Blow for cruise companies as trips-to-nowhere grounded

All cruise-to-nowhere trips will be canceled for two weeks after 3,700 passengers and staff on the Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas ship were ordered to return to port one day earlier over nine passengers being classified as close contacts of a suspected "dance cluster."

Another company, Dream Cruises, said at least seven of its trips will be canceled during the two weeks from yesterday, including a Genting Dream cruise that was supposed to depart yesterday afternoon.

Many passengers of the Genting Dream's three-day, two-night trip did not know about the cancellation until they arrived at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal at 3pm.

Passenger Tang complained that Dream Cruises received the government's notice at 2.40pm yesterday but it should have been informed earlier.

Tang's sister said her family of four spent almost HK$1,000 for Covid testing before boarding and are not sure whether they will be compensated by Dream Cruises.

Passenger Lau said she was extremely disappointed. She added: "I have taken leave for the trip and also spent money on testing and a taxi before boarding. It's all for nothing."

Dream Cruises said affected guests can go on a future Genting Dream cruise until April 27.

Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas was ordered to return after the government discovered on Wednesday midnight that nine passengers on board were close contacts of the 62-year-old mother of an infected Cathay Pacific flight attendant. The nine passengers boarded the ship with 2,500 passengers and 1,200 staff on Sunday. It was supposed to return today.

The nine, who tested negative for Covid on the ship yesterday, were isolated from the rest of the people on board before they were sent to Penny's Bay quarantine center. Mobile test trucks arrived at Kai Tak to test the others on board.

Passengers were allowed to leave after the test and did not have to wait for the result.

Passenger Yu said she was confused by the arrangement. She added: "If the test results could be ready in a couple of hours, why didn't they just let us wait for them before leaving?"

Passenger Chan said the test only took around five minutes and the arrangement was good.

They said activities on the cruise were suspended yesterday morning, including gyms and swimming pools, but they could still enjoy breakfast and lunch buffets in restaurants.

Passenger Leung said staff did not broadcast news about the early return after Wednesday midnight and most of the passengers only found out about when they woke up. He said there could be transmission in the restaurants and lifts on the ship because there was not much room.

Passenger Wong said she saw a dozen foreigners dancing without masks and staff did not tell them to cover up.

She criticized the Department of Health for acting slowly as passengers were not informed about the testing arrangement until 12pm yesterday.

Royal Caribbean said passengers will get a 25 percent refund while those joining the cruise's next trip, originally set to sail tonight, will receive full refunds.

It stressed that it has complied with all anti-epidemic measures, including sailing with reduced capacity, implementing health checks for all guests and crew before boarding and improving cleaning and sanitization standards.

All passengers and crew must receive two vaccine doses before they are allowed to board.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com