Corona cases on board: “Mein Schiff 6” aborts cruise

After the “AIDAnova” stopped traveling, “Mein Schiff 6” also canceled the cruise. There are “isolated cases” of Covid-19 on board. The industry association Clia still sees cruises as safe travel.

It is a very special kind of end to the holiday: the cruise ship “Mein Schiff 6” is breaking off its current voyage in Dubai. The reason: Corona. As the shipping company TUI Cruises announced, there have been “isolated cases of Covid-19 on board”. These were only discovered in the course of the trip. The demolition was purely a precautionary measure to protect the guests and the 800-strong crew, according to the Hamburg-based company.

Extended 2G model on board

For the majority of the approximately 2000 passengers on board “Mein Schiff 6”, the trip ended as planned in Dubai. According to the shipping company, the involuntary break affects those who had booked a final cruise and the guests who wanted to go on board in Dubai. If necessary, return flights would be organized, it said. According to information from social networks, the “Mein Schiff 6” initially wanted to call at Qatar, but the stop was apparently refused due to the corona outbreak.

The ship is now anchored in Dubai, and cruise operations on the ship will be suspended for a few days. As a spokeswoman for the company said, the cancellation initially only affects the current cruise, which should go until January 10th. According to the shipping company, an extended 2G model applies to the “Mein Schiff 6”: All guests from the age of twelve and the crew are fully vaccinated. In addition, the guests would be tested regularly.

Industry: Cruises are safe

Despite the current Corona cases on the “Mein Schiff 6” and the “AIDAnova”, which broke off their trip in Lisbon for similar reasons, the international industry association Clia cruises continues to consider cruises as safe. The shipping companies reacted quickly and consistently, it said. Of the 360 ​​cruise ships worldwide, around 70 percent are currently underway. The current cases on the cruise ships were only discovered through the close controls on board, according to the industry association.

Nevertheless: In India, 66 people on a cruise ship tested positive for Corona. The total of 2000 passengers would have to stay on board for the time being, it said.

Breaking off the trip unsettled

Aborting cruises is a big topic in social networks: Many people express uncertainty and write that they would prefer not to make a booking at the moment instead of having trouble later. Some tourists say they got infected during the cruise. And some users also express a lack of understanding why one would even want to be on a cruise ship these days.