A passenger onboard the SeaDream Yacht Club ship SeaDream I has tested positive for Covid-19 on a preliminary basis, according to reports.
The ship had set sail this week on a seven-day cruise from Barbados, its first in the region after operating cruises in Europe over the summer.
Torbjorn Lund, the SeaDream I's captain, ordered passengers to isolate in their cabins, and nonessential crew would also isolate, according to a report on the Points Guy website, which has a reporter sailing on the ship this week.
The SeaDream I departed Barbados on Saturday and is carrying 53 passengers and 66 crew. It was immediately returning to Barbados following discovery of the test result. SeaDream did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
SeaDream passengers on this cruise were required to present proof of a negative Covid test taken in advance of boarding and again on the day of boarding. A third test was to be conducted today, the Points Guy reported.
Since SeaDream is operating from Barbados and does not sail in U.S. waters the sailings are exempt from the CDC Conditional Sailing Order requirements; and in any case, it carries only 110 passengers, below the minimum capacity for the CDC guidelines to apply.
The line had a brush with Covid while operating sailings in Europe this past summer. In that case, a passenger who had departed SeaDream I had received word of a positive Covid test, but passengers and crew on the subequent sailing tested negative and a follow-up test on the passenger was also negative.
This report was updated at 4 p.m. with updates throughout.