Two passengers on my Celebrity cruise tested positive for COVID-19; here’s my account.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I'm currently onboard Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Millennium, the first major cruise ship in North America to sail again and allow American travelers in over 15 months. On Thursday, two passengers tested positive for COVID-19 while the ship is operating at only about 30% capacity. Here’s an overview of how the situation has been addressed.

I spent most of Thursday exploring Aruba, one of the three ports on our itinerary that allowed us some freedom to roam. I booked an independent excursion and enjoyed seven hours discovering caves and relaxing on the beach.

Upon returning to the ship, I received messages from several colleagues in the industry asking if I had heard the news. St. Maarten mandates testing for all passengers before disembarking on June 12. Testing began on Thursday, and two results returned positive.

According to a press release from Celebrity, which mandated that all passengers aged 16 and older be vaccinated for this sailing to curb the spread of the virus, both passengers in the same cabin were retested, and the results of the second test also came back positive.

Consequently, the cruise line activated new protocols it has been refining over the past several months during the industry’s pause and implemented its contact tracing methods to notify passengers who may have been exposed.

Around 6 p.m. on Thursday, I learned that the two sick passengers, who are asymptomatic, were on the same shore excursion as I was two days prior in Barbados. I was then directed to go to Deck 3's conference center for testing. (I had initially planned to be tested Friday morning, a process that Celebrity facilitated easily with a QR code and an online scheduling system.)

When I arrived at the check-in desk outside the conference center, I was instructed to return to my cabin, and one of the ship's nurses would come to conduct my test. (The testing facility has extended hours until midnight for anyone wishing to get swabbed voluntarily, but those who had close contact with the positive passengers are being prioritized.)

In the hour and 45 minutes that followed, I received a call instructing me to stay in my cabin while confirming that a nurse was en route; then, two officers visited to apologize for the inconvenience and reminded me again to remain in my cabin; finally, another call confirmed that a nurse was on the way and that I'd have access to unlimited Wi-Fi and free on-demand movies.

From the beginning, Celebrity has been completely open about the situation. The captain of the Celebrity Millennium, which carries around 600 passengers and 700 crew members, announced that 200 passengers had been tested since the first two positive cases were identified, with no further positives found.

Around 7:45 p.m., a nurse dressed in extensive PPE, along with a man in a suit, mask, and face shield, knocked on my door to administer a PCR test. While it was a bit uncomfortable, it wasn’t painful.

When I spoke with the first caller, I inquired about the timeframe for test results. She mentioned it would take a maximum of two hours, but the man accompanying the nurse indicated it could take several hours, potentially delaying my results until Friday morning.

Since the quarantine meant I had to skip dinner, I ordered room service. When it arrived, I called out to the crew member delivering it, asking him to leave it outside the door while I awaited my test result. He kindly obliged.

A few minutes later, there was another knock, and a member of the culinary team arrived to bring me sparkling wine and chocolates.

Celebrity took excellent care of me as I awaited my results, which came around 10:30 p.m. with a call from the hotel director. Although I tested negative, I must remain in my cabin until morning, as the medical team wants to receive all results before allowing us to move freely onboard. (Everyone from the excursion was tested, including the room steward of the ill passengers and the dining room waitstaff.)

It’s worth mentioning that, statistically, this occurrence was expected, and I’m not at all surprised it happened. Everyone on board is fully vaccinated (except for the eight children), and none of us, including the kids, were allowed to board without negative PCR tests before the cruise.

However, vaccines are not 100% effective, which means there remains a small possibility for a fully vaccinated ship to experience a COVID-19 case or two onboard. I understood this risk when I booked the cruise, and I would take it again in a heartbeat, especially after witnessing how effectively this situation was managed.

The important thing is that cruise lines are prepared this time. Celebrity has been transparent about the situation and has acted swiftly to prevent the virus from spreading. They have reached out to passengers who may have been exposed to those who tested positive, are testing all of us (at their own cost), and ensuring we are extremely comfortable during the process.

While officials have not confirmed whether this will impact the next sailing of the Celebrity Millennium, the line has a plan for after this cruise concludes.

I inquired about the fate of the ill passengers when we arrive in St. Maarten in two days — we have a sea day tomorrow — and was informed that they will need to disembark, go directly to a hotel, and remain there until they receive negative test results.

In addition to being the first line to welcome Americans back onboard, Celebrity will also be the first to have a ship sailing from a U.S. port again. Celebrity Edge, captained by Kate McCue, is scheduled to depart from Fort Lauderdale on June 26, implementing the same protocols.