that it is awaiting authorization from the Barbadian government to disembark guests safely.

Ars contacted SeaDream but was directed to the press release. A representative confirmed the number of passengers and crew reported by Sloan. At the time of publication, the company had not yet confirmed the additional four cases.

“We are working closely with local health and government authorities to resolve this situation as best we can,” SeaDream Executive Vice President Andreas Brynestad said in the statement. “Our top priority is the health and safety of our crew, guests and the communities we visit.”

Sailing

Brynestad and SeaDream noted that the company had “operated successfully this season in Norway, completing 21 voyages in June”. In August, another cruise company operating in Norway was hit by a COVID-19 outbreak, sending at least four people to hospital and hundreds to quarantine.

The COVID scare on board SeaDream I comes at a difficult time for the cruise industry. On October 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted a shipping ban order for industry, issuing a phased framework for conditional navigation in U.S. waters that day. However, media reports in September revealed that CDC director Robert Redfield originally wanted to extend the shipping ban order until February 2021, but it was canceled by the Trump administration.

On November 3, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a commercial group representing 95% of the industry, announced that it will extend a voluntary suspension of cruises until December 31. The association said its members will spend the time preparing health outlined safety measures. experts and the CDC.

In response to the current situation of SeaDream, a CLIA representative told Ars via email that:

Unfortunately, no environment is immune to the virus, but our members are fully committed to implementing advanced mitigation and response measures to minimize risk and protect public health. Although the specific details on this incident are yet to be determined, we have learned from the more than 200 departures since the beginning of July that when advanced protocols are in place and strictly followed, they are working as intended to effectively mitigate the risks associated with the introduction and transmission of the virus on board. The industry’s focus on advanced protocols and risk mitigation continues as we learn more about the virus and technological advancements.