Cruise Lines Forced To Turn Back Following Coronavirus Outbreaks

FLORIDA — Just as the cruise ship industry was resuming some semblance of normalcy, officials announced that an outbreak of the COVID-19 omicron variant has hit a third Florida-based cruise ship.

In a statement issued by Carnival, the cruise line said a number of passengers and crew members aboard the Carnival Freedom holiday cruise tested positive for COVID-19 and, as a result, the ship was denied entry to Bonaire and Aruba.

The ship carries 2,497 passengers and 1,112 crew members. It was forced to return to Miami.

"Carnival Freedom is following all protocols and has a small number on board who are in isolation due to a positive COVID test," said Carnival in its statement. "Our protocols anticipate this possibility and we implement them as necessary to protect the health and safety of our guests and crew."

This was the third outbreak on a cruise ship operated by Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise lines sailing from Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

On Monday, Royal Caribbean said 48 guests and crew members of the 6,091 on the Symphony of the Seas, which sailed on Dec. 11, tested positive. The cruise ship requires that all crew and passengers be vaccinated unless there are mitigating circumstances requiring a physician's exemption. The Royal Caribbean said 98 percent of those on the ship were fully vaccinated.

Under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, there are five threshold levels of cases of coronavirus about a cruise ship.

A yellow status (the second most serious level) means the ship has met the threshold for a CDC investigation, which includes one of the following criteria:

• Levels are at or above the investigation threshold for cases for crew.
• Levels are at or above the investigation threshold for cases for passengers.
• A state or local health department has notified the CDC of passenger cases withing the past five days of disembarkation.

A red status (the most serious level) means the ship is at or above the CDC investigation threshold for passenger and crew cases. At this level, the CDC recommends the ship return to port immediately or delay its departure.

As of Dec. 23, no ships have met the red status. Ships that have met the yellow status include:

Royal Caribbean International

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Silver Spirit
• Silver Whisper

Carnival Cruise Lines

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Conquest
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Ecstasy
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Legend
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Mardi Gras
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Radiance
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Valor
• Carnival Vista

Princess Cruises

• Regal Princess
• Ruby Princess

Disney Cruise Line

• Disney Dream
• Disney Fantasy
• Disney Magic
• Disney Wonder

Celebrity Cruises

• Celebrity Apex
• Celebrity Edge
• Celebrity Equinox
• Celebrity Millennium
• Celebrity Reflection