The vessel, which is currently located somewhere east of Taiwan, has been out at sea since February 1 when it left Hong Kong for a 14-day journey through eastern Asia. On board there are 1,455 passengers and 802 crew members.

So far, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines and Thailand have refused to allow the ship to land ashore, despite the fact that no one aboard the ship appears to have a disease in the coronavius.

"We can give them water and food"

On Monday, the 2,000 passengers were relieved when the ship's captain announced that they would finally be able to go to port in Bangkok on Thursday, February 13. However, the joy did not last long when Thailand announced the same day that it would no longer be possible.

- We will not let them get off here, but we will provide them with humanitarian aid, such as filling up with fuel. We can also provide them with water and food if they wish, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said, adding how important it is for Thailand, like all other countries, to implement proper measures in this situation.

Cambodia receives

For the past two weeks, passengers aboard the ship have been trying to keep their spirits up, waiting for some country to receive them.

- We are all a bunch of people who have a life outside this ship, with children, pets and jobs that need us, says American passenger Angela Jones.

On Wednesday, the message finally came that Cambodia will allow the ship to be added to the port city of Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia.

"We are extremely grateful for the assistance of the Cambodian authorities," the Dutch-American shipping company Holland America, which owns the vessel, writes in a statement.