Cruise to nowhere cut short by Covid-19 confusion

After a month of smooth sailing, Singapore's cruise to nowhere pilot hit its first snag yesterday, initially sparking fears of an on-board outbreak, but later looking like a false alarm.

Royal Caribbean cruise ship Quantum of the Seas was forced to turn back on day three of a four-day voyage, after an 83-year-old Singaporean male passenger tested positive for the coronavirus on board the ship, having earlier passed a mandatory pre-boarding test.

The drama on the high seas took a surprising turn last night when the Health Ministry announced that two subsequent tests - one of the patient's original sample and one fresh sample - came back negative for Covid-19 infection.

The National Public Health Laboratory will conduct a third test today to confirm the patient's Covid-19 status, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, all 1,680 passengers and 1,148 crew members disembarked at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre last night, after being confined to their rooms during the day while contact tracing was carried out.

All underwent antigen rapid tests before being permitted to exit the terminal.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said yesterday that the infected passenger had reported to the on-board medical centre with diarrhoea late on Tuesday, and was given a polymerase chain reaction test which came back positive.

Those identified as having close contact with the patient were isolated, and all tested negative.

The incident follows the suspension of Singapore's first travel bubble arrangement with Hong Kong amid a spike in cases there, signalling the rough seas that the Republic will have to navigate in reopening its borders and rebooting the tourism sector.

Before reports of the two negative tests emerged, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing had said resuming economic activities entails some risk.

Necessary contact tracing and isolation protocols have been put in place to manage situations such as these, he added.

Quantum of the Seas passengers, who were awoken yesterday by an early morning announcement by its captain, reacted calmly and applauded the ship's safety measures and handling of the situation.

Some said they were aware of the risks, but chose to go ahead as it was their only option for a year-end overseas holiday.

Last month, STB gave Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International the green light to offer cruises to nowhere from Singapore under a pilot scheme that entails a reduced capacity of 50 per cent, among other safety measures.

Going on a cruise remains on hold in much of the world, with safety still the primary concern.

Yesterday's apparent setback appears not to have put a halt to Singapore's cruise plans for now.

Genting Cruise Lines' World Dream departed from Marina Bay Cruise Centre around 6pm yesterday, just before those aboard Quantum of the Seas disembarked.

Dream Cruises said in a statement that cruises on World Dream will continue to operate as scheduled.

Its Singapore sailings commenced last month, while Royal Caribbean launched its own just last week.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement last night that the ship will be deep cleaned and disinfected, and the cruise scheduled for today will be cancelled.

Royal Caribbean's spokesman said: "Being able to identify this single case and act on it immediately demonstrates the system is working as it is designed to."