The company behind what happened to be a crowded Boston Harbor weekend party cruise was ordered to stop operating.
The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards has issued a cease and desist to Bay State Cruise Company on Monday, July 27.
An image circulating on social media showed people standing close together on the 3-deck ship Provincetown II (Bay State-operated vessel) as it prepared to depart for a 2,5-hour roundtrip Saturday night, July 25. Most tourists were on the open-air top deck.
The boat sailed at 33% capacity, within the COVID operating limits of 44% capacity, company’s manager Michael Glasfield revealed. That allowed for 28 ft2 (2,6 m2) per passenger space, enough room for 6 ft (1,83 m) of social distancing, he added.
According to Boston's Mayor Marty Walsh, what happened was a serious threat to public health.