Personal Injury Law

Is Swine Flu Keeping Cruise Ship Out to Sea

By Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A.

Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas Add Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas to the list of ships affected by suspected H1N1, the virus formerly known as swine flu the vessel is stuck at sea after being denied entry to two ports so far this week.

The vessel, currently sailing a seven-night Southern Caribbean itinerary, was banned from calling in St. Lucia Wednesday and Antigua Thursday after two crewmembers and a passenger exhibited flu-like symptoms, according to a Royal Caribbean press release. Cruise Critic got word of the situation via Twitter.

Colin James, chief executive officer for the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, tells us that although all three people were quarantined and treated during the ship's last call in Barbados, officials kept the ship from visiting St. Lucia. Permission to dock in Antigua was also denied, based on advice from Antigua's chief medical officer and minister of health.

James also added that the cases were confirmed swine flu; however, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman says that full lab results have not yet been made available.

Scheduled stops remaining on Adventure of the Seas' current itinerary include St. Maarten and St. Croix. There has been no word yet on whether those stops will occur or where the ship is headed next.

In May, other Royal Caribbean crewmembers also fell ill with swine flu on Serenade of the Seas, as did crew on Holland America's Zaandam. Both ships were sailing Alaska itineraries at the time.

Full post as published by Cruise Ship Law on June 10, 2009 (boomark / email).