The first cruise in the Caribbean this winter has been curtailed after a number of passengers tested positive for Covid-19.
SeaDream Yacht Club confirmed that SeaDream 1 had returned to Barbados with passengers and non-essential crew quarantined in their cabins “in an abundance of caution”.
The ship’s medical staff have tested all crew members with results coming back negative. All passengers are being re-tested.
Cruise journalist Gene Sloan on board the vessel reported a total of five confirmed cases in the travelling party of the original passenger to test positive for the virus
The line said: “SeaDream 1 has paused its current Caribbean voyage and returned to Barbados after guests’ tests for Covid-19 returned assumptive positive results.”
Local health authorities were informed and Covid response protocols were set in motion to protect passengers and crew.
The vessel was awaiting clearance from the Barbados government to disembark passengers safely.
The 112-passenger ship has 53 passengers and 66 crew on board and cut short a seven-night itinerary to St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
SeaDream is following all protocols recommended by health authorities.
The company had tweeted before the ship set off on November 7 that it was “proud to be the only line currently sailing in the Caribbean.”
SeaDream president Andreas Brynestad said: “After completeing a successful summer season in Norway we implemented even stricter health and safety protocols for our Barbados winter season.
“All guests were tested twice prior to embarkation and we are in the process of re-testing guests.
“We are working closely with local health and government authorities to resolve this situation in the best possible way.
“Our main priority is the health and safety of our crew, guests and the communities we visit.”