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November 13, 2020Five passengers tested positive for coronavirus on the first Caribbean cruise after the pandemic halt in March. 



It happened aboard SeaDream 1 with 66 crew members and 53 tourists, mostly Americans, said two journalists who had been invited by the company to document the resumption of the voyages. 



The ship was forced to return to Barbados after a passenger tested positive during the stop in the Grenadines.

The number of infected was communicated by the captain in an announcement. 



The SeaDream Yacht Club limited itself to confirming that there are cases of Covid-19 on board and that all guests and non-essential crew remained quarantined in their cabins, in full compliance with health protocols.

If negative at the next swab, passengers should be allowed to disembark in Barbados. 



The cruise industry has been heavily hit by the pandemic and it is estimated that in 2020, a year for which record revenues were expected, 90% of turnover will be lost.

In Italy alone, losses of 1.4 billion dollars are estimated, which will send 10 thousand jobs up in smoke, a chasm that widens to 3.5 billion dollars in losses and 24 thousand jobs by calculating the related activities. 



Thanks to the strict protocols applied by the companies, however, cruise ships have remained outside the last Dpcm.

Only those who tested negative embark on board and after four days of navigation a second swab is carried out.

The mask is mandatory in the common areas, as well as respect for social distancing.



For now Costa and MSC have left with a few cruises in the Mediterranean, after the Italian government has readmitted them starting from 15 August.

The few operating ships travel with very small capacities for safety reasons.