Coronavirus: Hotel quarantine anger builds among returned cruise passengers

Cruise passengers being held in quarantine in a Sydney hotel have likened the conditions to criminal detention | WATCH

Australian travellers from the stranded Norwegian Jewel cruise ship say they are being denied basic necessities during their two-week quarantine at a Sydney hotel, which they have described as a “detention”.

Sydneysider Neelo Awan, who travelled on the cruise with her husband, said all passengers were isolated in their rooms with locked windows.

“I, as a human being, have the right to breathe fresh air. Since being brought to our rooms, we are not even allowed to stand at our door,” she said.

“Out on the ship were real homes, but this is not quarantine, it’s detention. Even prisoners can get fresh air. What have we done wrong?”

Video footage filmed by a hotel guest shows police officers on one of the hotel’s floors.

“It is quite scary. Right now, I feel I am the biggest criminal here, but I don’t know what crime I committed. I’m scared to open the door.”

Ms Awan said food is being left in brown paper bags on the carpet outside their rooms.

A letter from Swissotel Sydney delivered to the group’s room on Saturday stated that shopping requests for groceries and other essentials would be conducted by Swissotel staff, but does not mention a price for the service.

Norwegian Jewel passengers arrive at Swissotel in Sydney’s CBD for 14 days self isolation. Picture: Tom Huntley

Another passenger Peter, said he was told by a staff member at the hotel that these items will have a 20% surcharge added by Swissotel to cover delivery.

“We don’t know if we will pay the price that Aldi or Woolwroths charge us, plus 20 per cent or will it be a price-per-item that they make up and then another 20 per cent on top of that.”

“The ACC requires businesses, such as a hotel, to be very clear on their pricing before they provide that service.”

“A lot of people here are pensioners and they don’t realise they could be charged when they leave this hotel.”

The letter also states that three meals will be provided daily to quarantine guests.

Peter, who has type-two diabetes, said staff had missed his meals and were hard to contact to report this.

“I haven’t received lunch. I’m eating cereal. What they say and what they do are two different things.”

“You can’t get onto anyone here. If I didn’t have this, you’d have to rely on the exorbitant prices of the mini bar.”

Guests say they have been told they told no packages can be delivered to the hotel, because the medical team deemed it a health risk.

The group of almost 300 Australians landed at Sydney airport on Thursday morning on a chartered Qantas flight from Honolulu. The rescue followed the Norwegian Cruise Line ship being denied entry by four international ports, amid coronavirus travel restrictions. This was despite there being no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the ship.

The vessel, which departed Sydney, had been stranded at sea for weeks in the Pacific, before being allowed to dock in Hawaii.

Upon arrival from the repatriation flight, passengers were ordered to quarantine on arrival and accompanied by Border Force officials to Swissotel in Sydney’s CBD. It comes as media reports found that Australian passengers from a Norwegian Spirit cruise who arrived home on Friday were allowed to self-isolate at home.

The state government has begun clamping down on cruise ships following the Ruby Princess debacle, which has now resulted in more than 130 cases of COVID-19 in NSW and one death of a 77-year-old. Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Thursday morning that all ship arrivals will be stopped until “further notice”.

On Friday, Scott Morrison announced a forced two-week quarantine in hotels for all international arrivals in Australia from midnight on Saturday. All passengers will be required to quarantine in the city they arrive in, irrespective of their residential address.

The federal government has conceded that some Australians stuck overseas because of border closures and flight cancellations will not be able to return home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Swissotel and NSW Health have been contacted for comment.