In another coronavirus-related cruise development, Holland
America Line said that the Japanese government will not permit the Westerdam to
call in Japanese ports.
The ship’s next cruise has been canceled, and HAL must find
another port to disembark guests on the current sailing.
The ship is on a 14-day Taiwan and Japan cruise that
departed Hong Kong on Feb. 1 with 1,455 guests and 802 crew. It had been
scheduled to call at Ishigaki Island, Naha, Okinawa, Nagasaki and Fukuoka
before its scheduled turn in Yokohama on Feb. 15, where the next cruise was
scheduled to embark.
Japan is currently keeping Princess Cruises’ Diamond
Princess ship in quarantine in Yokohama for 14 days after 20 guests on that
ship tested positive for coronavirus. The Westerdam is not in quarantine and there are no known cases of coronavirus
on board at this time, HAL said.
“We are quickly working to develop alternate plans and are
keeping guests updated as information becomes available,” HAL said in a statement.
“As well, the latest updates will be posted under the Travel Advisory section
on our website as soon as they are known. The next cruise that was scheduled to
embark in Yokohama on Feb. 15 has been canceled. Booked guests and their travel
advisors will be notified.”