Disney delays test cruise over 'inconsistent' virus results

Disney Cruise Line is postponing its first test cruise since the pandemic brought the cruise industry to a standstill after a handful of participants had inconsistent test results for COVID-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Disney Cruise Line is postponing its first test cruise since the pandemic brought the cruise industry to a standstill after a handful of participants had inconsistent test results for COVID-19, the company said Monday. The Disney Dream had been scheduled to set sail Tuesday from Port Canaveral, Florida, with 300 employees who had volunteered for the “simulation” cruise. But the trip was postponed indefinitely because a small number of employees had inconsistent results for COVID-19, “which is considered positive by the CDC," Disney said in a statement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, had approved the cruise line’s request to conduct a two-night test cruise. The federal government is starting to allow cruises to sail again, but only if nearly all passengers and crew are vaccinated against the virus. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill banning business from requiring proof of vaccination, so cruise lines must prove the effectiveness of their COVID-19 safety protocols on test cruises.