Tag Archives: Covid-19

Hantavirus-Hit Hondius Passengers Repatriated to Home Countries

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Hantavirus-Hit Hondius Passengers Repatriated to Home Countries

Twenty British nationals evacuated from the Hondius are beginning 45 days of self-isolation in the UK after their chartered flight from Tenerife landed at Manchester Airport on May 10, according to the BBC.

The evacuees are isolating at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside for 72 hours before being asked to self-isolate for a further 42 days at home.

Seventeen American passengers from the vessel returned to the United States on May 11, landing in Nebraska, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

One American passenger tested mildly PCR positive for the virus, the department said, according to the New York Times.

The American passengers were transported to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, the country’s only federally funded quarantine center.

Two of the American passengers traveled in specialized biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution.

One passenger had mild symptoms and the other was the passenger who had tested mildly positive for the Andes virus, the department said.

International passengers from 23 nationalities were repatriated to their home countries following the vessel’s arrival at Granadilla port in Tenerife on May 10 at 06:24 local time, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.

Spanish nationals were given priority during the evacuation process, the Spanish health ministry said.

Passengers were ferried to shore in small launch boats and underwent medical screening before boarding evacuation flights arranged by their respective countries. Luggage stayed on the ship and will be dealt with separately.

The disembarkation was coordinated by local authorities, the WHO and international governments, with the sequence timed to the arrival of repatriation flights.

No quarantine of non-Spanish nationals took place in Spain, Oceanwide Expeditions said.

The Hondius docked in the Canary Islands on May 10 after Spain granted permission for the vessel to sail from Cape Verde.

Former FTI Berlin Sets Sail to Malaysia

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Former FTI Berlin Sets Sail to Malaysia

The former FTI Berlin recently set sail for its new home in Malaysia after spending several months in Ningde, China.

Acquired by the Berlin Capital Group in late 2024, the 1980-built vessel is being prepared to offer short casino cruises out of Penang.

The company’s plans initially called for a March 2025 startup, which was later postponed due to delays in the ship’s refit.

Renamed the Berlin Oceanis, the 9,570-ton vessel departed from the port of Ningde on May 24, 2025.

Sailing under the flag of Comoros, the ship is now expected to arrive at its new homeport on June 2, 2025.

According to a series of updates shared by the new owner, most of the public areas onboard the vessel were renovated during refurbishment in China.

In a video shared in early March, the company marked the demolition of venues on deck five, which made room for new spaces.

“This phase has been one of the most time-consuming parts of the transformation, but now that it’s done, everything will start moving much faster,” the Berlin Capital Group said.

“With this major milestone behind us, we’re looking forward to smoother progress,” the company added.

Additional details about the ship’s first voyages and commissioning were still to be announced at press time.

Originally built for Germany-based Peter Deilmann, the Berlin Oceanis was last operated by FTI Cruises.

With its owners shutting down cruise operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vessel was sold to Dreamliner Cruises in late 2020.

Renamed Dream Goddess, the ship was to undergo a major refurbishment and be converted into a mega yacht.

However, the project did not proceed, and the former Berlin remained docked at a Greek port for nearly five years.

In addition to Peter Deilmann and FTI Cruises, the vessel also sailed for Saga Cruises and other brands.

Greenock Ocean Terminal Gears up for Record Cruise Ship Year

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Scotland’s Greenock Ocean Terminal is preparing for the busiest year ever with 91 cruise ships scheduled to arrive throughout 2023.

According to a press release, this number represents a rise of over 25 per cent compared to last year. Greenock will welcome a total of 150,000 passengers and 38,000 crew members over the course of this year.

Jim McSporran, Clydeport port director at Peel Ports said: “We’re extremely proud to be announcing a record cruise year for Greenock Ocean Terminal.

“Welcoming cruise liners to Greenock is a hugely important aspect of our port offering and we’re delighted that we continue to attract and grow cruise numbers to the region.

“This increase in tourism will benefit visitor attractions and businesses across Inverclyde and central Scotland, and we look forward to welcoming these visitors across the season.”

“In an effort to showcase the port as the cruise gateway to the West Coast of Scotland, this year we are also investing in a promotional campaign to feature at the global cruise industry’s key annual gathering in the U.S.”

This year will be the second full season for the port since COVID-19 put a halt on the cruise industry. The port expects the completion of a new £19.2 million cruise ship visitor centre this year. The project is led by Inverclyde Council and is part of the £1 billion Glasgow City Region City Deal funded by the Scottish and UK governments.

Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “The cruise sector here in Inverclyde continues to go from strength to strength and I’m delighted that this year is set to be the busiest yet with record numbers of ships and passengers, as well as a substantial number of crew visiting these shores.

“It’s timely that with 2023 shaping up to be a bumper year for cruise calls that the finishing touches are being put on our new state-of-the-art Greenock cruise ship visitor centre which will provide our guests from around the world with a first-class welcome to Inverclyde and the west coast of Scotland.

“While we can all look forward to seeing some of the largest and most luxurious ships grace these shores over the coming months, with upwards of 200,000 people expected onboard those vessels there are also economic opportunities there for local businesses as visitors look to discover Inverclyde and the many great things we have to offer.”

Last year, Clydeport welcomed 71 cruise calls, including. Among the ships to visit the port this year are the MSC Virtuosa, one of the biggest ships to dock at the terminal.