Most of the world’s cruise ships are inactive due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but 10 ships carrying around 8,000 passengers were still at sea on Wednesday.
Some of the ships were on world cruises which began in early January. Some have sick passengers on board. The challenge is to get passengers home when many ports are closed.
“It was a complex process with teams of people working day and night to coordinate a safe and orderly return to port for passengers and crew and cruise lines working under the direction of governments and health authorities at every stage.” said Anne Madison, a spokesperson for the cruise group CLIA.
Holland America Line’s Zaandam received the most media attention because of its arduous journey and because four passengers died on board the ship.
The Zaandam left Argentina on March 7 and is now sailing to Florida, awaiting clearance to disembark. The ship is accompanied by the Rotterdam, which joined the Zaandam off Panama to deliver supplies.
The Zaandam’s voyage was due to end on March 21 in Chile, but it was refused by South American ports. Holland America said 97 guests and 136 crew members had been showing flu-like symptoms since March 22. A few have tested positive for Covid-19.
The passengers have not left the ship since March 14 and have been confined to their cabin since March 22.
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Coral Princess and Pacific Princess from Princess Cruises are still sailing. Coral Princess has 1,023 passengers on board and Pacific Princess 115, Princess Cruises said.
On Tuesday, the medical center aboard the Coral Princess was reporting an above-normal number of people with flu-like symptoms. Many have tested positive for regular flu, but to be on the safe side all guests are quarantined in their cabins. All meals are delivered by room service. Crew members stay in their cabins when not working.
The Coral Princess traveled to Bridgetown, Barbados for a service call on Tuesday, but guests and crew were not allowed to disembark. The ship is expected to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on April 4.
The Pacific Princess made a stopover in Melbourne, Australia, to refuel and collect supplies. No guests or crew were allowed to disembark. The 115 guests on board did not meet IATA fitness standards for air travel or were unable to fly due to medical conditions unrelated to the coronavirus, Princess said. The ship is now returning to Los Angeles, which represents a journey of approximately 21 days.
MSC Magnifica made a stopover in Fremantle, Australia earlier this week and has now resumed its return trip to Europe. Before the coronavirus outbreak, the ship had called in Hobart, Sydney and Melbourne.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is en route to Southampton, England. Most of the guests disembarked from the ship in Fremantle, Australia on March 14-15. The ship made a technical stopover in Durban, South Africa on March 31. The Queen Mary 2 will sail again soon and has 264 guests on board, a spokesperson for Cunard said. noted.
P&O Cruises still has one ship at sea – the Arcadia with 1,404 guests on board. The Arcadia is returning to England and is expected to arrive on time on April 12.
“Social distancing measures are rigorously enforced on board,” said Michele Andjel, vice president of public relations for P&O Cruises and Carnival UK
Other vessels attempting to port, according to CruiseMapper.com, are the Costa Deliziosa, the Astor (owned by German company Premicon) Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Columbus and the expedition ship Greg Mortimer.
