Update: The CDC has lifted its no sail order and cleared the way for Regal Princess to come into port. Arrangements are being made to bring the cruise ship in. There is currently no ETA on when the ship will dock in Port Everglades.
Original Article: Princess Cruises has canceled sailings on two more cruise ships this weekend, Royal Princess and Regal Princess.
Reason for the canceling of the two cruises is due to a handful of crew members who transferred from Grand Princess to Regal and Royal Princess last month. Testing late last week reveal that 19 crew members on Grand Princess tested positive for COVID-19.
During a call with representatives of the media on Saturday, Princess Cruises said that the one crew member who transferred from Grand Princess to Royal Princess in February has not shown any signs of flu like symptoms. Out of abundance of caution, the CDC wants to test each crew member who transferred from Grand Princess.
Port Everglades sent out the following release a few minutes ago regarding Regal Princess:
“Regal Princess, scheduled to call at Port Everglades this morning and depart this evening, is being held offshore at the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) until the CDC completes a review of crew history and testing of crewmembers who recently served aboard the Grand Princess, the ship currently being held off of San Francisco. The CDC has confirmed that test results take 24 to 48 hours. The cruise line has advised they have cancelled today’s sailing of this ship.
Port Everglades is fully operational for all other cruise and cargo activities.
Cruise passengers should contact Princess Cruises for further information.
CDC is answering questions regarding testing for COVID-19: [email protected] or 1-800-232-4636.”
Regal Princess was scheduled for a seven night cruise to the Western Caribbean from Port Everglades with port stops in Cozumel, Falmouth, and Grand Cayman.
