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PHILIPSBURG--Cruise ship Braemar of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines was stationary in international waters between Nevis and Montserrat for most of Friday night, waiting for a decision by St. Maarten officials on whether she would be allowed to dock at Port St. Maarten.
The fate of Braemar’s 1,128 passengers and 384 crew was suddenly put into question on Thursday when her homeport in the Dominican Republic denied her entry amid fears that four Filipinos, two Americans and two Britons on board were potential coronavirus cases.
According to health authorities in the Dominican Republic, the ship’s captain reported that the eight persons were under medical observation for coughing, fever and breathing difficulties.
After being turned away, the ship returned to her last port of call. Braemar called at St. Maarten on Tuesday, February 25, the penultimate stop in a 14-day cruise which was supposed to terminate in the Dominican Republic.
“We are in discussion with the relevant authorities on nearby Caribbean islands, as well as a number of airlines, to enable our guests to disembark and secure onward travel for them to return home,” said the cruise line on Friday according to Time news magazine.
She was scheduled to berth at Port St. Maarten around 8:30pm Friday, with all persons on board disembarking to potentially catch flights to their onward destinations. Up to press time Friday night, the ship had not made her way into Great Bay because local officials had not decided whether they would allow the ship to dock.
The ship was also scheduled to pick up a fresh load of passengers in the Dominican Republic and start a new cruise on Thursday. The cruise line is now trying to find a solution for those persons.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said the decision by the Dominican Republic was an “overreaction.”
“A small number of influenza-like cases [are – Ed.] on board. Our medical team has now advised that they are all feeling better. No guests or crew are, or have been, displaying symptoms that are considered to be consistent with those of coronavirus,” Time quoted the cruise line as saying.
COVID-19 and influenza both cause fever, cough, and respiratory issues.
Another cruise ship that called at St. Maarten on Tuesday had been denied entry by another Caribbean country.
Carnival Cruise Line’s ship Carnival Fascination was denied entry at St. Lucia on Thursday because a crew member displayed influenza-like symptoms. The ship then proceeded to its next port of call, Barbados.
“Carnival Fascination cancelled its call to St. Lucia today because of a medical situation with a crew member that St. Lucia medical authorities were not prepared to deal with.
“Consequently, the ship is docking in Barbados, its next scheduled port of call. In an abundance of caution, Barbados officials are going to test the crew member for COVID-19. The individual is not a suspected COVID-19 case based on the criteria set by world health experts including CDC [United States’ Centers for Disease Control – Ed.] and World Health Organisation,” said Carnival Cruise Line in a statement.
Barbados authorities cleared the vessel after the test came back negative for coronavirus.
PHILIPSBURG--Cruise ship Braemar of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines was stationary in international waters between Nevis and Montserrat for most of Friday night, waiting for a decision by St. Maarten officials on whether she would be allowed to dock at Port St. Maarten.
The fate of Braemar’s 1,128 passengers and 384 crew was suddenly put into question on Thursday when her homeport in the Dominican Republic denied her entry amid fears that four Filipinos, two Americans and two Britons on board were potential coronavirus cases.
According to health authorities in the Dominican Republic, the ship’s captain reported that the eight persons were under medical observation for coughing, fever and breathing difficulties.
After being turned away, the ship returned to her last port of call. Braemar called at St. Maarten on Tuesday, February 25, the penultimate stop in a 14-day cruise which was supposed to terminate in the Dominican Republic.
“We are in discussion with the relevant authorities on nearby Caribbean islands, as well as a number of airlines, to enable our guests to disembark and secure onward travel for them to return home,” said the cruise line on Friday according to Time news magazine.
She was scheduled to berth at Port St. Maarten around 8:30pm Friday, with all persons on board disembarking to potentially catch flights to their onward destinations. Up to press time Friday night, the ship had not made her way into Great Bay because local officials had not decided whether they would allow the ship to dock.
The ship was also scheduled to pick up a fresh load of passengers in the Dominican Republic and start a new cruise on Thursday. The cruise line is now trying to find a solution for those persons.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said the decision by the Dominican Republic was an “overreaction.”
“A small number of influenza-like cases [are – Ed.] on board. Our medical team has now advised that they are all feeling better. No guests or crew are, or have been, displaying symptoms that are considered to be consistent with those of coronavirus,” Time quoted the cruise line as saying.
COVID-19 and influenza both cause fever, cough, and respiratory issues.
Another cruise ship that called at St. Maarten on Tuesday had been denied entry by another Caribbean country.
Carnival Cruise Line’s ship Carnival Fascination was denied entry at St. Lucia on Thursday because a crew member displayed influenza-like symptoms. The ship then proceeded to its next port of call, Barbados.
“Carnival Fascination cancelled its call to St. Lucia today because of a medical situation with a crew member that St. Lucia medical authorities were not prepared to deal with.
“Consequently, the ship is docking in Barbados, its next scheduled port of call. In an abundance of caution, Barbados officials are going to test the crew member for COVID-19. The individual is not a suspected COVID-19 case based on the criteria set by world health experts including CDC [United States’ Centers for Disease Control – Ed.] and World Health Organisation,” said Carnival Cruise Line in a statement.
Barbados authorities cleared the vessel after the test came back negative for coronavirus.
