Amid the global panic surrounding the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, Holland America Line's MS Westerdam, currently sailing a fourteen-day East Asia itinerary, certainly finds itself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The passenger cruise ship, which left Hong Kong (where there have been 24 confirmed cases of the virus to date) on February 1, had already been forced to skip a port call in Manila and transfer its planned disembarkation point from Shanghai, China, to Yokohama, Japan, according to USA Today.
The cruise line has now been notified by the Japanese Government that MS Westerdam will not be allowed entry at any Japanese ports, due to fears concerning the spread of the new coronavirus. In an online advisory notice, Holland America Line (HAL) confirmed, "The ship had been scheduled to call to Ishigaki Island, Naha, Okinawa, Nagasaki and Fukuoka (Hakata), before its scheduled turn in Yokohama on February 15, where the next cruise was scheduled to embark."
So, HAL now finds itself hurriedly searching for another port where the 1,455 guests and 802 crew members aboard the Westerdam's current sailing can disembark.
It's important to note that, while tensions are running high in the region and any outsiders are regarded warily, "The ship is not in quarantine and there are no known cases of coronavirus on board at this time," according to HAL's statement. "We are quickly working to develop alternate plans and are keeping guests updated as information becomes available."
The ship's next scheduled sailing from Yokohama on February 15 has been canceled altogether, and those guests who had booked and their travel advisors are being notified. The advisory also states that other sailings aboard the Westerdam with Asian itineraries through March 23 will not visit China. Cruises taking place after that date were already scheduled without ports of call in China, and (as of now) will sail as was originally planned.
USA Today reported that the vessel has now been at sea for three days after having left the port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Westerdam had previously stopped in Hong Kong; Cai Mep, Vietnam; Kampong Saom, Cambodia; and Laem Chabang, Thailand. Each of the countries it had visited thus far has reported confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus: Hong Kong, 24; Thailand, 25; Taiwan, 16; Vietnam, ten; and Cambodia, just one.
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