In light of the global outbreak of Covid-19 and cancelations of fleet-wide voyages, a tough decision has been made by TUI Cruises to send as many crew members as possible back home. The German cruise operator is trying to provide as much information as possible to their crewmembers, but at the same time, they are still bound by regulations, restrictions, flight options, meaning that valid statements at this time are very difficult to make.

Around 200 crew members are stuck on the cruise ship MSC Opera docked in the port of Genoa, Italy. The number of quarantined crew members has risen from 7 people since March 18, to 13 isolated crew in just two days. As the situation is getting progressively worse in Italy, the crew are stuck on the ship until they get clearance from the Italian Health Authorities and test negative for the virus.

At a meeting held yesterday onboard Freedom of the Seas shipboard employees were informed that the company will try to send non-essential personnel home in the following days.

Following the news after multiply media outlets reported that four people on board Rubi Princess tested positive for COVID-19 after getting off the ship, Princess Cruises said there are no positive cases on board.

In a letter distributed today among Rubi Princess crew members the company said:

One passenger tested positive for Coronavirus after returning home from a cruise on Carnival Imagination. CDC has informed Carnival Cruise Line about this individual and the company is taking additional precautions to protect its crew on board. In a letter distributed on March 18, Carnival Cruise Line informed the crew members about the passenger who tested positive as well as providing additional information about the current status on board Carnival Imagination.

Following the increased number of travel restrictions put in place around the world and the uncertainty related to the COVID-19 Carnival Cruise Line has decided to send all non-essential Carnival Spirit team members home. The disembarkation of the Carnival Spirit crew members will start on March 21, in Sydney the company said in a letter sent to the shipboard employees. All debarking team members will receive 30 days pay or through end of the crew contract, whichever comes first.

The cruise ship Costa Magica has been turned away by several ports in the Caribbean after two people tested positive for COVID-19 aboard the ship. Costa Magica is now anchored near Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe where one seriously ill crew member was medically evacuated today from the ship.

The cruise ship Mein Schiff 1 operated by the German cruise line TUI Cruises, is heading to Bridgetown Barbados, to disembark all 2800 guests after which all cruises are canceled until May 13. Following the recent developments, some of the crew expressed their concerns what will happen with their jobs. Addressing their concerns Mein Schiff 1 Captain Todd Burgman sent a letter to around 1000 crew members currently on board, sharing information what will happen in the following days.

A new study released by the CDC says that the crew onboard quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess were impacted by the spread of coronavirus. The study states that the crew working in the Food Service had the highest rate of reported positive cases of COVID-19.

Captain Gennaro Arma has finally returned home after three weeks spent in the port of Yokohama on the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess.