US, Canadian Emerald Princess Crew Members Disembark At Port Everglades
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - One hundred-twenty-three Emerald Princess crew members were allowed to disembark in Port Everglades Saturday after being stuck at sea.
The port says the ship has been docked since last month, but crew members were not allowed to get off.
Video from the Consulate General of Canada in Miami shows Canadian crew members leaving the cruise ship and the port today.
They were all bused to a chartered plane in Miami where they headed home to Toronto.
A New York City performer who was on board tweeted he was finally stepping onto dry land after 60 days on a ship.
Princess Cruises says there were 70 Americans and more than 50 Canadians on Emerald Princess.
The cruise line made the travel arrangements. They had strict guidelines from The US Coast Guard and CDC.
In the federal 'No Sail Order,' captains could not request to disembark crew members at US ports unless directed by the US Coast Guard.
The US Guardsmen told CNN on May 5th, there were more than 57,000 crew members on 74 ships at US ports and the Caribbean.
Here is what Princess Cruise Lines had to say:
"Up to 123 American and Canadian crew (approximately 70 American and 53 Canadian) are scheduled to disembark in Port Everglades, with homeward travel arrangements coordinated by the company. Canadian citizens will return to Canada (Toronto) by a dedicated chartered aircraft through Miami."
"We remain deeply committed to and focused on reuniting our shipboard team members with their families safely and continue to make progress with arranging their travel to return to their home countries."
"Emerald Princess came into the Port on April 19 for supplies but I don't think that they disembarked any crew."
Some of the crew members are people who took care of sick travelers.
The cruise line only confirmed Americans and Canadians were able to leave.
It is still unclear about crew members from other counties.
Performer and Maryland native Emily Freeman talked to our sister station, WJZ, in Baltimore last month.
"Just like being isolated in my 230 square foot cabin on a ship is fine but it's not a permanent solution," Freeman said.
She leaned on making videos for TikTok to pass the time in Emerald Princess. She first boarded the ship March 8th.
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