Ruby Princess arrival yesterday IMPORTANT

[Roberto256]

9 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

 She apparently gave the video to Channel 7 with the story that "galley staff were partying up close with passengers". Anyone who has cruised with Princess, knows that it isn't a party. The galley staff parade through the dining for about ten minutes while the passengers applaud to thank them. However, the video can give the impression that it was a party.

 

Isn't it usually the junior waiters who are parading?   Not anyone from the galley.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, Roberto256 said:

 

Isn't it usually the junior waiters who are parading?   Not anyone from the galley.

At least on our last several Princess cruises, the Parade of the Baked Alaska had Head Waiters leading cooks and junior waiters with the junior waiters carrying the baked alaskas. I am trying to remember whether years ago, the parade just had the junior waiters, but I am not sure.

[Roberto256]

9 hours ago, DiamondFour said:

Something like this could signify the end of his policing career should a Royal Commission be launched in the future.

 

He might have to get in line behind these gents:

 

https://nypost.com/2020/04/14/couple-fined-for-posting-old-photos-during-coronavirus-lockdown/

 

That is the updated story.  When I first read it, the couple was fined, and told they would be arrested

if they posted any more pictures.

 

In actual cruise content, someone onboard messaged me that Ruby took on a lot of provisions yesterday.

And, that everyone on board was tested for covid-19.  Both blood and swab.

 

Between bunkering an provisions, I think Ruby will be leaving soon.

Probably after the test results are returned.

 

 

 

[Aus Traveller]

Testing of the crew for COVID has been continuing. At last report there were 149 positive results, but I believe that would include those in hospital.

[Roberto256]

Any local news on when Ruby will be leaving?

 

Based on timezone differences, I think the 'must leave by Sunday' window has expired.

 

[Aus Traveller]

Although the NSW Police Commissioner had "drawn a line in the sand" and said that the ship had to leave by yesterday (Sunday), it is now staying for another week. The link to a news article is shown below, but here is the relevant part of the article:

 

The coronavirus-stricken Ruby Princess cruise ship will remain at Port Kembla on the New South Wales south coast for another week, with the crew deemed too sick to travel today as was planned. NSW Police is reportedly negotiating with foreign consulates to repatriate some of the crew members.

 

Health chiefs are waiting for test results from the vessel's skeleton crew with hopes they are now immune to COVID-19.

Aspen Medical, specialist team who is working with the ship, NSW Health and Border Force to clear it for departure and examine what went wrong, is expected to complete its plan in the coming days.

 

"The consideration that (NSW) Health has is around the capability of the medical infrastructure on the ship. And there is a very highly skilled, capable intensive care trained doctor on board the ship," Dr Chant said. "They have very high and capabilities on cruise ships as you can imagine. They have to deal with a lot of unexpected events in that industry."

 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-ruby-princess-to-stay-in-port-kembla-for-another-week/034614e3-970b-436d-9ec6-cd126c65070a

[DiamondFour]

There appears to be support growing for it in Australia with people calling for the support of the crew. While some news media organisations are biased towards the ship, in a surprise move there are some political parties and unions throwing their support behind the ship and its crew. I have never been much of a union fan in the past but this surprised me greatly as I had expected that they would want it gone as well.

 

The feeling I am getting from this is that the crew needs help. Any one of them on board could have been on a ship that I was on in the past that helped show me a good time on a ship with all the hard work they do. It is wrong that our government is trying to force the ship to leave. I am glad common sense and our obligations have prevailed here.

[le chat]

The Artania is currently sailing at 13 knots towards Benoa in Bali Indonesia, having refueled and been thoroughly cleaned & restocked. The crew left on board are all in top health and one couple got married at the dock just before sailing. The ship is near Karratha in WA. It is circled in the photo attached.
Here’s something interesting. The other ship in the picture is the Viking Orion which is sailing at 3 knots destination “under orders” - what does that mean? 
I have been following the Artania’s journey up the coast & the Orion seems to be marking time, almost doing circles in place since yesterday afternoon, drifting closer to the WA coast.

[le chat]

13 minutes ago, DiamondFour said:

There appears to be support growing for it in Australia with people calling for the support of the crew. While some news media organisations are biased towards the ship, in a surprise move there are some political parties and unions throwing their support behind the ship and its crew. I have never been much of a union fan in the past but this surprised me greatly as I had expected that they would want it gone as well.

 

The feeling I am getting from this is that the crew needs help. Any one of them on board could have been on a ship that I was on in the past that helped show me a good time on a ship with all the hard work they do. It is wrong that our government is trying to force the ship to leave. I am glad common sense and our obligations have prevailed here.

 I think the difference might be in the attitude of the owners. I have attached info about the Artania (which also lied about the extent of virus cases aboard & eventually left this weekend). Apparently the owners Phoenix Reisen paid for the massive clean up operation for the crew. They were all checked daily & isolated. If unwell they were either taken off to a hotel for isolation & monitoring or to hospital if needed for treatment. Our specialist MediVac task force were in charge and even the ships captain and doctor were confined to quarters. It looked like they spaced the crew out on the ship so they were not in cramped quarters. The ship was disinfected and forensically cleaned daily. The crew were fed daily and there were CCTV cameras to check that everyone did the right thing. 
The ship is now virus free and heading towards Benoa in Indonesia to drop off crew. Some crew that were well enough were disembarked before she sailed and boarded chartered flights back to Europe. That is what happens when ship’s owners own the problem and work to solve the problem. The ship and it’s sick passengers and crew were a massive headache for our small state (which is large in area but very small in population 2.76mill), but it was a happy outcome.
 

[Roberto256]

8 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Although the NSW Police Commissioner had "drawn a line in the sand" and said that the ship had to leave by yesterday (Sunday), it is now staying for another week.

 

Thank you for the update, and the link.

[Roberto256]

11 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Latest news on the Ruby Princess:

 

 

Thank you for posting that.

 

I had heard that some crew disembarked to fly home, but the artical had a lot more details.

 

[XLCAPRIES]

A bit late in picking up this thread.

 

Some interesting observations............easily said in hindsight....but should redirect the focus, of some, if they want to start attributing blame or litigation.

 https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-has-seriously-tested-our-border-security-have-we-learned-from-our-mistakes-134794

 

Princess,  on all accounts, to date, were following requirements and directions by the powers to be , who are supposed to be there to control and protect the community(and that includes passengers, crew, as well as the general resident community) from inbound contagious disease threats. 

 

 

 

 

[GeroWA]

After about 5 weeks being stranded in Australia the Ruby Princess finally left port today - link attached

 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-ruby-princess-cruise-ship-crew-taken-off-ahead-departure-australian-waters/91e4a0e0-e600-4980-b5ea-68584b8a3e78

[le chat]

Do hope the crew make it home safely.