Cruising Again: France Lifts Lockdown on Maltese-Cruise Ship

Imagine the relief of passengers aboard the Costa Fascinosa, docked at Valletta’s Grand Harbour, as they received the news: France has lifted the lockdown imposed due to a suspected stomach bug outbreak. The ship, which had been under quarantine since Monday, can now disembark its passengers and continue its Mediterranean cruise.

From Quarantine to Freedom

The French health ministry announced on Wednesday that the suspected norovirus outbreak had been contained, with no new cases reported since Tuesday. The ministry attributed the outbreak to a stomach bug, not COVID-19, a relief for passengers and crew alike. The ship, operated by Italian cruise line Costa Cruises, had been under lockdown at the French port of Marseille before arriving in Malta.

For the Maltese passengers on board, the news was particularly welcome. Among them was Maria Attard, a retired teacher from Birkirkara. “I’ve been looking forward to this cruise for months,” she said. “It was worrying when we heard about the outbreak, but I’m glad it’s over now and we can enjoy the rest of our holiday.”

Malta’s Role in Cruise Tourism

Malta’s Grand Harbour has seen its fair share of cruise ship drama this year. In March, the Costa Fascinosa‘s sister ship, the Costa Luminosa, was denied entry to Italian ports due to COVID-19 fears and ended up in Malta. This time, however, the story has a happier ending.

Cruise tourism is big business in Malta. According to the Malta Tourism Authority, cruise passengers contributed €58 million to the local economy in 2019. The industry supports thousands of jobs, from port workers to tour guides and restaurateurs. The Costa Fascinosa‘s brief lockdown was a stark reminder of the fragility of this industry in the face of health scares.

: Cruise Control

With the lockdown lifted, the Costa Fascinosa will continue its Mediterranean cruise, with its next stop in Barcelona. For Malta, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of strong health protocols in the cruise industry. The Maltese government has been working with cruise lines to implement stringent health measures to protect passengers and crew, and to reassure tourists that cruising from Malta is safe.

“We’re glad this incident is over,” said Joseph Muscat, CEO of the Malta Cruise Port. “We’ll continue to work with cruise lines to ensure that Malta remains a safe and attractive destination for cruise tourism.”