9 American citizens trapped on Holland America’s MS Oosterdam

9 American crew members are currently stuck on Holland America’s MS Oosterdam and desperate to come home. As the Holland America’s MS Oosterdam sailed towards a port in Los Angeles on Tuesday 28th April, they were promised they would be able to disembark the ship and return home. This was until a last-minute decision by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to keep the crew members on the ship.

The crew has taken to social media to protest their lack of freedom, posting a picture of themselves in masks with a sign reading ‘Help us! We are healthy’.

The Oosterdam currently has no reported conditions of COVID-19 but left Los Angeles on Tuesday 28th April and is now headings towards Ensenada, Mexico without any of the US crew members being able to leave the ship. One crew member Melinda Mann was told mixed information about whether or not she could leave the ship in Los Angeles. When, however, she tried to exit the ship she was stopped by security and even suffered verbal abuse which she live-streamed.

CDC has responded to the situation and claims they must make arrangements, such as non-public transport, before they can allow the American crew members to safely leave the ship.

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/04/29/holland-america-cruise-american-crew-denied-disembarkation-la-coronavirus/3046817001/