Royal Caribbean has pushed back the debut of their newest cruise ship, Odyssey of the Seas, after eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19.
Royal Caribbean has canceled the July 3 through July 25 sailings on the cruise ship as an abundance of caution.
When Odyssey of the Seas arrived in the U.S. for the first time on June 4, all 1,400 crew members were given a PCR test before they were vaccinated. When Royal Caribbean tested the crew members again six days later after they were vaccinated, eight of them tested positive for COVID-19.
A Royal Caribbean spokesman said that all crew members are in good health and are being monitored by their onboard medical team.
Royal Caribbean has made the decision to quarantine all crew members on the ship for the next 14 days which will result in canceling the first month of cruises.
The inaugural cruise on Odyssey of the Seas is now scheduled for July 31, 2021. The ship will sail a simulated voyage before the first sailing in order to meet the CDC’s guidelines to sail from a U.S. port.
Guests who were on one of the canceled sailings will have four options to choose from. They can receive a full refund, a 125% future cruise credit, move their cruise to a qualifying sailing next year, or move to a cruise in 2021.
Odyssey of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s second Quantum Ultra class cruise ship and will sail out of Port Everglades when the vessel is able to begin sailing.
