Breaking: COVID-19 scare on one of first ships to resume cruising
One of the first large cruise ships to resume sailings in the Mediterranean since the worldwide halt to cruising in March is in the midst of a coronavirus scare.
A dozen crew members on the 2,534-passenger TUI Cruises vessel Mein Schiff 6 have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the line.
The ship had just begun a seven-night voyage around Greece from the port of Heraklion in Crete.
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The vessel is now heading to Piraeus, the port for Athens, where it had been scheduled to arrive on Tuesday.
In a statement to The Points Guy, TUI Cruises said the 12 crew members who tested positive have been isolated, and the line is in the process of retesting them using a rapid test device onboard.
The initial tests that had come back positive were done by an external laboratory.
So far, six of the onboard rapid tests have come back, and they all have been negative, TUI Cruises said in the statement. The line said it would take further swabs from the crew members and send them to an external laboratory for yet another round of testing.
None of the 12 crew members has any symptoms, the line said.
TUI Cruises downplayed the situation onboard, saying the isolation of the crew who tested positive was "a pure precautionary measure" and the retesting was being done "to rule out the unlikely case of infection."
The line said that "thanks to the extensive hygiene measures and clearance rules on board, there is no reason for neither guests nor crew to worry."
The 12 positive results occurred after the ship tested 150 crew members as part of routine monitoring. The ship currently is sailing with 666 crew members and 922 passengers.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
TUI Cruises is a German line owned in part by Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea. It is the only Royal Caribbean-affiliated line that has attempted to resume cruises since the coronavirus lockdown began.
TUI Cruises has been among the most aggressive of the major lines in returning to service since the coronavirus crisis began. It began “cruises to nowhere” out of ports in Northern Germany in July with two ships. It added cruises around Greece just two weeks ago.
Mein Schiff 6 had just begun its third sailing around Greece when the positive COVID-19 tests came to light.
The coronavirus scare on the ship comes as Royal Caribbean and several other major lines including Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line weigh plans to resume cruising in at least some parts of the world as soon as November.
Related: Royal Caribbean CEO to TPG: 'We feel as if we're close'
The limited restart of cruising by TUI Cruises and a handful of other cruise operators in the Mediterranean since August is being closely watched by lines considering a return to service.
TUI Cruises was the first major line to resume sailings around Greece. But two more major brands -- MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises -- plan to restart Greece cruises in the coming weeks.
The coronavirus scare on Mein Schiff 6 is likely to raise questions about the way TUI Cruises is handling COVID-19 testing for passengers sailing on the ship.
TUI Cruises is requiring that all passengers test negative for COVID-19 before boarding the vessel. But unlike the two other major lines that have resumed limited cruises in the Mediterranean -- MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises -- it isn’t doing the tests at the pier as passengers board. Passengers can take the test a few days before they travel.
The looser policy means that a Mein Schiff 6 passenger who contracted COVID-19 after being tested but before traveling to the ship could carry the illness on board.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.