A roundtrip San Francisco to Hawaii cruise has suffered a Covid outbreak. The cruise on Ruby Princess ended last week after 15 days at sea. This was reported by the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health, which said that the 143 passengers tested positive for Covid following their return to the mainland on April 11. That number may be incomplete, as you’ll see below.
The ship departed San Francisco on March 27. It arrived in Hawaii first at Honolulu on April 1. It then visited Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, before another five-day trans-Pacific return, first to Ensenada, then to San Francisco.
It was also reported that a large percentage of passengers became sick, as indicated by coughing. Only those who self-reported and tested were counted among the cases. Those who did test positive were quarantined in separate cabins. Passengers on board weren’t told about the outbreak, and there was no testing to help find others who might have been infected but remained asymptomatic.
It was also reported by the CDC, that of the 100 cruise ships now taking part in the federal government’s Covid-19 cruise ship program, 52 ships are currently being investigated for Covid outbreaks. The most recent cruise and a prior one on the same ship both resulted in CDC investigations.
The health department said that the passengers and crew were 100% vaccinated (per CDC cruise ship requirements), and that the “the vast majority of individuals who tested positive for COVID experienced mild or no symptoms.” The health department said that thus far only one of those passengers was hospitalized, which it said, “speaks to the incredible efficacy of vaccination.” Princess said that “all fully vaccinated guests must also produce a negative, medically observed COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within two days of their embarkation on all Princess sailings.” Thus, the likelihood that the Covid infections were directly related to the Hawaii cruise.
Ruby Princess is San Francisco’s hometown cruise ship and first welcomed guests back in November. The ship sails out of SF to Hawaii in addition to Mexico, the Pacific Coast, Alaska, and the Panama Canal.
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I was on the Ruby Princess right after the Hawaii cruise. I did a back-to-back sail. I was required to have another COVID test, courtesy of Princess, before continuing on the next segment. I tested positive. I had the choice of isolating for the next 5 days of a 7 day cruise or going home. I went back to my cabin and tested again with a test kit I brought with me. I tested negative. I notified Princess staff and they performed a PCR test. It was also negative. I question how many “positive” tests they perform are actually false positives as was mine? Had I not had a test kit with me, I would have been sent home unnecessarily or quarantined in a tiny cabin for 5 days. And, they said they had to report the positive test to the CDC.
I commend the “Beat of Hawaii” for not censoring our opinions.
This is getting so old. They were coughing. The vast majority had mild or no symptoms. One person required hospitalization and their age or presence of comorbidities not revealed. The health official cites the “incredible efficacy of vaccination” which is laughable given that everyone was multi vaccinated and the new variants are akin to a cold. That the rest of the passengers were never even informed that there was an outbreak reveals just what kind of crisis this really is. The “Great Barrington Declaration” has been signed by a million Health professionals. Read it here gbdeclaration.org/
Congratulations. You have successfully argued with yourself to reach the obvious conclusion, though your conclusion strays from your successful argument. The quote about the efficacy of the vaccine points to the fact that of the 100 or so, only one was hospitalized. Had the ship been populated with vax deniers, not so much. Have an opinion, but please be consistent in logic and outcomes.
Only one person hospitalized speaks to the mutation of the infection to a mild one, not to the “incredible efficacy of vaccination.”
The refusal to back off the vaccine talking points is beyond ridiculous.
In any case, I am glad no one got seriously ill. I’m pretty sure I would choose a Covid outbreak over norovirus on a cruise.
So, your vast experience in public health and countless hours in the lab studying the variant has brought you to a causality conclusion. Opinions are easy. scientific conclusions shot from the hip, not so much.
To your point, note that all passengers were vaccinated and PCR screened before boarding. It’s likely that spread occurred either because of false negative PCR or, more likely, infected through offShip travel. Now put yourself and your unvaccinated children onboard. I highly doubt that your infected children would agree with your lack of belief in the efficacy of vaccines to prevent serious complications.