News on the Westerdam

[Vict0riann]

I just had an email from our friend who is on the Westerdam.  She said they are being escorted into a port about 25 kms. from Laem Chabang near a navy base, by the Thai navy, but she didn't know if they would be then allowed to disembark.  She said there is no one ill on the ship and she thinks people will come on board to check temperatures.  They are at day 12 after HK, so incubation period is almost over.  Plenty of food and drink on board!  She attached a picture.

 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Vict0riann
Changed info

[bobpatj]

We visited this Cambodian port on the first part of our cruise, on Jan. 21st.  We did see the hotel school, on our tour.  We thank our hard working Captain, Cruise Director, all staff and crew for making this "Cruise to Nowhere" as comfortable as possible.

[Mandalay1903]

5 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

I just had an email from our friend who is on the Westerdam.  She said they are being escorted into a port about 25 kms. from Laem Chabang near a navy base, by the Thai navy, but she didn't know if they would be then allowed to disembark.  She said there is no one ill on the ship and she thinks people will come on board to check temperatures.  They are at day 12 after HK, so incubation period is almost over.  Plenty of food and drink on board!  She attached a picture.

 

 

Not going to Laem Chabang...

Edited February 12, 2020 by Mandalay1903

[Vict0riann]

I wonder if she is wrong and the Thai navy is escorting them to Cambodia....

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 minutes ago, BarbarianPaul said:

I think Sihanoukville is probably about the worst possible place to debark, and, as we were told during the port talk prior to our visit on HA, is consistently ranked at the bottom of passenger ratings. The reviews are far from kind. 

 

That said, at least everyone is getting off! Interesting that it will take several days. Maybe that has something to do with the availability of charter planes. Considering that almost half the people have already been there on the previous cruise, I doubt if many folks are going to be happily exploring the place. I wonder how they’re going to prioritize who debarks first.

 

I don't think anyone is going to complain about the debarkation port at this point. I think debarking will depend on flights. If HAL is picking up the cost of these flights, I would expect that they're making the bookings. Who gets booked first? Probably people who booked their flights through HAL to begin with and people for whom seats on the appropriate route are available.

 

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, Mandalay1903 said:

Not going to Laem Chabang...

 

They were going to go there for provisions and fuel only IF needed.  No one would have been let off the cruise ship.

 

Since Cambodia has now given permission for them for the 13th, they may not need the stop here for provisions/fuel?

[Btimmer]

As of this writing the ship is 7-8 hours away from the ship's projected docking time.

[G.M.T.]

4 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

I disembarked in Sihanoukville so as to join a land tour once. There's not a lot at the port. Nothing, really. HAL mentioned logistics in one of the earlier posts. That must be what they meant.

There is a lot at the port - first stage of the journey HOME.

[Rowsby]

A photo from Christina Kerby (via twitter 2/12/20) - who is on the Westerdam....I'm sure staff, crew and passengers will all be happy when they finally touch ground.....

 

 

[iancal]

We skipped Sihanoukville on our land tour of Cambodia in favor of Phu Quok, Vietnam.

 

All of our research indicated it was a dump, as did multiple people we met on our travels who had been there.

 

But IF those cruisers get to disembark I have no doubt that the will be thankful to be there....even if they have to pay for a visa.   Just the thought that an end is in sight will be wonderful for them.    For those  that are there for a few day USD, is the currency and the ATM’s dispense USD.

[lizinvan]

Yes, there is a hotel training school in Sihanoukville. It is called Don Bosco. They are tried to provide hospitality industry training for young people.  We did a private tour off the Volendam Dec 2017 with some of their graduates which included a tour of the school and a stop at a local elementary school to deliver school supplies.  We did a city tour which included historic monuments,  temple, beach, the two schools and the best meal of the whole trip at a wonderful resort on the beach of new hotel. 3 course meal, choice of 3 set menus we planned in advance for small group. They took great care of us for the full day.  Have details if anyone interested.

[mom0f3]

Don Bosco does great work.   You can donate money to provide a scholarship for one of their students, as we did after we visited.   Might be a really nice way for passengers or Holland America to thank Sihanoukville for their hospitality in allowing the ship to dock there.   

[Viv0828]

16 minutes ago, mom0f3 said:

Don Bosco does great work.   You can donate money to provide a scholarship for one of their students, as we did after we visited.   Might be a really nice way for passengers or Holland America to thank Sihanoukville for their hospitality in allowing the ship to dock there.  

 

i am sure HAL is paying a lot to be allowed to dock there. course most of it will probably stay in the pockets of high government officials so the donation idea is really nice.

[sndral]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I don't think anyone is going to complain about the debarkation port at this point. I think debarking will depend on flights. If HAL is picking up the cost of these flights, I would expect that they're making the bookings. Who gets booked first? Probably people who booked their flights through HAL to begin with and people for whom seats on the appropriate route are available.

 

If HAL is arranging chartered flights it will be different from a normal booking. Presumably the whole plane will be filled with Westerdam passengers flying to an airport in their home country. So who gets off the ship first will most likely depend on the logistics of arranging the chartered airplanes. Once the passengers arrive in their own countries via the chartered planes I assume they’ll be able to continue to their home airports via normal bookings. 

Many years ago the FAA shut down the airline I was flying the day before I was leaving Maui, the company I’d purchased my flight through had a lot of stranded passengers on Hawaiian holiday packages and they chartered a plane to get us all home.  It happened to be a Delta plane they chartered - I’ve had a fondness for Delta ever since. 

[mcrcruiser]

Very happy that the Cambodian government is allowing the Westerdam to disembark  the passengers . Finally ,those   people can get back home ;which is a blessing  for  the passengers ,crew ,officers & all HAL personnel 

[mcrcruiser]

Now we pray that  a similar blessing is bestowed on  all people aboard Diamond Princess 

Edited February 12, 2020 by mcrcruiser

[iancal]

Diamond is a much different situation that appears to be getting worse as each new day passes.

[npcl]

9 minutes ago, sndral said:

If HAL is arranging chartered flights it will be different from a normal booking. Presumably the whole plane will be filled with Westerdam passengers flying to an airport in their home country. So who gets off the ship first will most likely depend on the logistics of arranging the chartered airplanes. Once the passengers arrive in their own countries via the chartered planes I assume they’ll be able to continue to their home airports via normal bookings. 

Many years ago the FAA shut down the airline I was flying the day before I was leaving Maui, the company I’d purchased my flight through had a lot of stranded passengers on Hawaiian holiday packages and they chartered a plane to get us all home.  It happened to be a Delta plane they chartered - I’ve had a fondness for Delta ever since. 

According to HAL's letter it will take a few days to get everyone off of the ship.  They said that will use charter flights to Phnom Penh. So one would expect that the passengers will be put on commercial flights there (paid for by HAL).

[kangforpres]

Anyone know where the Westy is scheduled to sail to next after they get everyone off in Cambodia? I'm assuming they are altering its scheduled for the rest of its Asian/Eastern Hemisphere duty.

[sndral]

6 minutes ago, npcl said:

According to HAL's letter it will take a few days to get everyone off of the ship.  They said that will use charter flights to Phnom Penh. So one would expect that the passengers will be put on commercial flights there (paid for by HAL).

Thank you for explaining - I missed the Phnom Penh part and was wondering where all of the chartered planes would come from, of course there are a lot of idled planes at the moment w/ all of the canceled flights.

Edited February 12, 2020 by sndral

[kazu]

16 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

Anyone know where the Westy is scheduled to sail to next after they get everyone off in Cambodia? I'm assuming they are altering its scheduled for the rest of its Asian/Eastern Hemisphere duty.

 

There is no sailing on Feb. 15th.  That cruise is cancelled.

 

The February 29th cruise is the current question mark.  Time will tell, I guess.

[ski ww]

People doing this cruise bought & planned the cruise before all this happened so most are beyond final payment date. Do they have the option of cancelling without penalty??  Cruise lines must be taking a hit for cruises to/from Asia for the next couple of months. 

[perditax]

45 minutes ago, iancal said:

Diamond is a much different situation that appears to be getting worse as each new day passes.

There were fewer new cases announced today than there were yesterday.

[kathy49]

18 minutes ago, perditax said:

There were fewer new cases announced today than there were yesterday.

how many today..I saw nothing announced given it is very early in the morning. yesterday was 39!

[kathy49]

1 hour ago, sndral said:

If HAL is arranging chartered flights it will be different from a normal booking. Presumably the whole plane will be filled with Westerdam passengers flying to an airport in their home country. So who gets off the ship first will most likely depend on the logistics of arranging the chartered airplanes. Once the passengers arrive in their own countries via the chartered planes I assume they’ll be able to continue to their home airports via normal bookings. 

Many years ago the FAA shut down the airline I was flying the day before I was leaving Maui, the company I’d purchased my flight through had a lot of stranded passengers on Hawaiian holiday packages and they chartered a plane to get us all home.  It happened to be a Delta plane they chartered - I’ve had a fondness for Delta ever since. 

I would think the charter would take them to an airport where everyone can make connections home...doubt if separate charter to each country?