American Cruise Lines cancels the American Constellation ship’s trip to Alaska after getting 3 COVID19 cases. It was a 10-night trip from Juneau, Alaska on July 4. However, the cruise never gets to finish its scheduled 10-night trip. During a routine test, two passengers and one crew member tested positive for COVID19. The two passengers were fully vaccinated while the crew member was unvaccinated.
There were 162 passengers and 52 crew members onboard the American Constellation ship. The next trip was set for July 14th. However, in a statement, American Cruise Lines canceled the trip “out of an abundance of caution”.
The three passengers are now finishing their quarantine off the ship in Petersburg, Alaska. Most of their passengers who completed their vaccination didn’t have to self-isolate. However, those who are not yet fully vaccinated are still on board in Juneau. They are still waiting for clearance from health authorities.
American Cruise Lines Sailing Since March
As a small ship cruise line, the American Cruise Lines started sailing in US waters in March. Since restarting in March, the company was able to cater to more than 10,000 passengers on 130 cruises.
According to the company’s website, American Cruise Lines “strongly recommends COVID19 vaccine for all eligible guests”.
For large cruise ships, the Conditional Sailing Order by the CDC has prevented them from sailing in the past months. It was only until now when the CDC changed the Conditional Sailing Order allowing large ships to operate once they meet certain conditions. Large cruise ships need to have 95% of crew and passengers vaccinated. If not, they will have to conduct a simulated voyage to test COVID19 protocols.
Despite these safety protocols, the cruise industry is still struggling to keep the ships COVID19-free. A few weeks ago, Royal Caribbean had to postpone one of its trips when crew members tested positive when the Celebrity Millenium ship arrived in the US.
