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SINGAPORE – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said on Wednesday night (December 30) that it is investigating a possible violation of Covid-19 security measures aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
A group of more than 10 men and women had gathered to take photos on December 20 and 21 while on the ship.
In the photos that some of them posted on their public Instagram accounts, the group members are unmasked and less than 1 meter apart from each other.
Before Monday, social gatherings of more than five people were banned during phase two of Singapore’s reopening. Since then, with phase three underway, the rule has been relaxed, but gatherings of more than eight people are still not allowed.
In response to inquiries from The Straits Times, Annie Chang, STB’s cruise director, said Wednesday that STB is aware of the alleged incident and is investigating the matter.
“We seriously consider any breaches of safety management measures on cruise ships leaving Singapore. The safety of passengers and crew is our priority, and regular onboard inspections are conducted during voyages to ensure compliance,” he said.
Cruise lines that do not comply with STB’s CruiseSafe penalty framework will be subject to penalties, which can include fines, travel suspension and revocation of their CruiseSafe certification.
[[nid:514196]]A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean International acknowledged the incident and added that it is investigating.
“The recent violation of safe distancing measures appears to have been an instance where a group got together to take some photos,” the cruise operator said.
He reiterated that the same measures that shopping centers and restaurants abide by apply on board their cruise ships.
Royal Caribbean International added that its staff is trained to remind guests to comply with health and safety regulations on board.
“We would like to remind our guests that any breach of the rules will lead to enforcement action, including denied boarding or expulsion from the ship,” he said.
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This article was first published in The times of the strait.
