
Within the last four days. the cruise ships Spectrum of the Seas and the Voyager of the Seas (latter previously in Sangley) are now in Manila Bay with more than 2,400 Filipino seafarers on board. On Saturday the Carnival Spirit joined the two in Manila Bay with more than 500 Filipino crew members. The Carnival Spirit is expected to disembark their Manila-based crew in Manila, after which it will sail south to disembark crew hailing from the Visayas and Mindanao.
These three cruise ships, together with the previously listed four other cruise ships still in Sangley, brings to seven the number of cruise ships off the ports of Manila and Sangley. (An eighth cruise ship is reported amongst that number, name unknown as of now.)
The Bureau of Immigration advise that as of Sunday, some fifty special flights carrying OFWs, mainly seafarers. have arrived since the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) took effect mid-March. In recent weeks, the Philippines’ flag-carrier, Philippine Air Lines (PAL), has flown in OFWs from Canada, Australia, The Maldives and Kuala Lumpur.
All OFWs, sea- or land-based, arriving by sea or by air, must undergo a fourteen-day Philippines-based quarantine. Those on the cruise ships are required to stay in separate cabins on those vessels, none of which have passengers on board.
Comments