What happens to Ships Captains?

[mets123]

Do they rotate off as scheduled, or do they remain onboard indefinitely to satisfy CDC or other regulatory agencies? I assume the same answer would apply to all officers as well.

[Oceansaway17]

I guess it depends on availability of ports and when repatriation ends.

Ships are not docking but are shuttling.

I think crew removal has to be completed first.

Also, flights home and safety too.

Not to mention getting replacement officers to sign new contracts too. Officers might have to stay on much longer than expected for many reasons. But at least they are safe and getting paid.

 

RCI has 5 ships in Pacific away from the rest of the fleet. Those 5 (Quantum, Ovation, Spectrum, Voyager, and Radiance), could have interesting situation. Waiting to hear about Aug or Sept Alaska. Also Australia for November season and Asian market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pratique]

They will rotate off as soon as practicable.

[nicstress]

They need to wait for the new captain. Captain Kate on Celebrity Edge was due to leave when cruising stopped. Her relief is coming from.Greece and cannot get a flight. So she and her cat stay. 

[chengkp75]

Unless the ship enters a true "cold layup" where the ship is anchored in a protected anchorage and the ship's certificate of class (think of your car's safety inspection sticker) and certificate of register (car's title) are suspended, there must be a person onboard with a valid Master's license.  Similarly, there needs to be a statutory minimum of officers and crew.  These are deck and engine officers and crew.  Hotel supervisors are not officers (despite the stripes).  So, given the flight restrictions in place in many countries where the Captains would be coming from, or going to, crew change for Captains, officers and crew can be delayed.  Now, this is a real problem that goes far beyond the cruise industry.  There are about 180,000 officers and crew onboard cruise ships, worldwid, at any time, there are 1.6 million merchant ship crew (including the cruise ship crew) on ships, worldwide, at any time.  These crew account for 100,000 crew changes each and every month, and for the last two months, at least, these crew have not been allowed to leave or join their ships in most ports around the world.  If allowed to continue, this could lead to cargo ships stopping, and this would lead to a worldwide recession/depression, as 80+% of the world's economy travels by sea.  Now, the IMO is working with member nations to get restrictions lifted on merchant mariners, to allow crew changes to proceed as nearly as normal as possible.  However, the US CDC has placed punitive restrictions on the cruise ship crew wishing to change in the US, in their showdown with cruise lines.  The USCG has maintained throughout the lockdown in the US that merchant mariners, of all nationalities, are essential workers and should be given free access to ports and travel required for their business.  But, cruise ship crew are currently outside this viewpoint, which is upheld by international accord, and so they remain in quarantine on ships far longer than anyone else in the US has endured, and are not part of the gradual loosening of stay at home requirements.