…Le Bellot confirmed the next arrival dates on December 18 and 28 of this year …From 2019 to date, 12 tourist cruises have arrived at the Port of Seybaplaya; 8 from Compagnie Du Ponant and 4 from American Queen Voyages
With the arrival of the Le Bellot cruise ship of the French company Compagnie Du Ponant at the Seybaplaya Port of Height and Cabotage, Campeche continues to position itself as a destination for tourist cruises, along with the diversification of its economy, as Governor Layda Sansores San Roman has instructed, to take advantage of the entity’s port potential.
The general director of the Integral Port Administration, Agapito Ceballos Fuentes, and the Secretary of Tourism, Mauricio Arceo Piña, accompanied by immigration, naval and municipal authorities, welcomed the travelers and exchanged plates for being the first time they visit this port terminal.
As part of the Cozumel-Seybaplaya-Progreso-Water Cay, Honduras-Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala-Livingston, Guatemala-Ciudad Bélica-Cayo de la Medialuna-Cozumel route, the ship docked at platform 8 of the Port with 121 passengers and 124 crew members on board, with nationalities from the United States, France, Russia, Switzerland, Belgium, etc. The next confirmed dates are December 18 and 28 Currently, an important market niche is served in this sector that adapts to the natural characteristics of our entity, with low-draft luxury cruises and a significant number of passengers.
Having the companies Compagnie Du Ponant and American Queen Voyages, from 2019 to date, a total record of 12 arrivals at the Port of Seybaplaya, being 8 from Ponant and 4 from AQV.
In the case of Le Bellot, which has a length of 131.46 meters, a beam of 18 meters and a draft of 4.7 meters, it is one of the 12 ships of the Ponant Explorer series that are part of the new generation of cruises that They sail under the French flag and have been awarded the CleanShip label.
The ships offer 92 elegant staterooms, including four suites; all cabins include a glass window and private balcony, offering a unique experience to walkers interested in getting to know cultural destinations, such as Campeche, in depth.
It is worth mentioning that the tourists were received with all the health measures and tourism stands; Subsequently, the authorities led by Ceballos Fuentes and Arceo Piña carried out the plate exchange protocol with the ship’s captain, Quentin Dubois, and toured the cruise ship facilities.
The protocol event was attended by Rear Admiral Alfredo Ramón Enríquez Delgado, from the Champotón Naval Sector; José Domínguez, representative of the Captaincy of the Port of Seybaplaya; likewise, representatives of Customs and the National Institute of Migration; Seybaplaya municipal authorities and the port manager, Benito Pacheco Arévalo.
…The ship of the American Queen Voyages shipping company made its third arrival of four scheduled …
They announce the commercialization of 10 additional dates starting in November of this year As part of the actions to promote the State of Campeche as a destination international tourist,it arrives in Campeche the third of four scheduled arrivals, the cruise ship Ocean Voyager of the shipping company American Queen Voyages with 45 passengers and 75 crew members.
On this occasion,the head of the Secretary of Tourism, Mauricio Arceo Piña, in coordination with the director of the Port Administration of Campeche (APICAM) Agapito Ceballos Fuentes, welcomed the ship’s captain, Gary Kerr, making the traditional exchange of plates and a tour of the ship’s facilities.
The exchange of plates is a traditional event that takes place between the shipping company and the State, each time it arrives at a new port. In his speech, the captain of the Ocean Voyager expressed that he was very grateful and happy with Campeche. For this reason, the company is marketing around 10 additional dates starting in November of this year.
During the protocol they were also accompanied by the Secretary of Economic Development, Fernando Gamboa Rosas; Cinthia Velázquez Rivera, municipal president of Seybaplaya; the commander of the Third Naval Region, Admiral Abraham Eloy Caballero Rosas; Rear Admiral Alfredo Ramón Enríquez Delgado, commander of the Champotón Naval Sector; Rear Admiral Joel Castuera Hophann, Customs administrator; and Vice Admiral Roberto González López of the National Migration Institute.
American Queen Voyages has welcomed guests for its first Mexico and Yucatán Peninsula voyage. After arriving in Cozumel on Jan. 4 and embarking on land tours, guests will be boarding the Ocean Voyager, formerly Victory I, today to visit ports and sites that include Campeche, Progreso and Valladolid.
According to a press release, highlights of the inaugural voyage include a visit to Malecón de Campeche, a sunrise visit over El Castillio and Temple of Kukulkan, a visit to El Gran Museo del Mundo May de Mérida and two nights at the Mayaland Hotel, a jungle resort adjacent to the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá.
The Ocean Voyager will operate four Mexico and Yucatán Peninsula sailings before returning to the Southeastern U.S for its roundtrip Amelia Island (Fernandina Beach) sailings.
“Expanding our experiences beyond U.S. river crises to immersive international small-ship itineraries has been a company goal for some time and it is exciting to now offer our guests these new content-rich cultural adventures,” said Shawn Bierdz, the chief operating officer at American Queen Voyages. “Later this year we will embark on Southeast U.S. voyages, itineraries touching all five Great Lakes, an inaugural expedition season in Alaska with the Ocean Victory and much more.”
American Queen Voyages – which is part of Hornblower Group – has also announced its Winter Savings Event. To celebrate the start of 2022, bonus savings of up to $5,400 per stateroom are available on bookings made by Feb. 28, 2022, on select voyages
Cruise lines will be the first to tell you that COVID-19 isn’t going away, but they have safety protocols in place to weather the storm when cases appear on board.
With the rise of the omicron variant throughout the U.S., nearly 1/3 of ships currently sailing from U.S. waters have within the last week endured enough onboard cases to merit follow-up investigations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One of the largest reports of cases occurred last weekend with Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas reporting 48 cases of COVID-19 from a seven-night sailing that returned to Miami on Saturday. A statement from the line said some of those infected were taken off the ship earlier in the sailing, but most disembarked at the end of the voyage, and the cases did not affect the ship’s turnaround for its next voyage.
The cruise line said most of the cases were asymptomatic, or showing mild symptoms.
With more than 6,000 passengers and crew, 48 cases still constitute less than 1% of people on board, although anything 0.1% or higher means the CDC will investigate, putting the ship in yellow status from among its color-coded response chart.
According to a Dec. 20 update with reported cases through Dec. 17, the CDC lists 33 vessels as yellow status, while seven have the less severe orange status (less than 0.1% passengers infected), but the CDC is monitoring. Another 69 vessels remain in green status with no reported COVID cases.
The red status would mean a cruise ship would be threatened with its onboard medical facilities being overwhelmed. No ship has merited a red status, meaning an immediate return to port or other drastic measures.
Port Canaveral CEO John Murray said despite the rise in omicron cases, the measures that have been in place since business ramped up this past summer remain the same.
“Our safety protocols and practices have not changed,” Murray said. “We continue to work closely with our cruise partners and will support them as necessary.”
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Norwegian Cruise Line ship with at least 10 passengers and crew members infected with COVID-19 docked Sunday in New Orleans, where health officials said they were trying to disembark people without worsening the spread of the coronavirus illness.
Local news outlets in New Orleans confirmed the Norwegian Breakaway had arrived in the city. The ship departed New Orleans on Nov. 28. The Louisiana Department of Health said in a late Saturday news release that over the past week, the ship made stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico.
Norwegian Cruise Line issued a statement that confirmed a “handful of COVID-19 cases among guests and crew.” The company said all of the identified cases involved people without symptoms of the illness.
Norwegian said it requires all passengers and crew members to have been vaccinated against the coronavirus prior to departure.
“We are testing all individuals on Norwegian Breakaway prior to disembarkation, as well as providing post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),” the company’s statement said. “Any guests who have tested positive for COVID-19 will travel by personal vehicle to their personal residence or self-isolate in accommodations provided by the company.”
The state health department — which is working with the cruise line and state and local officials to contain the outbreak — said at least 10 people on the ship tested positive for COVID-19. More than 3,200 people were on board the ship, officials said.
Some disembarking passengers told WVUE-TV in New Orleans that they were notified about the positive cases on the ship, while others said they had no idea about the outbreak until being asked about it by a reporter.
“We didn’t hear of this until we kind of heard you talking a second ago,” said Don Canole, a passenger from North Carolina. “It would have been nice to have known. We would have taken maybe a few more precautions.”
Passengers said they were tested for COVID-19 exposure on Saturday before disembarking Sunday. The cruise line also gave passengers take-home rapid tests as they left the ship, according to WVUE.
The company said no changes to scheduled future sailings on the Norwegian Breakaway are currently planned, and the ship was scheduled to depart again Sunday evening.
Cruise ships were an early source of outbreaks last year at the start of the coronavirus pandemic as some ships were rejected at ports and passengers were forced into quarantine. The CDC issued a no-sail order in March 2020, prompting a standstill that ended last June as cruise ships began to leave U.S. ports with new health and safety requirements.
ABC News was on board exclusively as Celebrity’s Millennium set sail.
Celebrity Cruises crossed a major hurdle on the high seas this weekend as its Celebrity Millennium became the first ship to sail with guests from North America in more than a year.
The Millennium pulled away from St. Maarten on Saturday with 95% of its passengers and the entire crew fully vaccinated — making it the largest COVID-19-vaccinated cruise in the world so far.
«We haven’t done this in 15 months and so it’s a big, big weekend for us,» Celebrity CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo told ABC News.
Milenium Captain Theo Zakkas cried when passengers boarded for the first time.
«I don’t even have words to express my feelings,» he said. «It’s something amazing and unique, it’s also a very emotional moment for me.»
It’s a full circle moment for a billion-dollar industry that was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the outset of the crisis, cruise ships became a startling example of how fast the virus could spread. In February 2020, the Diamond Princess in Japan reported the highest total number of cases for an 18-day period outside of the epicenter in China.
Carl Court/Getty Images, FILEAn ambulance carries a coronavirus victim from the Diamond Princess while it is docked at Daik…Read More
That ship and others held thousands of vacationers onboard, confined to their staterooms to try and curb the outbreak. It didn’t take long for the entire industry to be shut down.
Vaccine ‘game changers’
Celebrity referred to vaccines as «game changers» in allowing them to restart operations. All adult passengers on the Celebrity Millennium were required to show proof of vaccination before boarding the ship as well as present negative PCR tests to enter St. Maarten and Barbados.
The ship which usually holds more than 2,000 is operating at about 30% capacity.
«There will be no masks or social distancing required because our occupancy is low,» Lutoff-Perlo explained. «The guests are going to have plenty of space, with plenty of dining options and activities.»
Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILELisa Lutoff-Perlo, chief executive officer of Celebrity Cruises Inc., listens during a presentation abo…Read More
For some passengers this is the first time since the pandemic started that they’ve been around this many people without masks.
CDC green lights Celebrity to sail from US later this month
The ship’s operations are a little different than they were pre-pandemic. They’ve traded their usually crowded muster drill with an online version, and self-serve buffets are no longer an option.
Their infirmary is now staffed with two doctors and 11 nurses. They have added more ventilators on board and isolation rooms in the event someone tests positive for COVID-19.
«I would say at this stage, a cruise ship is the safest and healthiest way to vacation right now,» Lutoff-Perlo said. «Based on what (people) know about our company, Celebrity, their cruises, all that they know is that we’re going to keep them healthy, keep them safe.»
Americans on board the Millennium will also have to get tested on the ship before flying back to the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends against cruise travel, but it recently gave Celebrity the green light to sail the first cruise out of the U.S. at the end of the month.
Florida law against ‘vaccine passports’ could be a problem
The Celebrity Edge is set to depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 26 despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing a law prohibiting businesses from requiring customers or employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media at an event on June 3, 2021 in Miami.
This presents a potential problem for major cruise lines that have relied overwhelmingly on Florida ports for cruises within the U.S.
At least one other major cruise line, Norwegian, has said the new law could force the company, which plans to require all future guests to be fully vaccinated, to suspend Florida departures and move its ships.
Royal Caribbean is sailing on July 2 and the line says vaccines are only «strongly recommended.»
Lutoff-Perlo is optimistic Celebrity will reach a compromise.
«I just believe this is one more situation that will resolve itself,» she said. «We’re working in cooperation with Florida, we’re working in cooperation with the CDC and we’re hopeful and confident that it’s all going to be fine and that we’re going to be able to sail and make sure that we comply with whatever it is that we need to comply with.»
She added that she thinks right now is the «opportunity to offer cruises for people who have had the vaccine.»
(CNN) — Most cruise passengers have made their way back home, and the vast ships that once ferried them from port to port are moored up or back on the water, relocating for the next stage in their journeys.
But what about the crews that kept these gigantic vessels going, and looked after guests as panic over the coronavirus swept across the oceans?
For many of those working in the cruise industry, the nightmare of being aboard a ship that had carried people with coronavirus has continued — sometimes without an end in sight.
Isolated, denied the swift repatriations offered to passengers and, in some cases, made to endure tough conditions without pay, some of those sequestered at sea have been describing the bureaucratic tangle that has trapped them, often within meters of shore.
«I’m hoping we don’t get forgotten about, to be honest,» says MaShawn Morton, who works for Princess Cruises. «It seems like nobody cares what’s happening to us out here.»
As of May 5, there were over 57,000 crew members still aboard 74 cruise ships in and around US ports and the Bahamas and the Caribbean, according to the US Coast Guard. Many more hundreds were stuck on vessels elsewhere across the world’s oceans.
With no passengers to look after and their quarantines completed, the employees are left wondering why they haven’t been allowed home.
In American waters, cruise ships have been mired in regulations imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US health protection agency.
The CDC’s official line is that crew members can only be permitted to disembark for repatriation or transfer between ships provided they’ll be transported by specially chartered aircraft or personal vehicles.
“The information has been changing literally hour by hour, day by day. Not knowing what’s happening has been very stressful.”
MaShawn Morton, Princess Cruises employee
Cruise ship crew unaffected by Covid-19 are able to disembark and travel via commercial aviation, but only on a case-by-case basis with prior CDC approval. The cruise line must complete a statement «attesting to the status of the ship as free of COVID-19.»
Until last weekend, the legal consequences of breaching these regulations have, according to some crew, delayed cruise lines from agreeing to them.
On Sunday, Royal Caribbean and its brands, including Celebrity Cruise Line, reached an agreement with the CDC for disembarking crew, writing to employees to say that it would adhere to the strict guidelines and abide by their implications.
«The CDC has asked me and other cruise line leaders to sign a letter limiting our options for getting you home and taking responsibility for your actions in order to secure their approval to disembark you,» writes Celebrity Cruises CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, in a letter seen by CNN.
«In the spirit of doing everything we possibly can to get you home, I have decided to sign this letter.»
Other cruise lines may follow suit, but a combination of wariness surrounding cruise ships, the details and implications of the CDC’s policies, a lack of commercial flights, widespread travel bans and ongoing uncertainties means many crews remain stuck.
Near but far
For many cruise ship crew members, views of the ocean have become very familiar. Courtesy of @droozah
American Alex Adkins, a senior stage technician on Freedom of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship, has been waiting at sea since mid-March when the vessel’s guests were offloaded in Miami.
«Since then, we’ve had no guests and we’ve just been floating off the coast of Barbados,» he says.
For the first week, the crew took advantage of the Freedom of the Seas’ pool and the gym, enjoying facilities empty of guests. Then, they went into a mandatory two-week self-isolation, says Adkins.
Adkins tells CNN that crew members have since been told that they’re no longer considered working employees and they were paid out through the end of April.
He said efforts to charter flights to get the crew home stalled repeatedly because Royal Caribbean had yet to sign up to CDC procedures, but he accepts the cruise line was in a difficult position before it finally agreed to the conditions.
«Our leaders signed it in hopes of getting us home soon and safely, and I hope everyone going home understands the huge sacrifice they made,» says Adkins.
For Adkins, and many of those on board, the new development has been «an incredible morale boost» and he describes «a tangible electricity permeating through the fleet.»
That said, he’s aware that many workers on other ships remain in a floating purgatory.
Cruise Lines International Association, the body that oversees the majority of the world’s cruise lines, tells CNN it is «working with the CDC to address these unprecedented challenges and repatriate crew members as soon as possible.»
The situation, says a CLIA representative, is «very complex» and «is evolving day by day.»
American cruise employee MaShawn Morton is currently on board a Princess Cruises cruise ship Courtesy MaShawn Morton
Morton is another crew member still waiting to get home. He says he’s worked with Princess Cruises for about five years and started his fourth Princess contract earlier this year, on board the Sky Princess, a gigantic, gleaming ship that can accommodate 3,660 passengers and 1,346 crew.
Morton’s job was supposed to last until mid-October as the vessel sailed across the Caribbean, the Atlantic and over to the Baltics and traversed Europe. As the pandemic spread globally and cruises were canceled or recalled, the Sky Princess offloaded its passengers in Miami on March 14.
Crew members, including Morton, remained on board, moored at the city’s port. Home seems so close, yet so far.
Morton says that at first, the mood was positive. Morton says crew entered roughly 20 days of self-isolation largely confined to cabins but understanding that they would then be able to disembark and head home.
«Once the passengers disembarked, we felt safe,» says Morton. «We didn’t have any sign of sickness. We were glad that we were still being paid and employed.»
Toward the end of this period, Morton said he and his colleagues were told their contract would be formally coming to an end. He said they were informed they would no longer be paid from June onwards.
«We were actually pretty surprised at the length of time that they were still able to pay us,» says Morton.
Morton remains unsure how things will progress on board Princess Cruises ships.
When quarantine on the Sky Princess came to an end in April, Princess started to trans-ship crewmembers — moving crew between ships in order to group workers by nationalities so that they can then be sailed directly home or to an appropriate airport.
It’s a solution to the lack of commercial flights — and the difficulties in getting the CDC to approve charters.
‘Stressful’ time
The Coral Princess, where some crew are being moved, saw Covid-19 fatalities earlier in the pandemic. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Not all are happy with this solution though. Sailing home can take weeks, where flights take hours. Plus, there’s the ongoing threat of cross-infection.
«[When trans-shipping began] that’s really when tensions and stress levels began to rise,» says Morton.
Plus, for American crew members, trans-shipping seemed to make little sense. They were docked in Miami, why couldn’t they just disembark?
The Sky Princess was a «healthy» ship, with no reported cases of Covid-19 and Morton was concerned he might move to one where passengers or crew had previously tested positive.
«People wanted to go home instead of going to another ship,» he says. «The information has been changing literally hour by hour, day by day. Not knowing what’s happening has been very stressful.»
On April 25, Morton says he was moved from the Sky Princess to the Emerald Princess, along with other American employees of Princess Cruises, a transfer that took place in rough seas.
«The wave swells were very high, I actually took some videos to send to my mother of how bad the tender ship was rocking and then I ended up losing internet service,» says Morton.
It was a full 24 hours before Morton was able to reconnect with his panicked mother and assure her that he was OK.
Morton says he recently heard Princess Cruises’ American crew are likely going to be moved again as part of the repatriation efforts, this time, to the Coral Princess, which saw Covid-19 fatalities earlier in the pandemic.
«Right now, we’re hoping that before that happens, the CDC will release the ban, and allow Americans to enter the country,» he says.
Princess Cruises did not respond specifically to questions about why it’s taken so long to process the crew’s disembarkation, nor why US crew members moored in American ports were involved in the trans-shipping process rather than allowed to remain in situ until they could leave.
A spokesperson told CNN the company is «deeply committed to reuniting our shipboard team members with their families safely and continue to make progress with arranging travel to their home countries.»
The cruise line said hundreds of crew members disembark daily, with 4,000 returned home so far.
Princess Cruises told CNN the company has been actively preparing and providing attestations for crew disembarkation in line with the CDC’s policies, which insist that crew members must not stay overnight at a hotel, use public transport or enter airport terminals.
Approval must also be sought from federal, state and local public health authorities.
Difficult situation
Caio Saldanha, a DJ from Brazil currently on board the Celebrity Infinity ship, tells CNN that Celebrity, owned by Royal Caribbean, is looking to trans-ship crew stuck on ships across the Bahamas, as part of repatriation efforts.
Saldanha and his fiancée Jessica Furlan, an on-board activities host, say their long wait at sea has been made all the more frustrating because they were allowed to board the ship on March 14 in Miami, a day after the US government issued a no-sail order suspending all cruise voyages.
On March 23, Celebrity Infinity’s ship management informed crew that those who’d been on board from March 9 through 14 could have been exposed to Covid-19. A crew member who’d been with the ship during this period had tested positive for the virus.
By March 28, the crew were confined to their cabins as the ship went into lockdown.
Saldanha says there were issues from day one.
«We were assigned to a cabin with really bad sanitary conditions,» he says.
He says he and his fiancé moved from a cabin he characterizes as moldy, dusty and in «really bad condition,» to a better-quality cabin, albeit one that didn’t have windows.
«Almost all crew cabins are inside shell cabins, with no fresh air or natural light,» says a British crew member who works in the entertainment department of a Royal Caribbean ship. He spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, worried about the impact on his job.
Saldanha says he feels let down by Celebrity. He says strict social distancing should have been mandated from the outset and feels the virus threat wasn’t taken seriously enough by some crew members.
Royal Caribbean’s spokesperson told CNN it was looking into Saldanha’s claims.
According to the new plan, outlined in Celebrity CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo’s letter, Saldanha and Furlan will transfer to Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody and travel home by sea.
Life at sea
Drew Fairley is on board the Pacific Explorer, a P&O Cruises Australia ship outside Manila Bay. He took this photo of the view from the ship. Courtesy of @droozah
While repatriation efforts are ongoing, on board the Emerald Princess, Morton says his daily routine is characterized by twice daily temperature checks, designated meal slots and social distancing.
«The ship is a ghost town, nobody’s out and about,» he says. «Mealtimes, we’re all separated by our ships. And it’s either one person to a table or two people to a table, with distance.»
Despite the difficult circumstances, Morton’s trying to stay positive and engaged.
«I’m reading books, I’m reaching out to state representatives and delegates. I’m reaching out to lawyers. I’m doing exercises, I’m doing Max 30 Fitness routines. I do a ballet barre, or I watch movies.»
“It’s a little crazy hey? I’ve learned to lean in to the absurdity.”
Drew Fairley, cruise ship performer
On the other side of the world, Drew Fairley, an Australian actor working his first ever cruise, is awaiting repatriation while on board the Pacific Explorer, a P&O Cruises Australia ship that’s currently in the Philippines.
The ship disembarked passengers on March 16 in Sydney but was ordered to leave two weeks later. As of May 5, it was moored outside Manila Bay.
«I was still under contract when we were asked to exit Sydney harbor on April 2,» Fairley says. «I’ve played out the rest of my contract sailing to Manila to try and repatriate back to Sydney.
«It’s a little crazy hey? I’ve learned to lean in to the absurdity.»
Drew Fairley is a performer who has been passing time on board by creating video content. Courtesy of @droozah
To pass time on board, Fairley’s started an online chat show, appropriately entitled «Actual Cabin Actual Fever.»
«I was very inspired by the amazing creative output in the world. It was like a response to the sadness and fear Covid created,» Fairley says. «Songs, concerts, artwork, comedy, dance and sometimes just hanging out for a while online.»
Fairley’s videos, shared on his Instagram, @droozah, have attracted viewers from across the world. His sardonic humor and enthusiasm — there are costume changes and songs and Fairley plays multiple characters — were the recipe for a hit.
«They are very silly but as the journey became more bizarre the darker they become,» he says.
For Fairley, his videos have provided a creative outlet — and helped inspire connections during isolation.
«The response is electric. So many people are sending in messages. People need a giggle in these stressful times.»
Uncertain future
Fairley is confident he will soon be repatriated by P&O Australia.
Carnival Corporation, P&O Cruises Australia’s parent company, said it had been hampered by logistical problems but was working to repatriate its employees.
«The safety and health of our guests and crew, along with compliance and environmental protection, are our top priorities,» said a Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson in a statement to CNN.
«We are currently engaged in the effort to repatriate crew members during our pause to their respective home countries.
«This has become more difficult in recent days because of port closings and other travel restrictions, but we continue to make strong progress.»
Princess Cruises employee MaShawn Morton took this photo of the cruise ships moored in Miami. Courtesy MaShawn Morton
Back on the other side of the world, Morton expresses frustration over what he sees as double standards within his homeland.
«I feel that the cruise ship industry, we’re being vilified. I feel like we’re being scapegoated,» he says. «In reality, it’s more certain that I’m healthy and have been under stricter conditions on board a ship than anybody in the States has been.»
For Morton, a tipping point was hearing that the state of Florida is opening beaches and businesses but reportedly denying entry to American cruise ship crew.
«I feel like we’re being treated like criminals who have committed no crime, and for our country to refuse us entry, knowing that we’ve been tracking our health for over a month now, and that we are not sick, is…I’m just really struggling for the mindset of that. What makes that okay?»
Adkins, on board the Freedom of the Seas near Barbados, says he will continue to «keep fighting» to shine a light on those stuck at sea, even after he disembarks.
Morton also says he doesn’t want cruise ship crew to be forgotten.
He says: «I really just want to emphasize to all of the governments around the world to stop saying that the last cruise ship has come home, and the last people on cruise ships have come home, because that’s so far from the truth.»
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Two ill-fated cruise ships waited just off Fort Lauderdale’s shores on Thursday to learn when they’ll be allowed to dock at Port Everglades after Carnival Cruise Line reached a conditional agreement with authorities in Florida.
Broward County Commissioner Michael Udine said on Twitter that a final document would be released Thursday morning.
In an email sent Wednesday night, Holland America said it had received approval from a health system in Fort Lauderdale to treat fewer than 10 people “who need immediate critical care.”
Meanwhile, it’s awaiting confirmation to disembark passengers and “get the nearly 1,200 well guests home immediately,” as long as they are fit for travel in accordance with guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
“Guests fit for travel per the CDC would transfer straight from the ship to flights for onward travel home, the majority on charter flights,” the statement said. “Out of an abundance of caution, these guests will be transported in coaches that will be sanitized, with limited person-to-person contact and while wearing masks.”
The company said the provisions “well exceed what the CDC have advised is necessary for their travel,” during the coronavirus pandemic, adding that guests have not left the ship since March 14 and have self-isolated in their staterooms since March 22.
President Donald Trump suggested that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis agreed to the plan after they spoke on Wednesday.
“You have people that are sick on those ships, and states don’t want to take (them). They have enough problems right now,” Trump said at his evening news conference.
“But we have to help the people. They’re — they’re in big trouble no matter where — no matter where they’re from. Happen to be Americans — largely Americans. But whether they were or not — I mean, they’re dying. So we have to do something. … and the governor knows that, too.”
The cruise line said in the statement that about 45 guests who still have mild illness and are unfit to travel at this time will continue to isolate on board until recovered. They would be allowed to leave only after they have recovered and are in alignment with CDC guidelines for being fit to travel.
The statement said that since March 22, 97 guests and 136 crew members have reported influenza-like symptoms. There are 808 guests and 583 crew on Rotterdam, and 442 guests and 603 crew on the Zaandam. Four children under the age of 12 are among the passengers, the statement said.
The passengers who are healthy need to get off the ships, and the rest need to be treated urgently, Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Thursday. “You have to take care of the people who are ill. You just have an obligation to do that. And as quickly as possible,” Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease official, said on “CBS This Morning.”
For most people, the virus causes symptoms including a fever, cough and body aches that clear up in two to three weeks without hospitalization But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness including pneumonia, in which case respirators may be necessary for survival.
Passenger Laura Gabaroni was transferred to the Rotterdam, along with husband Jaun Huergo and other passengers not showing signs of illness. She told The Associated Press early Thursday that they had not been updated by the captain about plans for disembarking from the ship.
Gabaroni and Huergo, both defense contractors in Orlando, set sail on a dream vacation aboard the Zaandam the day before the U.S. State Department advised people to avoid cruise travel and before any substantial restrictions were in place in Florida.
The Zaandam set sail from Buenos Aires on March 7 and was originally scheduled to end at San Antonio, Chile on March 21. The cruise was stranded off the coast of Panama after it was not allowed to dock in Chile and other ports along its path.
Francesca Street, CNN • Updated 21st March 2020(CNN)
— Texan newlyweds Jay and Carmen Martinez went straight from celebrating their beachside wedding to embarking on a globe-trotting honeymoon cruise across the South Pacific on board the Norwegian Jewel.Ahead of the February 28 departure date in Australia, the couple had worried about the spread of coronavirus but didn’t have the option to cancel the 23-day trip they’d booked two years earlier.
Now they are among thousands of passengers still at sea aboard more than 30 oceangoing cruise ships, some still hunting for a port that will accept them amid a global shutdown of the cruise industry and mounting fears of infection.The Norwegian Jewel is believed to be heading for Hawaii, but there’s no official word on its final destination and the ship has already been turned away from several ports.»We had hesitations,» Jay Martinez tells CNN Travel about their preboarding apprehension. The couple looked into amending their plans but were told they were locked in.»Up until the day that we left, that was not an option,» says Jay, «And with us having so much money invested into our honeymoon, we had no other choice but to board the ship.»The couple feared their itinerary might be curtailed, but they never expected that they’d end up stranded at sea, their ship scrambling for a place to dock.
Escalating situation
The Norwegian Jewel is on course for Hawaii.Lisa Maree Williams/Getty ImageThey’re not the only ones.As coronavirus outbreaks afflicted numerous ships on at sea, the Cruise Lines International Association, or CLIA, made the decision on March 13 to suspend operations from US ports of call for 30 days.CLIA encompasses 38 cruise companies, making up more than 95% of global cruise capacity — a total of 277 ships.»A handful of ships — about 14% of the total CLIA fleet — are currently at sea completing their journeys,» the organization said in a statement to CNN. «Our members are focused on bringing these ships safely back to port as soon as they can.»Among the 30 or so still at sea, Norwegian Jewel is heading toward Honolulu, Hawaii, but no one’s quite sure whether it’ll be allowed to dock there.
Right from the outset, it was clear some ports were closed and some plans would have to be changed, says Jay Martinez.The situation escalated dramatically about a week ago when CLIA recalled its ships, and French Polynesia turned the Norwegian Jewel away.At first, the ship planned to head to Fiji instead and disembark there, but this plan was abandoned en route when the island country said the cruise liner would not be accepted. New Zealand followed suit.The ship was subsequently allowed to refuel in American Samoa. «And that is when we started our long journey to Hawaii,» says Jay.Cruise operator Norwegian has yet to give official confirmation of the ship’s final destination. In response to a query from CNN, a spokesperson confirmed that a plan to dock in New Zealand had been scrapped. «We will share an update as it becomes available,» they said.
Jay and Carmen Martinez got married a month ago. Their cruise honeymoon has taken a tricky turn.Courtesy Jay MartinezOn board, Jay says guests have been riding waves of emotion — relief when hearing of an imminent destination followed by disappointment when the plans were abandoned.So far everyone on board the Norwegian Jewel is well, with no cases of coronavirus or quarantined passengers.Still, Jay says guests are concerned and highly anxious, with tensions rising as the ship’s trajectory became increasingly uncertain.
Everyone’s aware, he says, that there’s a real possibility that this could continue for days or weeks.There are worries about medication running out, the health of friends, families and livelihoods back home.
Pacific princess
On the other side of the Pacific ocean, 76-year-old Ron Ernst has been playing a waiting game on board the Pacific Princess, a 338-cabin cruise liner with capacity for 670 guests.Ron and his wife, Susie, boarded the ship on January 20 in Los Angeles. The retired Californian couple have enjoyed more than 25 cruises, including three round-the-world voyages.They left US shores ready for another global adventure, embarking on their 111-day cruise odyssey barely aware of the mounting coronavirus threat.»I am sure we had heard about some virus in China, but we had no concerns,» says Ron.It was toward the end of February that they became aware the virus might impact their itinerary.The ship skipped calls at the Indonesian island of Bali, Singapore and the Thai resort of Phuket. Passengers were also banned from exiting the ship in Sri Lanka.Like the Norwegian Jewel, the Pacific Princess is healthy — with no cases of coronavirus — but has still been riding a tide of uncertainty.»The second night after Sri Lanka, the captain made the shocking announcement that, in view of the developing and quickly changing conditions, the cruise would terminate in Fremantle/Perth,» says Ron. «We quickly realized that things were getting serious.»The ship made an 180-degree turn in the middle of the night, and began the 18 day sail back to Australia.It finally arrived Saturday morning local time.»Life on the ship continued with great food, entertainment and lots of socializing,» says Ron.“We were healthy and comfortable as long we are in our safe cocoon. Not everyone is looking forward to getting back to the world. ”Ron Ernst, stranded cruise ship passenger» The crew is absolutely fantastic. Their future is completely uncertain, but they are not letting it show. Princess has done an amazing job especially considering these unprecedented conditions.»Asked about the status of the vessel and those on board, Princess Cruises directed CNN to an online statement confirming the final destination and offering a helpline for friends and family. On board the Pacific Princess, Ron Ernst says passenger moods fluctuated. It was mostly fear of the unknown that concerned them.In fact, some were dreading returning to a reality that’s become far from «normal.» «We were healthy and comfortable as long we are in our safe cocoon,» says Ron. «Not everyone is looking forward to getting back to the world.»
Also on board the Pacific Princess wasCJ Hayden, 63, an author and business coach based in San Francisco.Hayden, traveling with partner Dave Herninko, told CNN earlier this week that she just hopes to get home ASAP, in case further travel restrictions are put into place.»Our biggest concern now is whether we can still get home to North America before airports, cities, or even borders are closed,» she said. «The ship can’t go any faster.»There were 547 passengers on board, and 448 are American. Princess Cruises says it has made flight arrangements for each passenger, and paid for air fare.Anyone unable to fly because of medical reasons will stay on the ship as it sails on to Los Angeles.Australia had previously announced it was closing its ports to cruise ship passengers. Hayden says Pacific Princess passengers have been granted permission to disembark on the understanding they head to the airport right away.Those not booked on flights on March 21 will stay on board until their flight is ready to depart the next day.»Almost all the passengers are seniors, with many in their 70s and 80s, and quite a few with disabilities,» said Hayden earlier in the week.»Some folks are bearing up well; others are freaking out,» she said.Like Ron, Hayden said «uncertainty» was the hardest thing to deal with.
Staying connected
Jay Martinez captured this shot on board the Norwegian Jewel.Courtesy Jay MartinezOn board the Norwegian Jewel, Jay, who works in public affairs, is trying to keep busy by remote-working from the ocean.Carmen, who works in disease prevention, isn’t able to telework. As some of the younger and more tech-savvy guests, both are trying to aid older passengers.»[We are] helping out, getting in touch with family members that are having trouble connecting via internet or phone with those that are on this ship,» says Jay.He praises crew members also stuck on board and unsure of the future, highlighting their «phenomenal job of cleanliness and sanitary efforts» — and their consistent generosity and understanding.»There’s a lot of frustrated people, and it’s quite unfortunate that they get the brunt of the effects of what the corporate cruise line’s shortcomings are, because they’ve just done a great job,» says Jay.
Uncertain times
Right now, those on board the Norwegian Jewel are crossing their fingers that they’ll be allowed to disembark in Hawaii on Sunday, but Jay says they have received no clear information about how they’ll be getting home from the island.»That uncertainty and that unknown and ambiguity of what our fate is going to be I think is the hardest thing to stomach,» he says.Much of the travel industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic — hoteliers are laying off workers, airlines are appealing for government bailouts and cruise ships are hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons.So would Jay and Carmen Martinez ever get on board a cruise again?Jay’s diplomatic — no one quite knows what the travel landscape is going to look like in six months or a year, he says. Plus, he hopes the cruise lines will put in new practices to deal with situations like this one.
Jay captured this amazing shot of a mid-Pacific-ocean sunset.Courtesy Jay Martinez»I wouldn’t say that it has ruled it out for us in the future,» he considers. «I think it’s a discussion we’re going to have to have when we arrive home and the dust has settled throughout all of this.»So much will be dependent on how this continues to unfold and what will be the cruise line’s response after their 30 day pause, in relation to this outbreak.»And despite being stuck at sea and unsure of when they’ll see dry land again, there have been joyous moments on board.After all, Jay and Carmen have been celebrating their honeymoon. Thursday was their one month anniversary. «This has been a cruise and a vacation and a honeymoon like no other, and for great reasons and for terrible reasons,» says Jay. “This has been a cruise and a vacation and a honeymoon like no other, and for great reasons and for terrible reasons.” Jay Martinez, stranded cruise ship passengerThey’re enjoying the on-board camaraderie, everyone’s come together both despite, and because of, the difficult circumstances. «We’re very much bonded together, I think that we find solace in one another by finding humor in our situation, and conveying concerns from our various countries and sharing that news,» says Jay.CJ Hayden shares similar stories from the Pacific Princess.»Some of us have been helping each other learn new skills,» she said. «Two volunteers have been helping me and others learn watercolor painting. Another passenger has been teaching my husband how to use the gym equipment. We’ve taught several folks how to play chickenfoot dominoes.»The memory that will stick with her, she says, is when the ship stopped in Sri Lanka to refuel.»On the pier next to the ship were soldiers with guns and dogs, and workers unloading supplies wearing masks and gloves. At 10 a.m., the passenger chorus gathered on the pool deck and belted out ‘Put on a Happy Face.’ «Jay says he’s proud of the way passengers and crew have collaborated in the face of uncertainty.»It’s a beautiful thing, because I feel at times our world is very separated,» he continues.»It’s great to feel like we can take a stance in this pandemic as a global initiative, and I think that we have our own little minicommunity that represents just that — that we are looking our for one another.We are concerned about each other’s wellbeing and we want to make sure that everyone gets home, not just one nationality.»
