6 Passengers On Royal Caribbean Cruise Test Positive For COVID-19

On Friday morning, Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) announced six passengers on board the Royal Caribbean International’s Adventures of the Seas tested positive for COVID-19.

Four of the passengers were vaccinated, while the other two were not. All are in quarantine. Passengers over the age of 16 are required to be fully vaccinated and test negative prior to boarding, while children under 16 must also test negative. Crew members are fully vaccinated.

The Royal Caribbean provides free COVID-19 testing to passengers, as many of the travelers are based in the United States, but in order to fly to the U.S. from outside the country, travelers must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

It is currently unknown if the six passengers caught the highly contagious delta variant of the virus.

Why This Matters: Despite vaccination rates increasing across the world, the vaccines do not give 100% immunity to COVID-19, particularly the delta variant that is sweeping the world. Vaccines are effective in limiting the symptoms and spread, but with concerns over a new variant wave by organizations such as the CDC rising, cruise lines could be in danger of being halted again. 

Other cruise lines such as Carnival (NYSE: CCL) have seen passengers test positive for COVID-19 while at sea.

Disney (NYSE: DIS) recently announced its Disney Dream Cruise is set to depart from Florida on Aug. 9, the first time a Disney cruise has set sail since the pandemic started. 

RCL Price Action: Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises are trading at $76.93 at press time, down 3.86% on the day.