What occurs if someone tests positive for COVID-19 during your cruise?

Cruise enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating the resumption of operations in North America over the past 45 days. I was on the very first cruise to welcome U.S. passengers in over a year, and two vaccinated passengers tested positive towards the end of the trip. What transpired in the ensuing half-day was a demonstration of trust between everyone aboard and the cruise line responsible for our safety.

In this section, we will explore some ships that have recently experienced cases, how those incidents were managed, the implications for other passengers onboard, and reasons why you shouldn't be overly concerned if it occurs during your journey.

COVID-19 incidents on cruise ships

The list below is not exhaustive of all cases, but it highlights the relatively low numbers we've observed, especially considering that the total number of people (both crew and passengers) on voyages over the past month and a half was in the tens of thousands.

Back to normal operations

Despite the presence of cases on these sailings, the voyages were able to proceed as planned with no restrictions on port visits or onboard activities for healthy passengers.

• Celebrity Millennium incidents: 2 fully vaccinated adult companions
• Adventure of the Seas incidents: 2 unvaccinated teenagers traveling together
• Freedom of the Seas incidents: 1 unvaccinated adult

Changed or canceled itineraries

As cruising during the COVID era is still a new experience for everyone, the circumstances can differ by cruise line, ship, or itinerary. Choices are guided by the protocols each line has established, the size of the vessel (larger ships often have enhanced medical facilities), local regulations, and agreements between cruise lines and the ports they visit.

Both of these sailings concluded prematurely due to a small number of passengers testing positive. The first voyage was cut short because the small-ship line had an agreement with Alaska to return to the embarkation port to disembark the affected passengers.

The second sailing ended abruptly following a miscommunication between governmental bodies, which left passengers—regardless of their negative test results—unable to disembark in two scheduled small ports.

• American Cruise Lines' American Constellation incidents: 2 fully vaccinated adults, 1 crew member (vaccination status unknown)
• Viking Sky incidents: 1 fully vaccinated adult

COVID-19 protocols for when someone tests positive

From my personal experience, I can assure you that cruise lines are fully prepared to respond if someone shows symptoms or tests positive while onboard. In either scenario, you can be confident that the following steps will be taken.

Isolation: Passengers who are ill will likely undergo further testing to eliminate the chance of a false positive. If the results remain consistent after multiple tests, the affected individuals will be relocated to designated isolation cabins, typically situated near the onboard medical center. They will stay there for the remainder of the cruise or until they can be safely disembarked for medical care or repatriation.

Contact Tracing: The ship will utilize various contact tracing methods, including shore excursion lists, wearable devices, and facial recognition technology that accesses footage from onboard surveillance cameras.

Quarantine: Once close contacts have been identified, they will be placed under quarantine, with ship officials instructing them to remain in their staterooms until a medical staff member can conduct tests.

Testing: The ship's medical team will conduct testing for all close contacts while those passengers remain quarantined in their cabins. Processing the results may take several hours, and those who may have been exposed to the ill passengers must stay in their staterooms until the results are available. Passengers who test negative will be allowed to leave their rooms, while those who test positive will restart the entire procedure.

Reasons not to worry

Most ships may not be sailing with a fully vaccinated population, but they do have a high percentage of vaccinated travelers. While it’s true that a case or two of COVID-19 may occasionally appear on board, there's no need to panic; here’s why you can stay calm.

Improved medical facilities: Most large ships now have additional doctors and a full team of nurses, along with onboard testing capabilities. They can also perform contact tracing, isolate or quarantine, and test anyone exposed if a case arises on the ship.

Plans within plans: Cruise lines have spent over a year studying COVID-19, its transmission, and how to prevent it on their ships. They have invested considerable time and resources to train officers, crew, and medical staff in rigorous cleaning protocols, testing, quarantining, and isolation procedures, as well as evacuation strategies in the unlikely event of a larger outbreak. They also maintain agreements with local authorities at each port to ensure proper medical treatment for passengers and contingency plans in case circumstances change.

The significant debt of cruise lines: For over a year, cruise lines could not operate with paying passengers in major North American markets. Currently, only a few lines are sailing with a limited number of their vessels. To survive, the parent companies have accumulated tens of billions of dollars in debt. Repaying these debts hinges on a successful restart, and even a single major outbreak could delay the industry's recovery by months. Therefore, beyond customer service and goodwill, they have a strong financial incentive to keep COVID-19 at bay.

CDC guidelines ... for now: A recent ruling from a U.S. appellate court ensures that the safety guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for cruise restarts remain effective for the time being. One of the key requirements is that ships must operate with at least 95% of the onboard population (crew and passengers) fully vaccinated. Any vessels that wish to allow a higher percentage of unvaccinated passengers (like Royal Caribbean's ships, which often carry many young children who cannot be vaccinated) must conduct test cruises supervised by the CDC first.

Unvaccinated sailings in Europe: Several cruise lines, including MSC, Costa, and AIDA, successfully resumed voyages last summer, operating outside of the CDC's oversight and well before vaccines were authorized and accessible to the public. This demonstrates that safe cruising can be sustained over the long term. With vaccines now part of the equation, they add an even stronger layer of protection, complementing the safety protocols that lines have already implemented for months.

Key takeaway

If a few positive cases arise during your cruise, there's no need to panic. Your ship has a well-defined set of protocols ready to be activated, aimed at swiftly halting the virus and preventing its spread.

This is cruising in 2021, not 2020, and the likelihood of a few cases escalating into another Diamond Princess scenario is very low because cruise lines are well-prepared, and most passengers are vaccinated. It's also improbable that your itinerary will be significantly impacted; however, if it is, the crew will work hard to keep you and your fellow travelers calm and comfortable.

Travel—especially at this moment—is a deeply personal and subjective choice. You should remain flexible and understand that protocols and itineraries can change swiftly, sometimes even daily, for various reasons. If you're not ready to cruise right now, it's perfectly fine to wait until you feel comfortable. Just remember that when you choose to board again, cruise lines will do everything in their power to ensure your safety.