Singapore’s Cruise to Nowhere Returns To Port After A Passenger Tests Positive

Cruising in the ocean, which once seemed like a perfect vacation, now has become a luxury. Thanks to the covid-19 pandemic, all our cruise vacations standstill. However, to helps beat the blues and to promote tourism, the Quantum of the Seas ship was hosting a three-night, four-day cruise to nowhere in Singapore. The Royal Caribbean cruise ship aimed to cover itinerary around Singapore. While the concept got quite popular, sadly it didn’t last long. The ship has now returned to port in Singapore after a passenger tested positive for covid-19.

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Guests Will Remain Onboard Until All The Necessary Tracing Measures Are In Place

Royal Caribbean has confirmed this news with CNN. The ship confirmed that an onboard passenger tested covid positive after checking in with a member of the ship’s medical staff. Once the information was out, the Quantum of the Seas informed the officials, and the cruise was stalled immediately. And now to ensure the safety, guests will not disembark from the ship until all the necessary tracing measures are in place.

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On this a Royal Caribbean representative said,

“We worked closely with the government to develop a thorough system that tests and monitors all guests and crew and follows public health best practices. That we were able to quickly identify this single case and take immediate action is a sign that the system is working as it was designed to do.”

The Ship Was Operating At 50 Per Cent Capacity And Was Open Only For Singaporeans

Speaking about the incident, Annie Chang, director of the cruise at the Singapore Tourism Board told the Straits Times that all of the infected passenger’s contacts have tested negative and are in isolation as a precautionary measure. She further added,

“The well-being and safety of our local community, as well as passengers and crew remain a top priority. All passengers undergo a mandatory Covid-19 test prior to boarding, with stringent hygiene and safety measures implemented throughout their passenger journey.”

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For the ship, it was operating at 50 per cent capacity. All passengers had to present a negative test result before boarding the ship. Wearing masks and social distancing was again a must for everyone. Only Singaporean citizens were allowed to buy the tickets, whereas crew members from around the world spent 14 days quarantining before getting cleared for work. As an extra hygiene measure, fresh air was regularly cycled throughout the ship, added Royal Caribbean.