On a recent voyage from Galveston, TX, one passenger and 26 crew members tested positive for Covid-19 on the Carnival Vista. The passenger, Marilyn Tackett, a 77-year-old retiree from Oklahoma, subsequently died. The outbreak represented the highest number of cases aboard a ship reported since June, when cruises restarted in the Caribbean and United States, and the first death. Ms. Tackett was reported to have been fully vaccinated.

In related news, last Friday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its guidance for travelers on cruise ships. It continues to recommend vaccination for all cruise passengers, but now also recommends against cruise travel for those “at increased risk for severe illness”, even if they have been vaccinated. The recommendation, meant for elderly people and those with certain medical conditions, applies to large ship cruises as well as smaller river cruises.

“The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters aboard ships, and the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high,” the agency wrote in its advisory. “If you are at increased risk for severe illness and considering cruise travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, discuss this type of travel with your healthcare professional. Older adults and people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to get severely ill if they get COVID-19. People with weakened immune systems, including people who take medicines that suppress their immune systems, may not be protected even if fully vaccinated.”