Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Anthem cleared to sail but delays a day, pending coronavirus screening

Anthem of the Seas.jpg
Anthem of the Seas is currenty operating weekly Bahamas cruises from Bayonne's Cape Liberty
Four passengers were taken to a hospital for coronovirus evaluation in an 'abundance of caution' after Anthem of the Seas docked in Bayonne, New Jersey, Friday morning.

Delay to 'reassure concerned guests'

All other passengers were allowed to disembark as usual, and the ship has been cleared to depart on its next cruise as scheduled, Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

‘However, to reassure concerned guests, we will delay our departure until tomorrow, when we expect to receive conclusive test results from [the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention],’ the statement continued.

The four left China 14 days ago

Royal Caribbean said none of the four passengers showed clinical signs or symptoms of coronavirus when they were on board, though one tested positive for influenza A. The cruise line’s records indicate the passengers had not been in China since Jan. 26 — 14 days ago.

News reports said CDC officials screened 27 passengers at the port who had recently traveled from China and all were cleared but the four, who were taken for further evaluation

'Abundance of caution'

According to CNN, CDC staff decided to test the four people in an abundance of caution after consulting with the New Jersey Department of Health. State health officials will send the samples to the CDC for testing.

'We appreciate the CDC’s abundance of caution and their partnership,' the Royal Caribbean statement said.

Anthem is currently sailing weekly to the Bahamas from Bayonne's Cape Liberty.