Sea Cloud Spirit accidents and incidents

January 2025Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In January 2025, the CDC reported that on voyage SCS2501 (Jan 4-10), an illness outbreak affected 0 passengers (out of 120, or 0%) and 28 crew (out of 93, or 30,1%).

The predominant symptoms were abdominal cramps, myalgia, vomiting and diarrhea.

The presumed illness was ciguatera (foodborne, caused by eating fish contaminated with ciguatoxins/polycyclic polyethers).

The ship was on an 8-night/9-day "Caribbean Cruise" from St Maarten to Puerto Rico (Philipsburg to San Juan, itinerary Jan 4-10) visiting St Barthelemy (Gustavia), Iles de Saintes (Terre-de-Haut), Antigua (St John's), and the BVI (Virgin Gorda Island, Jost Van Dyke Island, and Norman Island).

May 2020Structural and Technical Issues

The ship's inaugural cruise was planned for August 29, 2020. However, the vessel's delivery was delayed due to the global Coronavirus pandemic, also resulting in Metalships Shipyard's (in Vigo, Spain) temporary closure. When in early-May shipyard operations resumed (in reduced worker capacity), the project-involved European subcontractors didn't return due to EU's intercountry travel restrictions. For example, the ship's masts (Poland-manufactured) arrived but were not installed, as well as the interior fittings (carried out, but not completed).

The delayed delivery also resulted in major cruise itinerary program changes. The scheduled Caribbean deployment (together with the Translatlantic crossing in November 2020) was cancelled and the ship remains (through April 2021) in the Canary Islands.