Carnival Cruise Line Confirms Positive Cases on Carnival Vista and New Mask Policy in Effect

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Carnival Cruise Line released new protocols on Wednesday, including a new mask policy and testing requirement. Even though the new changes won’t be effective until August 7, the mask policy has already been implemented for one Carnival cruise ship due to positive cases on board.

Carnival Vista Update

Now that the cruise line has resumed operations with five ships, it’s important to make sure guests and crew remain safe, and Carnival adapts to the health situation as needed. Carnival Vista has been one of the first ships to deal with positive cases on board.

It was actually noticed days ago when the Carnival cruise ship became yellow status by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention. The CDC is now investigating a small number of positive cases on board. As a result, the cruise line decided to implement its new mask-wearing policy early just for the Carnival Vista. For all other ships, the mask policy will be in effect from August 7, 2021.

Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement released on Thursday, “We have implemented our new fleetwide mask policy early on Carnival Vista, given that we are managing a small number of positive cases on board. Our pre-established protocols of vaccinated guests and crew, testing, enhanced medical capabilities and contact tracing anticipated the potential for positive cases, and they are designed to adapt to various scenarios. We have identified and tested close contacts and anyone who tested positive is in isolation.”

It was just a matter of time until there were positive cases on board, and in fact, other cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, have already dealt with cases. Carnival has protocols to deal with the situation swiftly, and those guests are now in isolation on board.

Carnival Vista SkyRide
Photo: Copyright Cruise Hive

With the new delta variant spreading globally, it’s more important than ever that cruise lines, including Carnival, adapt to make sure guests and crew members remain safe. The cruise line has also been busy making all the crew are fully vaccinated.

Carnival Vista’s voyage will continue as normal. Today, the ship is making a call in Cozumel, Mexico, as part of its seven-day Western Caribbean cruise from Port of Galveston in Texas. There will be a day at sea before returning home on Saturday. She became the first ship in the fleet to restart operations since suspensions first started in March 2020.

Carnival continued to say, “The decision to implement the mask policy was made in an abundance of caution, given our focus on the health and safety of our guests and crew. The voyage will continue as planned and we are dedicated to continuing to provide our guests with a fun and safe vacation. We appreciate the support of our Carnival Vista guests, who have been extremely supportive as we implemented the policy Wednesday evening.”

Cruise Ship Illness with Mask
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

The new mask policy will be active from August 7 through October 31, 2021, excluding the Carnival Vista, where it’s in effect right now and will continue to be in effect. It’s now strongly suggested that all guests wear a face mask when indoors, especially the small number who are unvaccinated, including those under the age of 12.

Guests ages 2 and over will also be required to wear a mask in elevators and specific areas onboard, such as entertainment areas, retails shops, and the casino. The masks don’t have to be worn while eating and drinking but will be kept on before being seated in the main dining rooms.

Carnival Cruise Line has also updated its testing requirements for all guests, causing plenty of discussions online. The new policy has also changed plans for many guests as they prepare for their upcoming cruise. The situation remains fluid, and Cruise Hive will keep readers updated on the latest developments as they are announced.

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Emrys Thakkar
Emrys Thakkar
The founder of Cruise Hive, Emrys has been reporting on the cruise industry since 2008. Expert insights and tips featured on a number of publications including The Express, Business Insider, Fodor's Travel and more. Worked for Carnival for 8 years and traveled to more than 34 countries and been on over 100 cruises.

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