Cruise ship Regal Princess is expected to arrive at Cruiseport Rotterdam on Wednesday 6 May at 7 am. The cruise ship is not carrying holiday makers, but is bringing 1000 Dutch and other European crew members of cruise shipping company Holland America Group home.
The crew members originate from various ships from the shipping companies Seabourn, Princess and Holland America Line, among others. Due to the corona virus, cruise companies have stopped operations. Due to little air traffic, it has been difficult to repatriate crew members. The companies have now opted to use their own cruise ships to get crew home. The crew members will all leave the ship in Rotterdam to travel home.
The arrival of the ship has been carefully prepared in accordance with the measures of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and approved by the authorities. The Regal Princess will subsequently leave the port at 5 pm.
Update 7 May 10 am: The Regal Princess arrived later than planned on Wednesday (2 pm) and is currently still in the Port of Rotterdam.
Picture by Kees Torn.