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Little did the 1,830 passengers who are currently stranded in the Indian Ocean because of the coronavirus imagine that the "incredible adventure at sea" proposed by Costa Cruises would end up becoming a nightmare. They have been sailing for more than 14 days without a fixed course , since no port allows the Costa Deliziosa to disembark , the ship that was circling the world since January 11, when it left Barcelona to travel "three oceans, five continents and 39 destinations "from 11,889 euros per person, as the promotion of the shipping company continued.
The journey, in which 195 Spaniards participate, lasted 107 days, so that on April 26 it should conclude in Venice after visiting half a planet: from Barbados to Panama, Ecuador, Easter Island, Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan , South Korea, Vietnam ... However, when they arrived in Australia two weeks ago, the worldwide Covid-19 crisis erupted and most countries decided to close their ports so as not to spread the spread of the virus, leaving thousands of passengers caught on the high seas.
Wander aimlessly
It was then that the quarantine was declared in the Costa Deliziosa so that the cruise passengers who had gone ashore for the last time had to remain locked in their cabins with the uncertainty of not knowing when they would return to their homes. Something that is still on hold today. Of course, for now there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus on board.
The shipping company itself ensures that "the health situation is constantly being monitored and, to date, no public health incident has been registered." Still, movement on the ship is limited, although passengers can watch movies outdoors or receive medical assistance if needed. In addition, the captain speaks to them every day to inform them of the news and even give them advice on how to best cope with the situation.
The Costa Deliziosa sails across the Indian Ocean heading west, but without knowing where it can disembark. Nobody lets them get ashore, as happened with another ship from the same company, Costa Pacifica , rejected in Spain and France. 168 Spaniards also travel there , including a couple of 93 and 85 years desperate to get home. When he arrived on the coast of France , only the citizens of that country could get off. However, the Spanish could not do the same in theirs, so they continue to wander in the hope of being able to finish the journey in the next few days in Savona (Italy).
Looking for a port to dock
In the case of the ocean liner that was going around the world, Costa Cruises assures that the itinerary had to be modified after the pandemic alert and that they are making "all efforts to readjust the program", since the only viable route now (and the safest for guests and crew ( 2,729 people in total, "still immune") is "to make technical stops whenever permitted."
The company is working with the Italian authorities (the ship has the flag of the Alpine country) to find the most suitable port to dock, "the one that guarantees maximum security and the possibility of quickly organizing the return home of passengers and crew , to at the same time that the situation facing the most affected Italian regions is respected. "
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