Burlington County Couple Recalls Being Isolated On Grand Princess Cruise Ship Due To Cluster Of Coronavirus Cases Onboard
MOORESTOWN, N.J. (CBS) -- A cruise ship with a cluster of coronavirus cases has started unloading passengers. The Grand Princess, which had been idling off the California coast, docked Monday at the Port of Oakland.
Passengers on the ship will be transported to military bases to be tested for COVID-19 and quarantined.
The Devers are from Burlington County. Since the only illness they are suffering from right now is cabin fever, they don't predict that they will be getting off the ship until Tuesday at the earliest. Even then, they're not expecting to return home.
A moment of temporary relief came for passengers aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship as it neared its dock in Oakland, California -- two days after its scheduled arrival.
Onboard were about 3,500 people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus, including Moorestown couple Karen and Harry Dever.
"This is our fifth day of isolation," Karen Dever said.
The Devers left on Feb. 21 and cruised to Hawaii. They were diverted before reaching their second stop in Mexico and sent to the waters off San Francisco.
"By the time we are done with this, this will be well probably over a month," Karen Dever said.
The ship was met in Oakland Monday afternoon by workers in full-body protective clothing and medical tents.
"They did tell us to have our bags packed," Dever said.
The disembarking process is expected to take days. California residents will be taken to military bases in the state while other passengers will be transported to bases in Texas and Georgia.
"I am assuming since we are East Coast that we will be going to Dobbins, but I don't know," Dever said.
The Devers say passengers haven't been told much at all, including if they will spend an additional 12 days in quarantine on bases.
"We are healthy, we don't have any underlying medical issues," Karen Dever said.
They say they have not tested positive for COVID-19 and feel good.
The Devers are thankful for that and having a room with a balcony.
"I would love a hamburger right now," Karen Dever said.
The couple says that the quality of food onboard has diminished. The couple said they would absolutely go on a cruise again, just not during this outbreak.