Norwegian Cruise Ship Given All Clear After Being Quarantined

There is good news for passengers aboard Norwegian Dawn as well as those about to set sail on the ship’s next cruise.

Test results have shown no cases of cholera and the ship is now cleared to resume service ahead of schedule, albeit with itinerary modifications due to the two lost days and being quarantined.

Embarking guests are also being offered significant compensation for the inconvenient changes and delay to their sailing.

Norwegian Dawn Ready to Sail

After the ship was initially quarantined due to gastrointestinal illness and unable to debark as planned in Port Louis, Mauritius, Norwegian Dawn has now been cleared by local authorities after additional health testing confirmed there were no cases of cholera onboard.

“Despite previous reports and speculations, there were no confirmed cases nor any evidence of cholera on board the vessel,” a statement from Norwegian Cruise Line read. “Although only six guests were being monitored due to mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness, the government of Mauritius required testing in an overabundance of caution, thereby delaying the ship’s original disembarkation.”

Because the test results have come back earlier than expected, new plans are now in place for embarkation to give guests as much time aboard the ship as possible.

“Now that the ship has been cleared ahead of what we previously communicated, we are happy to advise that you will be able to board the ship earlier than originally thought,” the email notification to guests read.

Embarkation will now take place on Tuesday, February 27. Norwegian Cruise Line has arranged transfers from local hotels to the embarkation port from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for guests who were staying in the accommodations organized by the cruise line, while guests who made their own hotel arrangements should plan to arrive at the cruise terminal from 1-3 p.m.

All guests need to arrive at the embarkation port no later than 5 p.m. for check-in and the ship’s departure.

“We appreciate our guests’ patience during this time, as we navigate this fluid situation,” said David J. Herrera, Norwegian Cruise Line President. “We greatly value our onboard leadership team and crew, as well as our global shoreside team for going above and beyond to ensure the comfort of our guests during this unanticipated event.”

Itinerary Changes

Due to the two-day delay in embarkation, it is still necessary to make adjustments to Norwegian Dawn‘s next sailing, now a 10-night voyage instead of a 12-night cruise.

“Regrettably we are unable to call on Madagascar,” the email explained. “We have maintained the integrity of the remaining highly valued ports of call such as Richard’s Bay, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, South Africa.”

The ship will still be visiting Pointe des Galets, Reunion as the first port of call, followed by three days before reaching South Africa. Each port of call in South Africa has been adjusted, largely to give guests even more time ashore.

At Richard’s Bay on Sunday, March 3, for example, Norwegian Dawn will now be visiting from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., an extra 90 minutes in the morning compared to the original 9 a.m. arrival time. Likewise, the ship will arrive at Port Elizabeth 30 minutes early on Tuesday, March 5 – at 5:30 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.

The visit to Mosselbay on Wednesday, March 6, is trimmed by one hour, however, as the ship will now leave at 4 p.m. instead of 5 p.m.

The visit to Cape Town remains an overnight call, with the ship now arriving at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 7 and not leaving until 8 a.m. on Friday.

All shore tours booked through Norwegian Cruise Line for the now-cancelled calls in Madagascar will be fully refunded back to guests’ onboard accounts, while tours for the remaining ports of call will be adjusted to the new port times as necessary.

Travelers who have made independent tour arrangements will need to contact their tour operators for adjustments or refunds as needed.

Further Compensation

Due to the shortening of the cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line is providing additional compensation for guests.

All travelers are receiving a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare based on the shortened duration, as well as similar refunds of pre-paid options such as beverage packages and gratuities. Those refunds will be processed back to the original form of payment.

Guests will also receive a $200 (USD) non-refundable onboard credit per stateroom, as well as a 20% discount in the form of a future cruise credit (FCC) based on the cruise fare to be used on any future sailing through December 31, 2025.

Impacted guests can also submit receipts for $75 per person, per day reimbursement covering meals while staying in Port Louis, Mauritius due to the embarkation delay.

Health Precautions Still Emphasized

While Norwegian Dawn has been cleared to sail, crew members are still taking precautions onboard and guests are urged to do the same to ensure the health and safety of everyone during their cruise.

“As expected, there were no cholera cases onboard Norwegian Dawn,” the email to guests said. “This has been confirmed by the Mauritius government health officials. In addition to the incredibly high level of standards we have on the ship, we have taken additional precautions to ensure the health and safety of our guests and crew.”

Read Also: Cruise Ship Illness – How to Protect Yourself

The email encourages passengers to wash their hands frequently throughout the day, as well as be cautious about what foods or drinks are safest to enjoy ashore.

All travelers are urged to notify the ship’s medical center if they experience any stomach-related symptoms during the sailing, and they will receive consultations and treatment in the privacy of their staterooms if necessary.