Concerns about Juneau-bound a cruise ship that had a COVID-19 outbreak on a previous leg of its trip have been allayed, according to a city official.
The Carnival Spirit, which is expected to moore in Juneau on Saturday, had a COVID-19 outbreak during its transit from Miami to Seattle, but many of those passengers won’t be coming to Juneau, said Deputy City Manager Robert Barr.
“The significant majority of their passengers disembarked in Seattle, which I understand is typical for cruises that transit through the Panama Canal at the beginning of the season before embarking on Alaskan cruises,” Barr said in an email. “They report their COVID situation on board is contained and neither we nor they plan any changes to their scheduled itinerary.”
In the event of major outbreaks aboard, the city has agreements in place with the cruise lines that the cruise lines would quarantine infected travelers or crew aboard and have sufficient medical capacity to support them, the Empire previously reported. In the event there wasn’t sufficient medical capability aboard, the cruise lines would transport people with COVID-19 back to Seattle for treatment.
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
