Tag Archives: Coral Princess

Coral Princess docks in Fort Lauderdale

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Coral and Island Princess Balconies

Another cruise ship with coronavirus victims onboard, including two fatalities, docked in Florida on Saturday.

Princess Cruises spokeswoman Negin Kamali said in an email that the Coral Princess was docking in Miami. The ship with 1,020 passengers and 878 crew members had been in limbo for days awaiting permission to dock.

As of Thursday, Kamali said seven passengers and five crew members had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Anyone in need of hospitalization would disembark first, the cruise line said, although it wasn’t immediately clear when that would happen. Those fit to fly were to begin leaving on Sunday, while others with symptoms of respiratory illness would remain on board until cleared by ship doctors.

A day earlier, the cruise ships Zaandam and Rotterdam were permitted to dock at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, with 14 critically ill people taken immediately to hospitals. The remaining passengers were slowly being allowed to board flights for home.

Schuttevaer – 100ste aankomst van ms Rotterdam

The Coral Princess had been on a South American cruise that was due to end March 19 in Buenos Aires. Since then, the ship has encountered obstacles to docking because of various port closures and cancellation of airline flights, the cruise line said.

Passengers have self-isolated in their staterooms and meals have been delivered by room service. Crew members also have remained in their quarters when they are not working.

The Coast Guard said in a news release Saturday it has been involved with processing about 120 vessels carrying some 250,000 passengers over the past three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coast Guard statement said as of Saturday there are 114 cruise ships carrying 93,000 crew members either in or near U.S. ports and waters. That includes 73 cruise ships with 52,000 crew members moored or anchored in U.S. ports and anchorages.

The cruise line industry announced a voluntary suspension of most ship operations from U.S. ports on March 13. The next day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a “no sail” order to all cruise ships that had not suspended operations.

“We commend the decision by the cruise industry to cease operations. However, pausing a global tourist industry does not happen instantaneously or easily,” said Vice Admiral Dan Abel, Coast Guard deputy commandant for operations. “The federal, state, local and industry cooperation to achieve this feat truly represents the whole-of-nation approach directed by the president and is essential to fighting the spread of this virus and working to minimize the loss of life.”

Princess Cruises is a brand of Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise company.

Coronavirus: Twelve cases confirmed on Princess Cruises ship

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Coral Princess Port of Los Angeles - San Pedro Calendar

Twelve cases of coronavirus have been confirmed on the ship Coral Princess.

It is the third Princess Cruises ship to have contracted the deadly virus following a mass outbreak onboard Diamond Princess quarantined in Japan and Grand Princess off the California coast.

The line confirmed on Thursday that Covid-19 tests confirmed 12 positive cases – seven passengers and five crew.

Coral Princess is on its way to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale with an estimated arrival date of April 4.

“Princess Cruises continues to remain in contact with local officials regarding disembarkation details,” a spokesperson said.

The port previously refused access to stranded coronavirus-hit Holland America Line ship Zaandam before intervention by US President Donald Trump which saw the vessel arrive on Thursday.

Coral Princess is carrying 1,020 passengers, who are self-isolating in their cabins, and 878 crew.

“Due to limited flight availability, Coral Princess will remain alongside in Fort Lauderdale for two days to allow all guests to proceed directly from the ship to the airport,” the line said.

“Princess is also working with US Customs and Border Protection to ensure smooth arrival into port. We are also in regular contact with multiple embassies and consulates.”

The ship originally left San Antonio in Chile on a South America voyage on March 5 which was scheduled to end in Buenos Aires on March 19.

But Princess Cruises announced a 60-day pause of operations on March 12 due to the global spread of coronavirus, with a directive to end each cruise as soon as possible.

The ship was then denied the ability to let passengers leave at ports in South America and last made a service call into Bridgetown, Barbados, on Tuesday to take on extra provisions.

Coral Princess was forced to “abruptly depart” Buenos Aires late on March 19, before all passengers were disembarked after Argentine president Alberto Fernandez issued a decree which would have required the ship to remain in port for an “indeterminate” number of days.

“Therefore, the decision was made to leave port immediately,” Princess Cruises said.

The vessel then sailed to Montevideo in Uruguay for supplies and fuel on March 20.

Attempts to disembark passengers in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was denied three days later.

But at the end of March Coral Princess reported a “higher-than-normal” number of people presenting influenza-like symptoms, resulting in passengers being confined to their cabins and face masks being distributed.

Ten cruise ships still at sea

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Transatlantic Cruise Aboard 'Queen Mary 2'
Queen Mary in New York

Most of the world’s cruise ships are idle because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but 10 vessels carrying about 8,000 passengers were still at sea on Wednesday.

Some of the ships were on world cruises that started at the beginning of January. Some have ill passengers aboard. The challenge is to get passengers home when many ports are closed.

“This has been 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 step,” said Anne Madison, a spokesperson for cruise trade group CLIA.

Holland America Line’s Zaandam has gotten the most media attention because of its arduous journey and because four passengers have died on the ship.

The Zaandam departed on March 7 from Argentina and is now cruising toward Florida, awaiting permission to disembark. The ship is accompanied by the Rotterdam, which met up with the Zaandam off the coast of Panama to deliver supplies.

The Zaandam’s voyage had been scheduled to end on March 21 in Chile, but it was turned away by South American ports. Holland America said 97 guests and 136 crew have presented with influenza-like symptoms since March 22. A few have tested positive for Covid-19.

Zaandam Ship Stats & Information- Holland America Line Zaandam ...

Guests have not left the ship since March 14 and have been confined to their staterooms since March 22.
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Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess and Pacific Princess are still sailing. Coral Princess has 1,023 guests onboard and Pacific Princess has 115, Princess Cruises said.

As of Tuesday, the medical centre onboard Coral Princess was reporting a higher-than-normal number of people with influenza-like symptoms. Many have tested positive for regular influenza but to be cautious, all guests are quarantined in their staterooms. All meals are being delivered by room service. Crew members are remaining in their staterooms when they are not working.

The Coral Princess went to Bridgetown, Barbados, for a service call on Tuesday but guests and crew were not permitted to go ashore. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on April 4.

The Pacific Princess made a service call to Melbourne, Australia, to refuel and pick up provisions. No guests or crew were allowed to disembark. The 115 guests onboard did not meet IATA’s fitness standards for air travel or were not able to fly because of medical conditions not related to coronavirus, Princess said. The ship is now sailing back to Los Angeles, which is approximately a 21-day journey.

The MSC Magnifica made a call at Fremantle, Australia, earlier this week and has now resumed its journey back to Europe. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the ship had called at Hobart, Sydney and Melbourne.

MSC Magnifica | Activities, cabins, deck plans, reviews | CruiseBe
MSC Magnifica

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is on its way to Southampton, England. Most guests disembarked the ship in Fremantle, Australia, on March 14 and 15. The ship made a technical stop in Durban, South Africa, on March 31. The Queen Mary 2 will soon be sailing again and has 264 guests aboard, a Cunard spokeswoman said.

P&O Cruises has one ship still at sea — the Arcadia with 1,404 guests onboard. The Arcadia is returning to England and is expected to arrive on schedule on April 12.

“Social distancing measures are being rigorously enforced on board,” said Michele Andjel, vice president of public relations for P&O Cruises and Carnival U.K.

Other ships trying to make port, according to CruiseMapper.com, are the Costa Deliziosa, the Astor (owned by Germany-based Premicon) Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Columbus and the expedition ship Greg Mortimer.