RCI-Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas is currently getting ready to restart sailings once again from Hong Kong after the liner was forced to cancel all voyages for 21 days.
Spectrum OTS was moored at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and resumed cruises to nowhere on Thursday, November 11.
On November 9, the Hong Kong-based INSTA, which provides large-scale COVID testing services, announced they had completed testing on all the boat's 1250 crew within 3 hours.
On October 21, health officials suspended Spectrum OTS after a crew tested COVID-positive.
According to RCI, the male crew (40-year-old, fully vaccinated in April & May 2021, asymptomatic) was tested on October 19 and came back positive ("a low viral load for COVID"). Under the Hong Kong Health Department's health & safety measures, he was classified as a re-positive overseas case.
The authorities prevented Spectrum OTS from departing the Port's Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, after 1000 guests (of ~1200 booked to sail, had already boarded the ship before the 4-night voyage was canceled.
Later the crew was retested at North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre and the test result was negative. Despite this, the health officials requested the suspension of Spectrum's sailings for 21 days.
According to RCI, the company conducted frequent health monitoring for its crew.
All 1250 crew members onboard Spectrum of the Seas completed the required vaccination, passed PCR test and health screening prior to boarding, and boarded the liner with negative results.