Barbados plays host to several cruise ships berthed off the fun Carlisle Bay as the cruise industry grinds to a halt over the COVID-19 virus. Here 8 ships are berthed off the bay and more are expected. There are no passengers on board; just about 1000 crew stay on each ship. It’s not a bad place to be.
Barbados hosts cruise ships by providing berthing and mooring facilities as well as offering resources, food, fuel and water. For now, no one is allowed ashore. Perhaps they may be allowed ashore after the guarantee period.
In the meantime, Barbados is facilitating flights home for stranded cruise passengers. #COVID-19 . Stay safe and keep well everyone!
Pebbles Beach View of the Ships
We have not seen beaches with so few people since the 70’s when tourism was a trickle of what it is today. It attests to how seriously Bajans are taking social distancing and the COVID-19 virus. Pebbles, usually bustling with activity, looks like a private beach for now!
More Stranded Cruise Ships Coming
New arrivals on March 31st include Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Ship, Europa, is on course to Barbados, scheduled to arrive on April 3rd. Source: CKRA NEWS
Safe Harbour for Ships – by Application
Not all ships that apply for safe harbour in Barbados are accepted. Barbados accepts ships on individual merit. The port authority declined entry to The Braemar of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Twenty passengers and another 20 crew members, including a doctor, are in isolation after displaying influenza-like symptoms while traveling on the ship.
Cuba allowed the ship to dock there for “humanitarian concerns” and the need for “a shared effort to confront and stop the spread of the pandemic.”
On Monday, March 9th, CNN reported that two people who had been on the Braemar were diagnosed with the coronavirus after returning home. Six people who reported flu-like symptoms on the ship were tested, and five cases were confirmed on Wednesday — four crew and one passenger — with another inconclusive result. Source: Wesh2 News
All Aboard Stay On Board
Beach Without Crowds
Captain Boris Becker Thanks Barbados
Captain Becker gives heartfelt thanks for Barbados hospitality. He heads home now with a crew of about 1000 after more that one month anchored off Barbados. He says the support from Barbados was not taken for granted at a time when all doors were closing.
His thanks go to everyone “from the Prime Mister and Senators to the port workers, airport workers, taxi drivers and all the Bajans who helped and supported all aboard the AIDAperla in these critical stages.”
They Will be Back!
Update – Barbados Helps Repatriate Crew
In May Barbados extended docking and mooring privileges to 31 cruise ships. This humanitarian offer will help the cruise lines repatriate stranded crew who were not able to get back home because of the world wide Covid-19 lockdown.
The largest ship to dock in Barbados is The Harmony of the Seas. It is also the largest in the world by length. About 4000 crew were onboard. The crews will be facilitated with Barbados hospitality and system to transfer them safely to chartered flights.
Join the discussion on Instagram below- What do you think of this Barbados Humanitarian Mission. Some say its a high risk gamble as some of the crew have tested positive. All have to be transport to airports and taken care of. The process it putting many people at risk. Others say Barbados has proven it can handle it and most be commended for their mission.
Update September 2020 – SeaDream Chooses Barbados!
Starting in November SeaDream Yacht Club will beging runingcruises in the Caribbean for a Home Port base in Barbados. The cruises will visit St. Vincent, the Grenadines and Grenada. Cruises will stop off for snorkeling in Tobago Cays. Its famous “Champagne Splash” will be held in Mayreau. Get full story at https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5596/
Join Instagram Discussion
Related Links
How to cope in the Barbados Curfew >>https://barbados.org/blog/how-to-cope-in-barbados-curfew
(c) Videos and content by lifestylesoftheartisan. https://instagram.com/lifestylesoftheartisan
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