9 cruise ships due to arrive in Victoria currently have COVID-19 cases on board: CDC
CTV
Nine of the 11 cruise ships due to arrive in Victoria this month currently have confirmed COVID-19 cases on board, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The first cruise ship scheduled to dock at Victoria's Ogden Point since 2019 cancelled its Wednesday arrival over the weekend.
Princess Cruises said it was calling off the San Francisco to Vancouver leg of the Caribbean Princess's journey, diverting the vessel to dry dock in Portland, Ore., for maintenance.
Two passengers aboard the ship, which was sailing north off California on Monday, told CTV News they contracted COVID-19 on board and were moved to the ship's 12th floor, where infected passengers were reportedly quarantining.
The CDC has assigned "orange status" to the Caribbean Princess, and has opened an investigation into the COVID-19 situation on board, the agency said.
"Orange status" means there are enough confirmed COVID-19 cases on the vessel to meet the threshold for an investigation. The threshold requires at least 0.3 per cent of passengers and crew aboard the ship to test positive for the disease, according to the CDC.
Ian Robertson, CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, said it's unclear if the ship changed its plans specifically because of COVID-19, adding that it's common for cruise ships to alter their schedules at the beginning of the season.
The cancellation of the Caribbean Princess prompted the GVHA to announce that the scheduled arrival of the Holland America vessel Koningsdam on Saturday will now mark the official return of the cruise season in Victoria.
The Koningsdam was also listed under orange status on Monday, with enough COVID-19 cases on board to trigger a CDC investigation.
