The passenger who tested positive for COVID-19 on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas has had two follow-up tests in Singapore and both tests have come back negative.

UPDATE: The passenger has tested negative in three different tests

Singapore's Ministry of Health said in two different tests, the results have been negative for COVID-19.  A third test is planned.

Quantum of the Seas had her cruise cut short once a 83-year-old passenger reported not feeling well to ship medical staff and a mandatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test came back as positive for COVID-19.

The ministry said the laboratory will conduct another test on Thursday to confirm if the passenger does indeed have COVID-19.

"An 83 year-old male Singaporean on board Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas tested positive for COVID-19 infection this morning, and was immediately isolated. He had reported to the medical centre with diarrhoea, and as part of the protocols was tested for COVID-19 using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test equipment on board the ship. His original sample has since been re-tested at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), and has come back negative for COVID-19 infection. A second fresh sample tested by NPHL has also come back negative. NPHL will conduct another test tomorrow to confirm his COVID-19 status."

Once Quantum of the Seas returned to Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board Director of Cruise confirmed the passenger was evacuated off the ship and taken to a hospital for further testing. 

As a precautionary measure, all the identified close contacts of the case have been isolated.

As part of the routine post-arrival protocols, all passengers will undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing before they are allowed to leave the terminal at Marina Bay Cruise Centre. 

Royal Caribbean has already cancelled its next sailing of Quantum of the Seas, which was scheduled to depart on Thursday.

Rapid tests are notorious for false positives. Earlier this summer, 12 TUI Cruise crew members tested positive for COVID-19, but follow-up tests showed those same crew tested negative.

New health protocols working as intended

While the suspected case of coronavirus may end up being a false positive, nonetheless, Royal Caribbean's new protocols have demonstrated it can work well.

In coordination with the Singaporean government, a "robust, tiered response plan" went into effect to not only isolate any one who may have come in contact with the patient, but also provide a means to get guests off the ship safely and quickly.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean emphasized the importance of these new rules, "That we were able to quickly identify this single case and take immediate action is a sign that the system is working as it was designed to do."

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas returned to Singapore after one passenger onboard tested positive for COVID-19.

UPDATE: The passenger has tested negative in three different tests

An 83-year-old passenger has been identified as the passenger that reported not feeling well to the ship's medical staff.

Singapore Tourism Board Director Annie Chang told the Associated Press that the passenger complained of diarrhea.

In addition, that passenger had been tested prior to boarding Quantum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement that the passenger was isolated, and other crew members and guests who had close contact were isolated and tested.

Quantum of the Seas returned to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore, and was eventually cleared to disembark passengers after 7:30pm local time.

Our friends at Singapore Cruise Society shared photos of Quantum of the Seas arriving back in Singapore.

Guests began disembarking off Quantum of the Seas in groups, and all will undergo an Antigen Rapid Test before returning home.

According to the Singapore Cruise Society, Royal Caribbean will cancel the next scheduled sailing of Quantum of the Seas, which is a 4-night sailing departing on December 10.

Once the positive test onboard had been reported, the ship's captain asked passengers to remain in their staterooms "in an abundance of caution".

The ship's return and ability to disembark passengers without a lengthy quarantine onboard is a testament to both Royal Caribbean's onboard protocols, as well as its agreement with the Singaporean government.

"That we were able to quickly identify this single case and take immediate action is a sign that the system is working as it was designed to do," the cruise line said in a statement.

A positive case of Coronavirus has been identified and isolated aboard the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship in operation.

UPDATE: The passenger has tested negative in three different tests

Cruise Critic is reporting a positive case of COVID-19 has been identified on Quantum of the Seas and as a result, the ship is headed back to Singapore as part of the government's protocols.

In addition, Royal Caribbean has isolated and quarantined the guests and crew that had close contact with the guest, per the cruise line's protocols.

Royal Caribbean confirmed the case and issued a statement regarding what is happening.

One guest aboard Quantum of the Seas tested positive for coronavirus after checking in with our medical team.

We identified and isolated all guests and crew who had close contact with this guest, and each of those individuals have subsequently tested negative for the virus.

The ship is returning to port today in accordance with government protocols, and will debark guests after a review of contact tracing is completed.

We are in communication with the Singapore government, and appreciate their guidance as we work together to protect the health and safety of our guests and crew.

We worked closely with the government to develop a thorough system that tests and monitors all guests and crew and follows public health best practices. That we were able to quickly identify this single case and take immediate action is a sign that the system is working as it was designed to do.

Quantum of the Seas resumed cruises last week, offering short cruises from Singapore and only to residents of Singapore.

Quantum of the Seas is equipped  with upgraded medical facilities where rapid SARS-CoV-2 tests can be conducted onboard to provide rapid, accurate onsite RT-PCR testing with results in under an hour, alongside a multitude of other evaluative tests. 

In addition, every guest on the ship is wearing either a contact tracing token or utilizing a contact tracing app to identify exactly who may have come in contact with someone that tests positive.

Multi-tiered plan to mitigate risks

Early on, Royal Caribbean said its plans had to accept risk and acknowledge there are no guarantees.

One of the co-chairmen of the Healthy Sail Panel's co-chairmen, Governor Mike Leavitt, talked about the realities of planning new policies and procedures with realistic expectations.

When Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings created the Healthy Sail Panel, they had to recognize nothing in society is every completely safe, and you have to accept that risk before crafting a response for it.

"We put together this combination not just because of their subject matter expertise, but because they have had long experience in evaluating ideas and being able to come to an understanding that there's no place in our society that you can say is absolutely 100 percent safe."

"We all manage risks every day, whether we're walking across the street or opening a package of food. There's some kind of risk involved in all of that."

"The idea isn't that we can eliminate all of that. The idea is we can manage it and understanding that perspective and recognizing that it requires judgment to do this well."

Response plan

Royal Caribbean developed a plan to respond to a scenario such as this, and coordinated these plans with the Singaporean government.

According to Royal Caribbean's health protocols, in the event a guest tests positive for COVID-19, a "robust, tiered response plan" goes into effect.

The tiers increase protocols and vigilance onboard while providing transparent updates to guests the whole way.

In partnership with local authorities, Royal Caribbean has developed transport protocols to ensure we can get guests home safely. 

In fact, Royal Caribbean identified early that being "stuck" in quarantine on a cruise ship was not something any guest wanted, and a result, Royal Caribbean has developed transport agreements with local authorities in a situation like this to get everyone home safely.

Royal Caribbean completed its first cruise in Singapore, and announced its first health protocol change.

Guests booked on upcoming Quantum of the Seas sailings have been informed the minimum age for wearing a mask on a cruise ship has been lowered to 6 years old.

Emails sent to guests explained the change, "To prepare for our return to service, we are continuously working closely with the Singapore Authorities to ensure that our health and safety measures are equal or better to those on land. It is now required for guests 6 years of age and older to wear masks on board."

The rule had been guests 7 years old or younger were exempted from the rule.

Masks are required to be worn by guests and crew onboard and even during signature experiences like skydiving in the RipCord by iFLY simulator and riding the North Star glass observation capsule.

Royal Caribbean successfully restarted cruises with one ship this week, having gotten the go-ahead to cruise in Singapore with Quantum of the Seas.

Quantum of the Seas is the first ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet to restart operations in almost nine months and offers 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops to only residents of Singapore.

The rules and health protocols on Quantum of the Seas were developed with expert guidance from the Healthy Sail Panel, Royal Caribbean Group’s Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer and the Singapore Ministry of Health. 

Rule changes to Royal Caribbean's comprehensive health protocols are not unexpected, as the cruise line has said the policies would be adjusted.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain has talked about the importance of continuously learning from these early sailings to improve overall, "We will proceed cautiously and we will learn from our experiences."

"And unquestionably, we will invest in all these areas more than most of our guests will ever fully see or know."

The first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to return to service just wrapped up its first sailing in Singapore, marking a major achievement for the cruise line that has worked for months to get to this point.

Royal Caribbean announced on Thursday that Quantum of the Seas completed its first revenue sailing after careful planning with Singapore's health and tourism authorities.

This is the first cruise ship to be able to resume operations, and it is limited to residents of Singapore. Quantum sails 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops, which Royal Caribbean calls "ocean getaways".

Angie Stephen, Royal Caribbean's Managing Director of Asia Pacific told the press the cruise line is incredibly proud of this momentous day, "We are thrilled to once again welcome guests aboard Quantum of the Seas and offer Singapore residents the opportunity to get away, relax, and start enjoying the travel experiences they’ve been missing for so many months."

"We are grateful to the Singapore Government for their partnership in making these pilot cruises a reality and pledge our commitment to providing our guests with the safest possible cruise experience."

Cruising safely

How can a cruise ship sail during the middle of a pandemic?

Royal Caribbean implemented a series of comprehensive, multilayered health and safety measures that were derived from science, data driven and developed with expert guidance from the Healthy Sail Panel, Royal Caribbean Group’s Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer and the Singapore Ministry of Health. 

Before a guest boards the ship, the new protocols begin with pre-departure health screenings, and meet all regional requirements and guidelines, including the CruiseSafe Certification standards jointly developed by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and DNV GL.

Quantum of the Seas has a reduced capacity onboard, and has implemented mandatory universal testing during embarkation and debarkation, and enforced mask wearing, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning practices across the ship, among other required practices. 

In addition, all guests will need to scan their SafeEntry QR code required by Singapore upon embarkation and debarkation and have the Singapore Trace Together Bluetooth app or Token at all times during the cruise.

In addition, Royal Caribbean cruise ships have a new HVAC system that continuously supplies 100% fresh, filtered air from outdoors to all indoor spaces. There are also upgraded medical centers to handle any situation.

Read more: Easy guide to Quantum of the Seas new health protocols

New changes to cruise favorites

Royal Caribbean has made sweeping changes to Quantum of the Seas so that it could be ready for the new health challenges of the public.

The cruise line calls its collection of new health protocols, "The Royal Promise", and it encompasses all the new changes onboard to protect guests from the current health crisis.

New to the cruise experience is Royal Caribbean’s Tracelet, a custom wearable required for all guests and crew on board Quantum of the Seas. The technology helps monitor physical distancing and the cruise line’s contract tracing procedures.  

Quantum of the Seas 18 restaurants, bars and lounges have been thoughtfully transformed for healthier and safer dining. At Windjammer Marketplace, previously a self-service experience, dedicated crew now serve guests and offer a greater variety of grab-and-go items.

 For a healthier and safer adventure for all, guests and crew must wear masks on board and during signature experiences like skydiving in the RipCord by iFLY simulator and riding the North Star glass observation capsule.

 Royal Caribbean believes this combination of safety and a fun cruise create vacation getaways that are very appealing for residents of Singapore.

See the changes for yourself

Quantum of the Seas completed its first cruise back, and you can see all of these changes in action with our photo updates.

I posted a new update for each day of the first sailing to share a look at what going on a crusie in 2020 looks like.

• Embarkation 
• Day one
• Day two
• Disembarkation

Royal Caribbean's first cruise back since the global health crisis began has wrapped up and by all accounts seems to have been a success.

Quantum of the Seas set sail on a 2-night cruise with no port stops from Singapore, and completed the first sailing back.

Photos from onboard Quantum of the Seas are provided by our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society, who sailed on Quantum to check out all of the changes and new protocols the cruise line has made to the cruise experience.

Quantum of the Seas arrived in the early morning hours back in Singapore.

She arrived back at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre to begin her disembarkation.

Just like every Royal Caribbean cruise, the Windjammer is open for guests to enjoy one last meal before disembarkation.

Departure Process

Guests on Quantum of the Seas are required to get a swab test in the terminal before completing the cruise.

Because of social distancing, Royal Caribbean asks guests to wait in their staterooms to be called for disembarkation.  Traditionally, guests would congregate in public venues to await departing the ship.

Once called for departure, lines and social distancing markers are set up for easy and safe departure off the ship.

As you depart, your temperature will be taken and you are required to have your SeaPass card and tracelet with you. You can then deposit your tracelet as you leave.

Cruise terminal disembarkation

Back in the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, the disembarkation process continues.

The arrival hall is where guests will have a swab test conducted.

Afterwards, it's off to collect your luggage.

After you get your luggage, that's it and you are on your way.

Big thanks to the Singapore Cruise Society for their partnership in sharing what Royal Caribbean's first cruise back in service was like.  Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

I hope you enjoyed this look at what the first cruise back was like, and be sure to check out the photo updates from the entire cruise:

• Embarkation 
• Day one
• Day two

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas has begun sailing with her first official cruise kicking off yesterday from Singapore.

This is the first Royal Caribbean International cruise since the company shut down operations in March, and we have an inside look at what it is like to go on a cruise during the global health crisis.

Our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society have been sharing photos with RoyalCaribbeanBlog of what it is like onboard this first sailing, which is only open to residents of Singapore.

The second day onboard is a sea day, and a good opportunity to see what is happening around the ship, as well as get a sense of how the new health protocols are working.

Be sure to check out the photos from embarkation and day one on Quantum of the Seas as well.

North Star observational pod only allows 4 or 5 guests (and one crew member) at a time to ride.  In Asia, North Star costs extra (which is not the case in North America or Europe).

Like North Star, other onboard activities and things to do have been altered to meet social distancing needs.

Laser tag has been dramatically changed from a close quarter shoot 'em up, to a game where each team stands in the middle of the SeaPlex and shoot targets for 45 seconds to see who has the highest score.

Pool deck on Quantum of the Seas with some seats marked as unavailable due to social distancing.

Water fountains are not available due to health and safety concerns.

Fitness center also has some equipment unavailable.

In Two70, you need to reserve a seat ahead of time via Royal Caribbean's app. There are only about 250 seats available. If you are a family of five, you can sit together. Any groups larger than that will have to be separated. Crew members will guide you to your seats.

The Two70 venue is split up into five zones. After the show, you will leave Two70 according to the zone you are seated in.

Movies being shown in Music Hall, with social distancing in the seats.

Entrances to many venues that commonly have a line are marked where to stand to promote social distancing.

Due to Singapore law, Royal Caribbean stops selling alcoholic beverages at 10pm each night, and no more drinking allowed after 10:30pm.

Meal service combines social distancing with a contactless experience. QR codes to view menus.

Quantum of the Seas ship models for sale, including a ship model key chain.

Royal Caribbean has also altered other traditional cruise activities to foster social distancing.

Bumper cars available for use in the SeaPlex.

Outdoor signature activities available for use.

Breakfast menu to order from on Quantum of the Seas.

Just like yesterday, the Windjammer is full service with crew members serving guests.

That's a wrap for day two on Quantum of the Seas. Many thanks to the Singapore Cruise Society for helping us share what it is like to be on the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship back in service.

The first day is a wrap on Royal Caribbean's first cruise ship to return to service, and we have a look at some of the evening activities onboard.

Quantum of the Seas set sail from Singapore on December 1, and is the first Royal Caribbean ship to offer passenger service again since the cruise industry shutdown in mid-March.

Guests boarded Quantum of the Seas in the morning, and the ship set sail on a 3-night cruise with no port stops and only available to residents of Singapore. It is an important test for a whole series of brief cruises Royal Caribbean hopes to operate in the coming months.

You can view photos from check-in and embarkation to catch up on everything else so far.

The Singapore Cruise Society are sharing photos from onboard the ship with RoyalCaribbeanBlog, and we now have a look at how the evening shaped up.

Dinner

Let's begin with dinner onboard Quantum of the Seas.

For guests ready to enter the dining room, there is social distance markers on the ground to ensure guests in line are not too close together.

Dinner in the main dining room is similar to what most guests may be used to, although there are QR codes on the table where you can pull up the menu.

Escargots, Shrimp Cocktail , Pork Chops and Pad Thai

Royal Chocolate Cake

Entertainment and fun things to do

The SeaPlex on Quantum of the Seas offers a lot of fun activities to do onboard, and Bumper Cars were open for guests to enjoy.

Crew members take guests' temperatures waiting for bumper cars. Our friends reported that the lines were long, but they did move quickly.

Cruise staff will sanitize each of the bumper cars between each sessions, which takes about 2 minutes.

Over in the theater, guests can enjoy the production shows in a socially distanced manner.

Certain seats are marked as unavailable in order to enforce social distancing.

The performers are wearing masks that match their colorful costumes.

Late night

If you are looking for a bite to eat before bed, the usual spots are open, but expect a few changes.

To go to Cafe Promenade and pick up a snack, you will need your SeaPass card, Trace together token/app and tracelet.

Each table has been cleaned and has a card to indicate it is ready, with a card to indicate it is has been sanitized.

Casino

The casino is open on Quantum of the Seas, and just like other venues, has social distancing enforced.  Smoking is still allowed.

More Quantum of the Seas coverage

There is more photos and reports from Quantum of the Seas is coming, thanks to our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society.

First started in 2014, Singapore Cruise Society has documented significant cruise happenings in Singapore. Since then, we have grown to be one of Asia's largest cruise-
centric blog and community, providing everything from cruise vacation experiences to the latest development in the cruise travel industry. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

It has been almost nine months, but the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship is back in service with paying passengers in Singapore.

Quantum of the Seas departed on December 1st on a short sailing to begin a new season of cruises from the small South Asian country.

Our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society are onboard the first sailings to share the changes Royal Caribbean has made, and what it is like to sail onboard through photo updates.

Check-in

Quantum of the Seas is sailing from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, and the check-in process has added health checks to the normal embarkation day process.

All guests traveling aboard Quantum of the Seas, regardless of age, must undergo a SARS-CoV-2 (rtPCR) test within 3 days prior to boarding and obtain a negative result. Royal Caribbean will cover the cost of your test for sailings departing on or before March 18, 2021.

All tests will need to be booked through Royal Caribbean’s testing provider – Eurofins. Royal Caribbean will email guests 14 days prior to your sailing with information on how to book the test with the testing provider.

In addition, masks are required in the terminal (and onboard the ship).

Guests will also have to undergo another COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (ART) at the cruise terminal upon disembarkation at the end of their voyage.

Guests who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the past 180 days before embarking, or hold a positive serology certificate dated during this timeframe, will not be able to receive a PCR test, and are therefore unable to cruise.

Contact tracing

Something new for Quantum of the Seas is guests must download a contact tracing app on their phone, or collected a token.

Guests have the choice of downloading the  TraceTogether app or collected the TraceTogether (TT) token in order to board the ship.

TraceTogether is a digital system which the Singaporean Government had implemented to allow for better contact tracing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. The system was initially made up of an app, by the same name, and was later supplemented by a physical token. The token and the mobile application work offline but using Bluetooth technology, and records the token ID of others in close contact of guests above a certain time. The token will not record location data etc.

Guests will be provided another wearable piece of technology called a "Tracelet", which will assist in contact tracing onboard. Guests will be required to have the Tracelet, TraceTogether Token/App active always throughout the voyage. Crew members will also be required to participate in this contact tracing effort.

Please note that children below 7 years old are exempted and are not required to have the TT Token or app with them.

Embarkation

After completing check-in, guests are able to board the ship with a new emphasis on social distancing.

Social distancing, masks, sanitization and more

Royal Caribbean has added a variety of new health protocols to keep guests and crew healthy onboard.

In each stateroom is a complimentary face mask, as well as hand sanitizer to use.

Social distancing markers and reserved chairs to promote social distancing are found all over the ship.

At the Windjammer buffet, guests are served by the waiters there.

Another big change is Muster 2.0, which is a new approach to the cruise ship safety drill.

Instead of going to a muster station and standing in close proximity to others while listening to safety instructions, guests can conduct the safety drill from their stateroom television or in the Royal Caribbean app.

After completing the steps in the eMuster, guests then go to their muster station to confirm they know where it is located and are marked done.

In an effort to be be as contactless as possible, guests can also view menus and order items via the QR codes.

More coverage to come!

I will be sharing more Quantum of the Seas coverage right here, thanks to our friends from the Singapore Cruise Society.

Singapore Cruise Society is the leading cruising blog and community in Southeast Asia.

First started in 2014, Singapore Cruise Society has documented significant cruise happenings in Singapore. Since then, we have grown to be one of Asia's largest cruise-
centric blog and community, providing everything from cruise vacation experiences to the latest development in the cruise travel industry. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Nine months after Royal Caribbean shut down its cruises due to the global health crisis, its first cruise ship will offer a revenue cruise tomorrow.

Quantum of the Seas will sail from Singapore on December 1, and begin offering 3- and 4-night cruises to only residents of Singapore with no port stops.

Royal Caribbean shut down all cruises beginning on March 14, 2020 and has not offered another cruise since. Quantum of the Seas will be the first to offer paid cruises since March.

New photos just added from the first Quantum of the Seas sailing!

The first sailing on Quantum of the Seas on December 1 is capped at about 1,000 guests.

A variety of comprehensive new health protocols will be implemented onboard Quantum of the Seas including:

• Testing and screening
• Upgraded Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems that enhance filtration
• Stringent cleaning practices
• Reduced capacities for greater physical distancing
• Expert medical care and onboard facilities

Read more: Here's what Royal Caribbean will require guests to do for first cruises back in Singapore

Initially, Quantum of the Seas cruises will be: 

• Round-trips with no ports of call
• Sailing at a reduced capacity of up to 50 percent
• Only open to Singapore residents

Quantum of th eSeas will spend the next four months sailing from Singapore and offer these short cruises.

Prior to the official sailing, Royal Caribbean has been preparing for these cruises. Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, shared photos of the production show cast rehearsing.

It appears there was at least one preview cruise over the weekend, which was a 2-night sailing open to select invitees before official sailings commence.

The test sailing was limited to a small amount of guests who helpted test out some of the new health protocols, which includes contact tracing tokens, RT-PCR testing, masks and more.

While Quantum of the Seas will be able to restart in Singapore, the rest of the fleet is shutdown until further notice.

Australia cruises are cancelled through the end of January 2021, and the elsewhere cruises are shutdown until the end of December 2020 (although many expect more cancellations soon).

Royal Caribbean has shared no firm restart plans anywhere other than Singapore, as the cruise line is working diligently to prepare its ships to meet the new standards set forth by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Even though the framework for conditional sailing does open the possibility for cruises to resume in North America, there is no sense of when that sort of approval might actually occur.