Covid: Cunard Queen Elizabeth cruises cancelled after crew test positive

Cunard said a "small number" of crew had tested positive on board the Queen Elizabeth

The first five scheduled voyages on board the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, after its pandemic shutdown, have been cancelled.

Earlier this week operator Cunard announced a number of crew tested positive for Covid-19.

It was due to restart voyages with cruises around the UK coast, after suspending all sailings in March 2020.

The company said it had to limit crew numbers and could not complete "final essential preparations".

It said a "small number" of positive cases of coronavirus had been identified among new crew boarding the ship last month.

"Working in conjunction with Southampton Port Health we took immediate steps to successfully contain the situation and we have limited the number of new crew joining the ship," it said in a statement.

"This has meant, however, that we are not able to complete the final essential preparations or deliver the comprehensive training schedule to the full required contingent of crew prior to the first scheduled sailing."

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Cruises around the British Isles are currently permitted but international cruises have not been allowed to resume.

While out of action, Cunard's vessels, along with a number from different operators, have been moored off the Dorset coast.

Queen Elizabeth's first "staycation cruise" should have been a trip to Cornwall, departing from Southampton on 19 July.

Its first departure from Southampton is now planned for 13 August.