FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ The Regal Princess cruise ship was stuck in limbo Sunday, sailing back and forth along the coast of South Florida waiting on coronavirus test results for two crew members.
The ship was scheduled to come ashore Sunday morning at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and leave on another cruise Sunday evening.
But instead of docking as planned, the ship is being forced to stay offshore until two crew can be tested for the virus that causes COVID-19. Both crew members recently worked on the Grand Princess _ the same ship in California that had 21 passengers and crew test positive for the virus.
The Regal Princess is being kept offshore at the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention until test results come in for the two crew members who served aboard the Grand Princess.
Princess Cruises has cancelled the cruise that was set to leave port Sunday evening. Passengers should contact the cruise line for more information.
Neither crew member on the Regal Princess is showing symptoms of the virus, according to a letter Capt. Tim Stringer sent to passengers on Saturday.
The two crew members transferred from another Princess vessel more than 14 days ago, the captain said in a letter to passengers dated March 7.
"The crew members are past the understood maximum incubation of COVID-19 and are asymptomatic," the captain wrote.
Both were screened by medical staff upon boarding the Regal Princess and were tested for respiratory symptoms, including fever.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention insisted that passengers not leave the ship until both crew members are tested for the virus, the caption wrote.
"We sincerely regret any inconvenience this has caused and appreciate your understanding and patience given the circumstances," Stringer wrote. "My officers and crew look forward to serving you for the remainder of our time together, and wish you safe homeward travels."
The Regal Princess set sail for the Caribbean out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale a week ago.
Ellen Kennedy, a spokeswoman for Port Everglades, could not be reached for comment. In an email, she referred all questions to the U.S. Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard spokesman said they were still gathering information and declined to comment.
Princess Cruises is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.
