AIDA Cruises has become the latest line to ban a passenger from reboarding after ignoring Covid-19 protocols on a shore excursion.
The passenger on the ship AIDAblu left his group while on shore in Catania in Sicily last week.
The German line had just resumed sailing after a seven-month break due to the pandemic.
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AIDA is running seven-day cruises to five destinations in Italy from Civitavecchia – the port for Rome – until mid-December.
A spokesperson for the Carnival Corporation-owned line confirmed: “During a shore excursion organised by AIDA Cruises in Catania, Italy, on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, a guest of AIDAblu left his travel group, which violated our protocols for protection and mitigation against Covid-19.
“Our highest responsibility and top priorities are compliance, environmental protection and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, crew, shoreside employees, and the people and communities our ships visit.
“As a result, the guest was unable to continue sailing on AIDAblu, and AIDA supported the guest in organising his trip home.
“As part of AIDA’s enhanced health and safety protocols to protect our guests, crew and the communities we visit, only AIDA-organised shore excursions are possible for guests wishing to disembark at ports of call.
“All guests are made aware of this protocol before the cruise and again before their shore excursion starts.”
MSC Cruises prevented a family from reboarding MSC Grandiosa in August after they breached ‘social bubble’ rules by breaking away from an organised short excursion in Naples.
Tui Cruises reportedly removed two passengers who left a group on a port call in Greece.
AIDA’s sister line Costa Cruises has also included a shore excursion protocol as part of strict new rules to enable sailings to re-start.
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