If you or your travel companions have symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive when boarding a cruise ship, you may be denied entry. If you are allowed to board, you may need to take extra precautions, such as isolating yourself, depending on your symptoms and test results. If you test positive for COVID-19 on a cruise ship, you may need antiviral medications. In some cases, you may need to be transferred from the cruise ship to a hospital at the nearest port for emergency care. It is important to understand what will happen if you get sick while on a cruise.
If you have any questions, make sure to talk to your cruise operator or travel agent. For example, Diana and Larry Lehrer were supposed to set sail from Skagway in the Koningsdam in Holland, United States, after a bus tour of the Interior and Canada. However, they tested positive for COVID-19 when they arrived in Skagway on Tuesday. In New South Wales, cruise operators must comply with East Coast and Western Australian cruise protocols (PDF 217.31KB). This includes having a plan in place for dealing with passengers who become ill with COVID-19 while on board.
