Odyssey of the Seas Delayed as Eight Crew Members Test Positive
Royal Caribbean International has announced the postponement of what was expected to be one of the first cruises departing from the US since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The inaugural voyage of the Odyssey of the Seas, originally scheduled for July 3 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been delayed by a month to July 31. This decision was communicated by CEO Michael Bayley in a statement posted on Facebook, emphasizing the precautionary nature of the measure.
Bayley noted that a simulation cruise planned for late June will also be rescheduled. “While disappointing, this is the right decision for the health and well-being of our crew and guests,” he stated. All 1,400 crew members aboard the Odyssey of the Seas had received vaccinations by June 4; however, the two-week period necessary for adequate immunity had not yet elapsed when the positive cases emerged.
Of the eight crew members who tested positive, six are asymptomatic, while two are experiencing mild symptoms. All affected crew members are currently in quarantine and will undergo routine testing. This development is a setback for the cruise industry, which has been striving for a comeback after more than 15 months of halted operations due to the pandemic.
In a positive note for the cruise sector, Celebrity Edge, also part of the Royal Caribbean Group, is slated to be the first ship to sail post-pandemic from the US on June 26. A spokesperson for Celebrity Cruises confirmed that Celebrity Edge would proceed without a test run, as it adheres to CDC guidelines with 98% of its crew and 95% of guests fully vaccinated.