My four-month cruise ship hell
AN Accrington man stuck on board a quarantined cruise ship for FOUR months has finally returned home.
Eddy O’Brien was trapped on the Royal Caribbean International ship in the Philippines due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He also had to spend a total of 28 days in isolation in a cabin for 24 hours a day after staff members tested positive for the virus on two occasions.
The 25-year-old was working as the head sound and lighting technician on the ‘floating city’ and was due to disembark in April after a seven-month tour of the Caribbean and Australia.
Nearly 4,000 passengers left the ship on March 18 and were repatriated, however all crew members had to quarantine on board. It was one of 32 ships moored off the coast of Manila when the pandemic crisis began.
Travel restrictions, constantly changing local government and coronavirus guidelines and the separate virus outbreaks on board ship then significantly delayed Eddy’s return to the UK, until he was finally able to fly home last weekend.
The former St John’s Ambulance volunteer, was greeted at Manchester Airport on Monday with a huge hug and kisses from his mum Jo-Ann.
Eddy said he found the quarantine experience “very tough” and is now looking forward to enjoying some home comforts - including his mum’s shepherd’s pie!
He said: “It was a nightmare. We had to do two full lockdowns in the end because three staff tested positive on March 29 and the another eight tested positive on June 22.
“Each time we had to stay alone in our cabin for 14 days. No-one was able to leave their room. We couldn’t go out or see anyone.
“The only people we could see were those who checked our temperature and delivered our food.
“It was very tough on your mental health and also tough physically being locked in the same room.
“Some people didn’t have a window or any fresh air for those 14 days. Everyone had to go into single cabins and there were not enough cabins with balcony’s and windows.
“It was really tough on people. We were pretty much shut off from the world.”
The former St Christopher’s High School and Accrington and Rossendale College pupil first boarded the cruise ship in Singapore last September and was due to return home in April after a seven-month tour.
It is one of several cruise ships Eddy has worked on since graduating from The Manchester College in 2016.
Eddy said between the coronavirus outbreaks in March and June they could leave their cabins but were ‘very restricted’ on what they could do.
Then after the second outbreak a curfew was imposed and all crew members had to eat meals in their cabin instead of in congregating in communal dining areas.
He said: “There were no form of activities. Before we could play ping pong or go on the golf course or visit the swimming pool or the gym but we couldn’t do any of that.
“We could eat our meals together but then after the second lockdown ended we had to eat in our cabins again and there was a curfew from 11pm to 7am. It was tough.”
Internet access on board the ship was also ‘very limited and restrictive’ which meant talking to friends and family at home and staying in touch with the outside world was more difficult.
Eddy said it ‘feels great to be back’ home on Manchester Road in Accrington and is looking forward to putting his feet up, although his mother has other ideas.
He said: “I can finally start speaking to people and seeing people. My gran lives in Leeds and doesn’t have the internet so it has been quite tough speaking to her and keeping her up to date.
“My mum met me at the airport. There was a bit of drama as my plane had problems and was delayed. It was so nice to get back on home soil and be back with my family and friends.
“I’m going to enjoy chilling out at home but my mum also has a lot of jobs for me to do. I have been away for 10 months so the list of jobs is quite long.”