Instead of spending New Year’s Eve on the high seas, it’s time to go home again. After a corona outbreak on the best cruise ship in the world, the MS “Europa 2” of the Hamburg shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, the 19-day New Year’s Eve trip from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Mauritius is canceled.
The ship left Dubai on December 18 with 280 guests and 380 crew members (all fully vaccinated) and is now returning to the port of departure. Allegedly at least five crew members are said to be affected, and a number of passengers that has not yet been mentioned are also ill. “The passengers affected are doing well, they have no or only mild symptoms,” said a statement from the shipping company. The shipping company denies rumors that the captain is also ill: “The captain has tested negative,” said the shipping company.
On board, all contact persons who tested positive and who tested negative were separated from passengers who were not sick. Self-service at the buffets has been discontinued.
On December 30th, all passengers are to be disembarked in Dubai and flown home. The passengers infected with the coronavirus are housed in a quarantine hotel and looked after by a medical service provider.