Marella Cruises cancels Caribbean cruise amid positive Covid cases just days after MSC scare

Marella Cruises has cancelled a cruise after passengers onboard Marella Discovery tested positive for coronavirus.

According to the TUI cruise line, a "small number" of passengers had tested for the virus while onboard the 2,076-passenger ship.

The ship is currently docked in Barbados - where it was due to operate a seven-day cruise from Bridgetown - with Marella following the latest travel rules of the Caribbean country.

Barbados is understood to no longer be accepting asymptomatic cases ashore.

The infected guests are now isolating in "a separate area" on Marella Discovery.

Other passengers have been allowed to go ashore and are "enjoying their time onboard," said Marella in a statement.

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Refunds have been issued based on embarkation date and TUI has said the situation will be monitored "closely."

The positive cases come despite Marella's requirement for all guests and crew to be fully vaccinated and tested before joining the ship.

Everyone is also tested routinely throughout each cruise as per current guidance for cruise lines.

If the incidence of positive cases, infected crew or guests are immediately isolated, along with their close contacts.

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Marella detailed in its statement: “We can confirm that Marella Discovery’s current itinerary has unfortunately been cancelled following changes in local guidance in Barbados.

"The ship remains alongside with a small number of positive covid cases isolating in a separate area, with the majority of guests enjoying their time onboard and going ashore."

Marella Cruises went on: "All guests have been refunded for the loss of cruise based on their embarkation date.

"We continue to monitor the situation closely and any customers impacted by changes to their holiday will be contacted directly as soon as possible.”

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Marella Discovery hometowns in Bridgetown, Barbados and will remain there throughout the winter carrying out a series of seven-night round-trip itineraries.

The cruise ship will then reposition to Mallorca, Spain in April 2022.

The positive cases on the Marella vessel follow MSC Cruises' Covid scare this week.

MSC confirmed 45 infected passengers disembarked from MSC Grandiosa in the Italian port of Genoa on Monday.

The cruise ship was carrying a total of 4,813 passengers and crew on a round trip from Civitavecchia-Rome.

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Positive passengers and their close contacts were "immediately isolated in cabins with balconies," said MSC.

As with Marella, MSC also requires crew members and passengers over the age of 12 are required to be fully vaccinated with all travellers aged two and over submitting a pre-departure negative Covid test.

Last month there was an outbreak on a Royal Caribbean ship when a total of 48 passengers tested positive on Symphony of the Seas as it docked in Miami.