MV Hondius is now in Rotterdam. Crew members have been quarantined. Disinfection work is already underway.
Timestamp shown in UTC unless otherwise indicated.
Journey's end
On May 18, the MV Hondius entered the Port of Rotterdam. The cruise that started April 1 in Ushuaia was finally over. Only crew and two Dutch doctors remained on board. Passengers had been evacuated earlier.
Everyone still on the ship was retested. Results came back negative. But precautions stayed strict.
Quarantine and disinfection
23 crew members from the Philippines, Ukraine, and other countries entered a six-week quarantine. They are in Rotterdam under medical supervision.
The body of a deceased German passenger was removed from the ship. It was handed over for cremation in the Netherlands.
Five people — including the captain — stayed on board. They are conducting full disinfection. The process will take 3–4 days.
What's next
The ship's owner, Oceanwide Expeditions, confirmed: the Hondius will return to service on June 13. Cruises will continue.
But one question remains. How could this happen on an expedition vessel? And what measures will prevent a repeat?