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Crew members were stranded on cruise ships and trapped in cabins without fresh air for weeks, even after passengers were flown home, fearing they may have been forgotten, according to Sky News.
Dancer Lauren Carrick, 29, of Norwich, is one of 900 crew members on the Celebrity Infinity ship unable to make it home due to restrictions imposed by US authorities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The cruise ship has been at sea off the Bahamas for almost seven weeks and people on board have not made landfall since.
Ms. Carrick and Mr. Harrison have been unable to return home since a Prohibited Navigation Order was imposed on ships within US waters.
“Everyone is obviously really frustrated and upset. Everyone wants to get home,” Carrick told Sky News.
Carrick, who is on board with her fiance Joseph Harrison, 27, said the crew members were isolated in their cabins for 21 days, some of which had no windows.
“When you’re there 24 hours a day, it’s hard on its own to try to find things to do: There’s only a certain amount of TV that you can watch on your laptop every day.”
“We have been fortunate to get free WiFi, but the connection is not great.”
The crew are now allowed to leave their cabins three times a day for meals.
Celebrity Infinity has around 900 crew members on board.
The crew members are a mix of nationalities, including British, American, Indonesian, and Filipino.
They have been unable to return home since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) imposed a Prohibited Navigation Order on ships within U.S. waters, which prohibits crew members from using commercial transportation to land.
Cruise companies may organize special charter flights, but Carrick says the CDC has canceled four organized flights so far, shattering the hopes of the crew members.
Earlier this month, the US Coast Guard. USA He said more than 100 cruise ships and 90,000 crew members were still trapped at sea in or near U.S. ports and waters.
A crew member aboard the Symphony of the Seas, the world’s largest passenger ship, also told Sky News that more than 1,000 employees were waiting to arrive home after the CDC had not approved their charter flight. .
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“It is a roller coaster of emotions,” Carrick said.
“One day you can be happy because you think they can let you out of your cabin, or you think, ‘I could fly home in two days,’ or you are upset that it’s not really going to happen.”
Ms Carrick said that many Celebrity Infinity staff members have also been suspended from pay, although they are given $ 13 (£ 10.42) per day. This is an especially big problem for those who send money to their families.
On its website, the CDC lists 23 cruises that have been affected by COVID-19.
Of these, 13 ships had reported travelers testing positive for the virus.
The rest, including Celebrity Infinity, had passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of landing. However, because the symptoms of these travelers began after the trip, it is not certain that they contracted the virus on ships.
In an update on its site, the CDC said: “We are currently in a phase of the pandemic where strict measures need to be implemented to control the spread of COVID-19.”
“Just as the American public has a role to play by staying home to curb the spread, cruise lines have a role to play in the proper care of their crew, including isolating them if they are sick and quarantining them if they have been exposed. “
The staff had to isolate themselves in their cabins for 21 days.
Ms. Carrick says that there are no cases of COVID-19 on the ship and that no one has symptoms.
Many of the crew members are now desperate to get home from husbands, wives and children.
“I don’t understand why they treat us differently than paying passengers,” Carrick said. “We are still people at the end of the day.”
A Celebrity Cruises spokeswoman said: “We have always worked closely with the government and health authorities and we are grateful for their guidance.
“We are working with all appropriate authorities to ensure the safe return home of all members of our crew.”
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “We are in direct contact with the operator of the cruise ship Celebrity Infinity, as well as many crew members and their families.
“We will continue to support tour operators to ensure the well-being and safety of the British crew.”
