Couple’s dream honeymoon now a nightmare
A three-week romp through the Pacific with your new spouse might sound like a nice way to start a marriage — at least until a global pandemic hits.
Newlyweds Jay and Carmen Martinez had their honeymoon disrupted in a way they never could have imagined.
With the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus, the San Antonio natives and 2,000 other passengers on the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship have been turned away from ports across the Pacific, even though no one on the ship has tested positive for COVID-19 or shown symptoms of the disease.
Fears of the virus spreading rapidly within cruise ships and the logistical issues of getting passengers home caused ports in New Zealand, French Polynesia and Fiji to turn the ship away.
Officials in Hawaii said this week the Norwegian Jewel and another cruise ship — the Maasdam — were allowed to restock on fuel and food in Honolulu Harbor.
“However, passengers will not be allowed to leave the ship,” the Hawaii Department of Transportation said in a statement.
“Presently, all state resources are focused and directed toward containing the spread of COVID-19,” said Jade Butay, director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation. “Allowing more than 2,500 passengers and crew to disembark will further strain these resources.”
That surprised the passengers, who thought they would be leaving the ship and returning home from Hawaii.
“We had been told a few days ago we were going to be able to disembark in Honolulu,” Jay Martinez said. “And about 30 minutes after that, we found out from that announcement that the Department of Transportation for the state government of Hawaii had since rescinded that offer.
“So you had over 36 hours of people continuing to book flights under false pretense they’re going to be going home.”
Martinez, 27, and his wife, 26, have become a connection to the outside world for the ship, relaying messages to and from passengers’ families.
Liaisons for passengers
“In a nutshell, our cabin has been turned into a makeshift joint operation for the entire cruise ship,” Martinez said. “We’re working as liaisons for family members looking to get in touch with those on board that may not have access to the internet or may not be tech savvy enough to access the internet.”
Martinez said morale on the ship has fluctuated. Passengers repeatedly have thought or been told that they would be allowed to disembark, only to learn their ship was being turned away.
With only about 20 computers available for passengers to use — and slow internet speeds — Martinez said it can be a “logistical nightmare” with six- hour wait times for passengers who want to schedule a flight home online or contact a relative.
But Martinez said the crew has been “phenomenal” and that the passengers have come together as they’ve worked to get home.
“I think that among the guests on board, there’s definitely been a sense of camaraderie that we’re in this together. We’re in the same boat,” Martinez said.
“Most of us are doing our best to weather the storm, but there’s heightened levels of anxiety and frustration.“
The Norwegian Jewel is expected to arrive in Honolulu today, and Martinez said he wants Norwegian Cruise Lines to make a deal that would let passengers leave the ship and get shuttled to a chartered plane — ensuring minimal exposure to the Hawaiian
public.
“The corporate cruise line correspondences that we’ve been getting, we’re not getting told the entirety of the true story. The communications we are getting are very sparse and vague,” he said.
“Our intended solution, for the health and safety of Hawaiians, is that Norwegian Cruise Lines take initiative in this matter and arrange a direct transport from cruise ship to the airport.”
The Norwegian Jewel isn’t the only cruise ship marooned amid the pandemic. More than a dozen cruise ships around the world are currently unable to disembark.
Easter plans likely on hold
Martinez works in public affairs, while his bride works in public health.
The two UTSA graduates recently relocated from San Antonio, but Martinez said they’re looking forward to coming back and seeing family here.
The couple had planned a trip to visit home for Easter — but that probably will have to be postponed, he said with a chuckle.
Martinez said he has been able to work remotely from the ship. But recent days have been consumed with organizing communications for passengers on board and trying to resolve the situation.
When the couple finally returns home — whenever that may be — Martinez said he’ll try to figure out the new socially distanced world.
“We want to get a grasp of our surroundings when we’re in closer proximity to family, of what this new normal is going to look like until we get a grasp on what it is that’s going on,” he said. “What I want to do when I get home is re-evaluate, hug my cat, and wake up the next morning and get back to work.”
“Presently, all state resources are focused and directed toward containing the spread of COVID-19. Allowing more than 2,500 passengers and crew to disembark will further strain these resources.” Jade Butay, director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation