2,042 People Disembark Grand Princess

A total of 2,042 people have disembarked the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship Grand Princess, the ship’s operator Princess Cruises said on Thursday.

The ship docked at the Port of Oakland’s Outer Harbor Terminal on March 9 as the terminal was not being used for vessel or cargo operations. The move was announced after two guests and 19 crew members tested positive for COVID-19.

The two guests, as well as their travel companions, have been transferred to local hospitals. However, based on the information from Princess Cruises, the 19 crew members who tested positive for COVID-19 have been deemed asymptomatic and were not disembarked from the ship. They were put in isolation in their individual cabins.

Originally, there were 3,533 people onboard Grand Princess, including 2,422 guests and 1,111 teammates.

As part of the beginning of the disembarkation process, Health & Human Services teams went onboard the Grand Princess to assist with medical screenings and interviews and to prioritize those who required the most medical attention and care.

“Passengers who have completed evaluations have been transported away from the port. Some have departed by bus. Others have left from the North Field at Oakland International Airport to locations in California, Texas, Georgia, Canada and the UK,” the Port of Oakland said.

Due to the ongoing situation caused by the virus outbreak, Princess Cruises decided to suspend global operations of its 18 cruise ships for two months.

The suspension of operations would be impacting voyages departing from March 12 to May 10.