The Corona Boats thread- 21 cruise ships around the world have been affected by the coronavirus

[Treyfish]

2 Costa cruise ships heading toward Florida with dozens of sick crew members on board

By Michael Bartiromo | Fox News

• Those refusing to heed warnings regarding the coronavirus have been christened 'covidiots' by Urban Dictionary.

Two cruise ships operated by Costa Cruises are reportedly heading toward Florida with dozens of sick crew members on board.

The Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica had each departed from the French island of Guadeloupe, but disembarked passengers after the cruise line announced the suspension of operations earlier this month. Since that time, six people who disembarked the Favolosa, and two from the Magica, have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Miami Herald, citing a company spokesperson.

Now, only 1,939 crew members remain aboard both ships (1,009 on the Favolosa, 930 on the Magica), and least of 30 are reporting flu-like symptoms, the Miami Herald reports. One symptomatic person claims he and several others have also lost their sense of smell, a phenomenon which doctors have identified as a possible symptom of coronavirus....:tiphat:https://www.foxnews.com/travel/2-cos...k-crew-members

 

[Treyfish]

Navy could force COVID-19 cruise ship out of WA waters


By Mark Saunokonoko • Senior Journalist
7:58pm Mar 26, 2020



The Western Australian government wants the Royal Australian Navy to move a cruise ship carrying at least seven COVID-19 passengers out of Australian waters.
No Australians are among the 800 passengers and 500 crew on board the Artania, currently moored off the Fremantle coast.

The Artania is just one of several cruise ships in WA waters causing headaches for Premier Mark McGowan.Passengers have tested positive for COVID-19 on the Artania cruise ship off WA coast. (Cruisemapper)Mr McGowan is demanding the Artania refuel and move on to its home port in Germany, via South Africa.

"The Commonwealth has assets here, it has defence assets, it has the navy. We'd like their assistance to try to get the Artania to leave as soon as possible," Mr McGowan has said.
"There's no Australians on board, it needs to be fuelled, but it needs to leave and go to its home port."

• WA Health officials have said only passengers suffering life-threatening sickness will be let off the ship. Teams have been on the ship testing and assessing people.

"I am 100 per cent clear on this," Mr McGowan told reporters today.
"No-one will be disembarking at Fremantle unless a passenger is in a life-threatening emergency."
"I am not going to repeat the mistakes made in other jurisdictions," he said, referencing the Ruby Princess debacle in NSW.
Mr McGowan said if the seven sick passengers had to come onshore for medical treatment, they would be kept in a Commonwealth facility, possibly a defence base.
"The Artania cruise ship must continue on its journey to South Africa urgently," Mr McGowan declared.
"This ship needs to leave immediately. I want the Commonwealth to make that happen."
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said there were three cruise ships and two other vessels off the coast of Fremantle.
"We are dealing with a dynamic unfolding situation," he said....:tiphat:https://www.9news.com.au/national/co...5-4aaf50be2b89

 

[Treyfish]

Cruise ship with 77 people experiencing flu-like symptoms is heading to Florida


STEPHANIE GALLMAN AND ROSA FLORES
CNN

MAR 26, 2020

4:29 AM

A cruise ship with 77 sick people aboard is heading to Florida and is expected to dock next week.

At least 30 guests and 47 crew aboard Holland America's Zaandam ship have reported experiencing flu-like symptoms, the cruise line said in a statement.

All 1,243 guests have been asked to stay in their rooms as the ship sails to Fort Lauderdale, where it is expected to dock Monday.

"Since it is flu season, and COVID-19 testing is not available on board, it is difficult to determine the cause of these elevated cases at this time," the news release says.

...:tiphat:https://www.post-gazette.com/news/wo...s/202003260108

 

[Treyfish]

Australia Demands Cruise Ship With COVID-19 Patients Leave Its Waters

By Savannah Tee on March 26 2020 9:06 PM.....

Australian authorities are demanding a German cruise ship leave Australian waters after it received confirmation that seven of its passengers are positive for COVID-19.

Artania, which is currently anchored off the west of Perth, is carrying 800 guests and 500 crew members. It had initially reported 25 people with flu-like symptoms. After review by health officials, it was confirmed five passengers and two crew staff are ill with COVID-19, DW reported.

Mark McGowan, the state premier of Western Australia made his message clear that the cruise ship “needs to leave immediately” in worries that it might infect more Australians and add to the already growing number of Australia’s coronavirus cases.

“Its home port is actually Germany … This ship needs to leave immediately. I want the Commonwealth to make that happen,” McGowan said.....:tiphat:https://www.ibtimes.com.au/coronavir...waters-1574784

 

[Treyfish]

Miami Coronavirus: Cruise Ships With Sick Crew Members Plan To Dock At PortMiami

March 26, 2020 at 8:51 am
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Two cruise ships with 30 sick people on board plan to dock at PortMiami.

Those who are sick are crew members on the Costa Favolosa and Costa Magica, they have flu-like symptoms.

....
Only crew members are on board the ships. Passengers were offloaded after at least eight on them tested positive for COVID-19.

PortMiami said they are waiting on word from ....:tiphat:https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/03/2...-at-portmiami/

 

[Treyfish]

...Virus-stricken cruise ship told to leave Australian waters

• 45 MINUTES AGO

Two other cruise ships are in nearby waters.

The Magnifica, carrying around 1,700 passengers, departed Fremantle on Tuesday after being allowed to refuel but was forced to turn back when told it could not dock in Dubai.

Neither the Magnifica nor the Artania are carrying Australian travellers.

But authorities are planning to allow around 800 Australian passengers aboard the Vasco de Gama to leave the vessel.

McGowan said those from Western Australia would be quarantined for 14 days on Rottnest Island, a former Aboriginal prison site and modern-day holiday destination, while other Australians would be flown to their home states.

The remaining passengers would need to wait on board until they could be flown home by their governments, he added.

More than 130 coronavirus cases have been detected among cruise ship passengers in Sydney last week, including one death.

Authorities had deemed the New Zealand-bound Ruby Princess "low risk" and let passengers spill into the centre of the country's most populous city.

Australia has recorded nearly 3,000 confirmed C....:tiphat:https://www.trtworld.com/asia/virus-...n-waters-34882

 

[Treyfish]

Cruise ship with 42 sick passengers and crew headed to Florida

BY JUSTINE COLEMAN -
03/25/20 01:23 PM EDT

• A Holland America cruise ship carrying at least 42 people with flu-like symptoms is headed to Florida, but it's unclear if it will be permitted to dock.
  
  The ship, called the Zaandam, is scheduled to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, according to a Facebook update from the cruise line. The cruise line said “plans are still being finalized.”
  
  At least 13 guests and 29 crew members reported flu-like symptoms. .....:tiphat:https://thehill.com/policy/transport...ute-to-florida

 

[Treyfish]

26 MARCH 2020

NEWSCovid-19: Passenger on the Celebrity Solstice dies
A passenger who was on the Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice cruise ship has died due to the coronavirus (Covid-19).

WA Health has confirmed that the man was in his 70s and died at the Joondalup Health Campus. He was isolated and was receiving care.


The cruise ship docked in Sydney, Australia, between 18 and 20 March.

This is the second Covid-19-related death in Western Australia (WA). The first death was a man who was evacuated from Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess cruise ship...:tiphat:https://www.ship-technology.com/news...solstice-dies/

 

[Treyfish]

Why did a cruise ship with now-confirmed COVID-19 cases dock at remote Vanuatu island?


By Catherine Graue, Prianka Srinivasan on Pacific Beat

Download Vanuatu: Islands in lockdown after cruise ship allowed to dock (3.50 MB)
Download 3.50 MB

An Australian passenger on a cruise ship that stopped at extremely remote islands in Vanuatu this month says she is devastated they could have brought in COVID-19.

Cruise line company, Royal Caribbean says the Voyager of the Seas docked at Mystery Island and the larger Aneityum on both March 11 and 12, after Vanuatu government authorities gave them clearance.

That's despite Vanuatu having banned the same ship in late February amid coronavirus concerns.

The islands are now in lockdown because several passengers on the Voyager of the Seas have tested positive to the virus since the ship returned to Sydney last week.

Passenger Gayle Doe was onboard and is now at home in self-quarantine.

She told Pacific Beat that the time they spent at Mystery Island this month was no different than previous visits, with no increased monitoring of passengers' temperatures.

"I've been to Mystery [Island] multiple times, and it was exactly the same as every other time. Get off the island, go and have a swim, go and book a tour with the locals," she said.

"Everybody that I've spoken to that was in our group, that did a tour on Mystery [Island], we're all devastated because we don't want to be the people w.../.:tiphat:https://www.abc.net.au/radio-austral...vid19/12091802

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241523751.html


Thirteen sick crew with COVID-19 symptoms evacuated from cruise ships to Miami hospitals
By Taylor Dolven
March 26, 2020 11:08 AM

Sick crew members with COVID-19 symptoms evacuated from two cruise ships to the U.S. Coast Guard Base Miami Beach on Thursday, March 26, 2020. The Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica ships each have about 1,000 crew on board. By Al Diaz

Thirteen crew members in need of life-critical care from two cruise ships were evacuated to local hospitals in Miami Thursday with COVID-19 symptoms.

The ships — Costa Magica and Costa Favolosa — lingered three miles offshore as lifeboats transported sick people to the U.S. Coast Guard station adjacent to PortMiami. Decked in hazmat suits, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue workers helped the people off of lifeboats and into ambulances....

 

[yielddude]

Four passengers died on Zaandam cruise ship with 148 people sick with flu-like symptoms

Four passengers have died aboard the Zaandam as it awaits permission to transit the Panama Canal.

Almost 150 people are sick with flu-like symptoms, according to a release from Seattle-based Holland America cruise line. It is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.

The captain announced the deaths to passengers and crew Friday afternoon. He also stated the company planned to evacuate hundreds of healthy passengers to a sister ship anchored nearby.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/cor...241559956.html

 

[Treyfish]

Zaandam cruise ship denied crossing Panama Canal due to quarantine

Panama, Mar 27 (Prensa Latina) The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) denied transit to the Zaandam cruise ship, which was carrying aboard passengers sick with influenza, as administrator Ricaurte Vasquez reported.
In a video conference, the manager assured that the ship will be kept under quarantine, although the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus aboard has not been confirmed.

Health authorities announced that they would inspect the ship when it anchors in the Bay of Panama and will subsequently issue an opinion on the health situation aboard.

The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) reported on Thursday in a statement that the ship requested 'authorization to carry out a ship-to-ship operation with the Rotterdam, which came in from the port of San Diego, United States'; said operation was authorized at a distance of eight nautical miles (14.8 kilometers) from the coast. 'This operation was requested in support of the human beings aboard with cold symptoms, and seeks to be able to transfer medical supplies to them,' stated the AMP, which concluded that this does not represent a danger to Panamanians...:tiphat:https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?...-to-quarantine

 

[Treyfish]

4 passengers dead on Holland America cruise ship, currently en route to the Florida Everglades

Published: March 27, 2020 at 3:10 p.m. ET
By
Quentin Fottrell

The company, which is owned by Carnival Corp., said ‘complimentary telephone counseling’ would be made available to the 1,243 passengers and 586 crew members

“Due to global health concerns, Holland America Line made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible so guests could return home,” the company said in a statement Friday.


Holland America Line said Friday that four passengers have died on its Zaandam cruise ship, but didn’t say whether COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, was to blame. The company, which is a subsidiary of Carnival Corp. CCL, -17.173%, said they were “older” passengers.

“Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time,” the cruise line said in a statement.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.’
— Statement by Holland America
The company said 53 guests and 85 crew have reported to the Zaandam’s medical center with influenza-like illness symptoms. There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew on board. There are four doctors and four nurses on the ship, the company said.

The ship was previously denied permission to dock in Chile, and is seeking to land in the Florida Everglades. “Complimentary telephone counseling services from our care partner, Empathia, have been made available to guests and crew if they would like extra support during this time,” it said.

The Zaandam was sailing a South American cruise route that originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7, and was originally scheduled to end at San Antonio, Chile, on March 21. No one has been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile, Holland America said.

“Due to global health concerns, Holland America Line made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible so guests could return home,” the company added.Holland Amnerica’s Zaandam ship cruise.

.....:tiphat:https://www.marketwatch.com/story/4-...7?mod=moneyish

 

[Treyfish]

Statement Regarding Zaandam

Submitted by: Julie
(March 27, 9:45 a.m PT/12:45 p.m ET):

Zaandam is currently off the coast of Panama and rendezvoused with sister ship Rotterdam at 7:30 p.m. local time yesterday, March 26. We received approval from Panamanian authorities to conduct ship-to-ship operations at anchor between the two vessels. Medical supplies and additional medical staff were transferred to Zaandam.

Today we announced a plan to transfer groups of healthy Zaandam guests to Rotterdam, with strict protocols for this process developed in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only those who have not been ill will be moved, and health screenings will be conducted before transferring. Priority for the first guests to transfer will be given to those on Zaandam with inside staterooms and who are over 70. Once aboard Rotterdam, all guests will continue to remain in their staterooms until disembarkation. Any guests who are currently ill, or in isolation as a close contact, and all crew will remain on Zaandam.

While the onward plan for both ships is still being finalized, we continue to work with the Panamanian authorities on approval to transit the Panama Canal for sailing to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Yesterday a number of patients with respiratory symptoms were tested for COVID-19 and two individuals tested positive. Out of an abundance of caution, on March 22 when Zaandam first saw a number of guests reporting to the medical center with influenza-like illness symptoms, we took immediate protective measures, including asking all guests to self-isolate in their staterooms and implementing all other appropriate precautions that have been developed in coordination with the CDC. All guests and crew received face masks yesterday and were provided with instructions on when and how to wear them.

Currently, 53 guests (4%) and 85 crew (14%) have reported to Zaandam’s medical center with influenza-like illness symptoms. There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew on board. On Zaandam there are four doctors and four nurses. On Rotterdam there are two doctors and four nurses.

Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.

Complimentary telephone counseling services from our care partner, Empathia, have been made available to guests and crew if they would like extra support during this time. For those with family members on board, they can call the following numbers for information: 877-425-2231 or 206-626-7398.

Zaandam was sailing a South America cruise that departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7 and was originally scheduled to end at San Antonio, Chile, on March 21. Due to global health concerns, Holland America Line made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible so guests could return home. No one has been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile.
..:tiphat:https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/...rding-zaandam/
—

 

[Treyfish]

Four passengers died on Zaandam cruise ship; 148 people sick with flu-like symptoms

The ship, which originally left Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been anchored off the coast of Panama awaiting permission to pass through the canal and hopes to dock in Port Everglades.

The Holland America Line Zaandam ship, owned by Carnival Corporation, was turned away by Chile and plans to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on March 30. Seventy-seven people on board have flu-like symptoms, but there is no COVID-19 testing available. [Miami Herald]
By By Alex Harris
Published 2 hours ago
Updated 1 minute ago
• • •

Miami Herald

Four passengers have died aboard the Zaandam as it awaits permission to transit the Panama Canal.

Almost 150 people are sick with flu-like symptoms, according to a release from Seattle-based Holland America cruise line. It is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.

The captain announced the deaths to passengers and crew Friday afternoon. He also stated the company planned to evacuate hundreds of healthy passengers to a sister ship anchored nearby.

The ship originally left Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7 with 1,243 passengers and 586 crew on board. It has been anchored off the coast of Panama awaiting permission to pass through the canal and hopes to dock in Port Everglades.

As of Friday, 148 of the 1,243 passengers and 586 crew onboard are experiencing flu-like symptoms, the company said. On Sunday, that number was 42....:tiphat:https://www.tampabay.com/news/health...like-symptoms/

 

[Treyfish]

....Passengers will be separated based on their condition between the two ships.

"Today we announced a plan to transfer groups of healthy Zaandam guests to Rotterdam, with strict protocols for this process developed in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)," Holland America's statement said. "Only those who have not been ill will be moved, and health screenings will be conducted before transferring."

Passengers over 70 will be transferred first, and quarantine will continue on board both the Zaandam and the Rotterdam until disembarkation. Anyone who has come in contact with an ill person will also remain on the Zaandam. All on board were provided with face masks when the ships met.

The two ships received permission to anchor off the coast of Panama to meet and transfer supplies and passengers. However, the plan for disembarkation is not yet finalized. :tiphat:https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fo...7Kz&OCID=HPDHP

 

[Treyfish]

Disney Cruise Passenger Tests Positive for COVID-19

Published 11 mins ago • Updated 10 mins ago
NBC 7
A Disney Cruise ship that pulled into the Port of San Diego last week had a passenger test positive for COVID-19, confirmed Eric McDonald, Medical Director with the County Epidemiology and Immunization Branch.

The Disney Wonder pulled into the Port of San Diego on March 19. It left New Orleans on March 6 on what was supposed to be a 14-night Panama Canal Cruise with several stops in Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Colombia. But they skipped several ports on the route to San Diego.

That decision came after Cruise Lines International Association asked U.S. cruise ships to suspend cruises for 30 days as of March 14, voluntarily.:tiphat:https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...id-19/2294785/

 

[Treyfish]

Canadian man dies from COVID-19 in Brazil hospital after being taken off cruise ship

ADRIAN HUMPHREYS

Published:March 27, 2020

Updated:March 27, 2020 3:41 PM PDT The Silver Shadow was one of several cruise ships caught in limbo when the global coronavirus pandemic was declared


A 79-year-old Canadian man who tested positive for COVID-19 while on a cruise ship in South America has died in a Brazil hospital, health authorities said.

He was on the cruise ship Silver Shadow sailing off the coast of Brazil when two passengers showed signs of influenza-like illness. They were medically evacuated on March 12.

The man was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Real Hospital Portugu?s de Benefic?ncia in Recife for treatment.

He died Thursday morning “due to complications caused by the new coronavirus,” said Dr. Cristiano Hecksher, medical director of the hospital, in a statement. The Canadian was one of two COVID-19 patients who died that day, the other was 69-year-old local man.

“Both had comorbidities,” Hecksher said, meaning they both had other medical conditions along with COVID-19.:tiphat:https://theprovince.com/news/canadia...5-ef5789f3bd52

 

[Treyfish]

Panama Canal blocks Holland America cruise ship with 138 ill crew members and passengers, and 2 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on board

?ine Cain

15 minutes ago
The MS Zaandam, a Holland America cruise ship dealing with an outbreak of respiratory illness onboard, will be barred from entering the Panama Canal, according to a Panama Canal Authority.

• Four passengers have died aboard the ship, and Holland America confirmed that two individuals have tested positive for COVID-19.
• The cruise line also confirmed there are 138 sick passengers and crew members on board the Zaandam.

The Panama Canal Authority will block the MS Zaandam, a Holland America cruise ship with two confirmed cases of COVID-19 on board, from entering the canal.

"Following protocol of Panama's Ministry of Health, if a vessel has individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 on board, it cannot make any port operations or transit the Canal," the Panama Canal Authority said in a statement sent to Business Insider on March 27.

The Holland America previously considered having the ship sail through the Panama Canal in order to head back to Fort Lauderdale for a March 30 arrival. The Zaandam has been stranded off the coast of South America and Central America after different ports began closing to cruise ships due to coronavirus concerns. A bout of respiratory disease then broke out on the ship, prompting 138 sick passengers and crew members to report to the vessel's medical center.

Holland America confirmed that four passengers have died on board, and two i:tiphat:https://www.businessinsider.com/holl...ovid-19-2020-3

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.watoday.com.au/national...l-show-covid-19-symptoms-20200328-p54est.html

WA cruise ship crisis looms after more than 70 on docked vessel show COVID-19 symptoms
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
Marta Pascual Juanola
By Marta Pascual Juanola
March 28, 2020 — 8.57am

The West Australian government wants to divert a German cruise liner docked in Fremantle to a military base, after more than 70 passengers and crew onboard showed COVID-19 symptoms.

Foreign nationals on board the Artania, which has been sailing off the coast of Fremantle for several days, were due to get on mercy flights to Germany over the weekend.

But senior government sources have revealed the government back-flipped in its decision to isolate infected passengers in a Joondalup police facility, saying they could now be sent to the HMAS Stirling defence base in Garden Island or the detention facilities on Christmas Island...