MIAMI – The Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line’s The Pearl returned to Port Miami on Wednesday after canceling a voyage over COVID-19 cases.
The Pearl departed on Monday out of PortMiami for an 11-night voyage to the Panama Canal.
“We had 50 crew members that tested positive so they’re requiring us to go back,” Laura Leopoldo, a passenger on the Pearl, said on Tuesday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined there were enough infections on the ship to require an investigation.
The Pearl has a capacity for about 2,395 passengers. The CDC recommends that cruise ship passengers get tested and go on quarantine for five days after docking.
On Thursday, amid the spread of the highly-contagious omicron variant, the CDC asked Americans to avoid cruises — regardless of their vaccination status.