Dozens of vaccinated people get COVID-19 on cruise ships

Fifty-five fully vaccinated people, including crew and passengers, contracted Covid-19 aboard the Odyssey of the Seas, The Royal Caribbean cruise line announced on Thursday.

Health authorities of Curaçao and Aruba have denied their entry to their ports. The Odyssey of the Seas departed last Saturday from Fort Lauderdale and is scheduled to return on December 26.

On Sunday, passengers disembarked at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, reported the company.

This is the second massive outbreak on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in less than a week. Last Saturday, the Symphony of the Seas arrived at Miami with 48 people, including passengers and crew, infected with COVID-19. All were fully vaccinated.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement that 95% of passengers and crew aboard the Odyssey of the Seas are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The company requires all crew members and passengers over 12 old to be fully vaccinated, with limited exceptions for medical and religious reasons.

The cruise ship Seven Seas Mariner, of the Regent Seven Seas Cruises line, announced that 6 of its crew members and one passenger tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Health authorities of Cartagena did not allow passengers and crew members to disembark.

The Seven Seas Mariner travels between Miami, Key West, Cartagena, and Panama.

The cruise line did not disclose whether the infected persons were vaccinated or not.