Norwegian Jewel cruise ship passengers quarantined in Sydney after stranded at sea amid coronavirus crisis
They were stranded on an aimless cruise ship for weeks, then marched into Sydney hotel rooms with guards on their doors. Now online trolls are adding to quarantined Aussies’ ordeals.
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Aloha! A cheerful man wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt greeted us as we step off the bus.
He introduced himself as a representative from the Governor’s office, wished us a safe trip and hopes we can return some day.
Unfortunately this welcome was not afforded to a Holland America cruise ship that attempted to disembark in Honolulu the day before we arrived on the Norwegian Jewel.
They were sent to San Diego, another six days at sea. This would have been most certainly our fate if our ship didn’t have a broken propeller.
It was my first time in Hawaii, a fleeting visit, a short bus ride from the port to drop us off on the tarmac at the Honolulu airport.
Nearly 300 Australians were funnelled off the bus through a makeshift security check and on to a Qantas rescue plane.
The crew on board revealed to us they all answered a call-out from the airline and volunteered their services to get us home safely.
This brought a tear to my eyes, my sense of national pride was at an all-time high.
We touched down at Sydney Airport to rapturous applause, the Qantas crew then begun a chorus of happy birthday for two passengers.
Mairead Holloway, who just turned 18, and Ian Roberts, who suffers with debilitating OCD, autism and Prader-Willi syndrome would have celebrated his 60th birthday, however crossing the International Date Line we missed March 25.
This didn’t faze Ian, like all of us he was just excited to be going home.
Our excitement didn’t last long with an announcement we would be taken to a hotel in Sydney for 14 days quarantine.
About 1:30am, we disembarked the aircraft thanking our heroes – the amazingly generous Qantas crew.
We queued up with no sense of social distancing to get our temperature checked.
Here, five members of our group were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. They were tested for COVID-19, cleared and sent to join us at the Swissotel.
On the bus ride to the hotel the uncertainty and anxiety bubbled away.
Many confused as to why the forced quarantine was needed as we had already spent 14 days isolated at sea with no passengers showing symptoms on-board.
I was of the view that we all need to do our part to beat this pandemic and knew that the NSW Government needed to make amends for their bungled handling of the Ruby Princess.
Unfortunately, like Kochie said on Sunrise, “We just don’t trust you guys”.
At around 3am, our bus arrived in the heart of Sydney escorted by Australian Border Force officials.
We queued along Market St outside the Swissotel, behind passenger who had already crammed into the lobby waiting to get in the lift to check into our new home.
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My wife and I got to our room at 5:30am, exhausted, dehydrated but overjoyed to be back in Australia.
However we couldn’t help but feel sorry for those behind us in line that didn’t get to their rooms till after 7am.
The first 2-3 days here were chaotic, an operation that would normally be organised over six months was put together in less than 24 hours.
The Aspen Medical team assigned to look after us had made a recommendation to the NSW Government to house us in accommodation with access to fresh air and exercise.
Our fellow passengers from New Zealand were taken to quarantine where they are free to walk around outside.
Yes we have been placed in a luxury hotel but the only luxury we wish for is a window that opens to fresh air.
It staggers me that NSW Health is approving accommodation where people’s health will likely deteriorate.
We are locked in our rooms with guards on the door because we are considered high risk of infecting others with COVID-19, which means we are presumed to have respiratory difficulties.
Two weeks in an airconditioned environment isn’t good for anyone’s health, let alone the many elderly and people with serious health conditions who are part of our group.
I am deeply concerned for my fellow Norwegian Jewel passengers who are suffering as we speak.
Many of them are solo travellers stuck in a room on their own, others have struggled to get their dietary requirements met and families have been separated with parents placed in different rooms to the kids, unable to see each other.
Many have pre-existing mental health issues and suffer from serious depression.
Some of us are trying to contact the more vulnerable however the hotel is not giving out their room numbers due to “privacy reasons”.
Media outlets and many in the general public have labelled us a bunch of wingers. After all who wouldn’t love two weeks in a five-star hotel paid by the Government?
The NSW Police Commissioner tells us to “enjoy the hotel and quit whining”.
We are called self entitled for being concerned for each other, when people are losing their jobs and dying at alarming rates overseas.
Some guests here have never experienced online trolling and are now reading every nasty comment written about us.
The keyboard warriors will always be there but the normal people here in quarantine need some messages of support from normal people like you out there.
We are not criminals for making the mistake over a month ago to go on holiday.
There was no government travel warnings and no apparent threat within Australia and the South Pacific countries we were visiting.
I agree that there is many problems that are far worse than ours going on in the world.
All I can hope is that those Aussies returning from overseas that have already had a traumatic time trying to return home are faced with better conditions and more support from everyone.
