Alaska Cruise Passenger Tests Negative for COVID-19 | WorkBoat
The key to cruising in the age of Covid-19 is rapid testing until there’s a vaccine in the view of an operator who tried to start regular sailing again.
If quick Covid-19 test results had been available, UnCruise Adventures could have completed its first Alaska trip in early August instead of cutting it short and cancelling 10 weeks of cruises in the state and the Pacific Northwest, owner and CEO Capt. Dan Blanchard said Thursday. They’re still hoping to start cruising in Hawaii sometime this winter, but that’s in question — a reflection of the dilemma facing passenger vessel operators shut down by the coronavirus pandemic nationwide and trying to figure out how to safely get going.
“There are millions of dollars out there in losses for my company. It’s a tough pill,” he said assessing the circumstances surrounding the cruise. The Seattle-based overnight operator was expected to be the only one cruising in Alaska this season.