Live coronavirus updates: Grand Princess cruise ship departs Pier 35 in San Francisco
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Grand Princess cruise ship left the Port of Oakland on March 16. It had been docked for nearly one week at the Port of Oakland's Outer Harbor Terminal, far away from Alameda, Oakland's Jack London Square and the Estuary.
Nineteen crew members on the ship have tested positive for COVID-19 and three people have died, including two passengers. The ship is now heading back out to sea after stopping for supplies in San Francisco on April 8.
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Latest Information:
April 8, 2020
The Grand Princess cruise ship left Pier 35 in San Francisco Wednesday evening after restocking supplies. Nineteen crew members on the ship have tested positive for COVID-19 and three people have died, including two passengers. The ship is heading to an undisclosed location at sea. Some passengers are taking action in a new lawsuit against the company, claiming it knew the virus was on the ship and still decided to sail.
April 7, 2020
The Grand Princess cruise ship briefly docked at Pier 35 in San Francisco on Tuesday to restock supplies before sailing back under the Golden Gate Bridge. The CDC says everyone on board remains virus-free. Nearly 650 crew members of the Grand Princess completed their 14-day quarantine Saturday.
March 24, 2020
6 a.m.
Merced couple from Grand Princess cruise returns home after being quarantined at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego
For weeks, Grand Princess cruise ship passengers Don and Denise Turner have called the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego home after being quarantined. Now they're finally returning home.
March 23, 2020
7 p.m.
Some passengers quarantined at Travis Airforce Base released to go home
The two weeks of quarantine are up for the Grand Princess cruise ship passengers. Monday and Tuesday many will leave the base to head home.
March 19, 2020
9 p.m.
Princess cruise passengers refuse to get tested for COVID-19
The ABC7 News I-Team has confirmed that a majority of passengers from the Grand Princess who are quarantined at Travis Air Force base are refusing to be tested for coronavirus. Their release is just days away.
March 16, 2020
10:05 a.m.
Grand Princess Cruise ship anchors in SF Bay
The Grand Princess Cruise ship is now anchored in the San Francisco Bay after leaving the Port of Oakland. The ship will remain anchored there for two weeks. The plan called for moving the ship into the bay around 7 p.m. Sunday, but that was delayed until this morning. The ship has 75 medical workers on board to care for the 340 crew members and six foreign passengers.
8:15 a.m.
Grand Princess cruise ship leaves Port of Oakland
The Grand Princess cruise ship has left the Port of Oakland after being docked their for nearly a week.
7:30 a.m.
Tug boats in place on Grand Princess Cruise ship
Tug boats were in place at the Grand Princess cruise ship at the Port of Oakland on Monday morning. Officials have not released an official time when the ship will leave the San Francisco Bay.
March 15, 2020
3:00 p.m.
Cruise ship scheduled to leave Port of Oakland
Governor Newsom said the Grand Princess will depart the Port of Oakland at 7 p.m.
March 13, 2020
7 a.m.
Some international travelers still stuck on board, waiting for their countries' charters
There are still international travelers on board the Grand Princess cruise ship, Princess Cruises confirm. Public Health and cruise officials say 14 of them are stuck on board at least through the weekend until their countries arrange charters. Once the 14 international guest disembark, the guest disembarkation process will be complete.
Plans for a crew quarantine are still being finalized, Princess Cruises say.
Meanwhile, frustration is mounting at the four military bases where the rest of the passengers are being quarantined. With each new busload of new patients, their quarantine is extended. The latest batch of people arrive Thursday, meaning they will be quarantined for another 14 days, ABC reports.
March 12, 2020
4 p.m.
Most Princess cruise passengers to disembark by tonight, Newsom says
In a press conference in Sacramento on Thursday, Gov. Newsom also mentioned at majority of passengers will be off the Grand Princess cruise ship by Thursday night. However, the 1,100 crew members will remain onboard until Sunday.
3 p.m.
Newsom addresses frustrations of passengers quarantined at Travis AFB
The American citizens aboard the Grand Princess have been transported to various sites, including Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and Miramar Marine Air Station in the San Diego area. Newsom said some of those from other parts of the country have also been transported to Dobbins in Georgia, but another facility in Texas will only take citizens from Texas. Newsom also addressed some complaints from those housed at Travis that the conditions and provisions for the 14-day quarantine there have been inadequate. "We are dealing with some logistical issues related to provisions," said Newsom. "We are working to improve, but as you know that is a federal operation."
11 a.m.
More than 400 passengers remain onboard Princess cruise ship
In a press conference on Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that there are still 476 passengers onboard, many of them foreigners, who will require more time to accommodate in terms of transportation back to their home countries. "This was the day we hoped to conclude the process," said Governor Gavin Newsom, "save the crew which we discussed will remain on the boat."
March 11, 2020
12:20 p.m.
Other passengers in good spirits as they wait for their turn
8:30 a.m.
Third day of disembarking begins as passengers' frustration grows
March 10, 2020
11:00 p.m.
Frustration growing for passengers stuck another night on Grand Princess
Tuesday night frustrations were building among some passengers who were on and are on the Grand Princess cruise ship. Many had to wait for long periods of time on charter buses after they disembarked from the ship. Others on board say the food is no longer good. They're hoping they can finally leave tomorrow morning.
8:30 p.m.
More passengers disembark Grand Princess
A total of 1,406 people have left the cruise ship. About 1,000 more will disembark Wednesday.
7 p.m.
'It feels so isolating': Passengers headed to quarantine
Some passengers on board the Grand Princess were bused to Oakland International Airport today while many more wait their turn.
Officials in hazmat suits greeted the disembarked passengers for the next leg of their journey, a two-week coronavirus quarantine.
Out of state passengers are being taken to military bases in Georgia and Texas.
The disembarking process is expected to continue through the week.
"We have not received any luggage tags yet or instructions but we're waiting patiently," said Oklahoma resident Teresa Roberts.
Teresa Roberts and her husband were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
"Our bags are packed and ready to go," said Roberts. "It feels so isolating because we can see people, we know people are there we see helicopters we see our Coast Guard but gosh we're here we're on the ship still."
The couple is thankful for what comforts they do have including hot meals.
"It's great food, we just need more exercise," said Roberts. "It feels good to have contact with the outside world and it feels good to talk to you and your crew and just know that Californians are really supporting us and we're very thankful for that."
An unlikely trip for so many, that's not over yet.
6:45 p.m.
Passengers 'reaching the end of their patience'
Some passengers on board the Grand Princess are calling 9-1-1 for help.
"We have received information that guest have been calling 911 emergency numbers, people do not do this," announced Captain Smith to all passengers.
Since Thursday, thousands aboard the Grand Princess Cruise ship have been in confined rooms.
"Everybody on the ship is just kind of reaching the end of their patience of when they need something they want someone to act and not be told - 'well we can't take care of that right now.' So they call 911 to get some actions," said passenger John Miller.
Pittsburg resident Ryan Ashbaker was in one of the inner cabins inside the Grand Princes and is now in quarantine at Travis Air Force Base.
Ashbaker raised concerns about the quarantine process and the effectiveness of these methods.
"Why were we contained in our rooms together in the ship if they're just going to have us intermingle with each other again?" said Ashbaker.
4 p.m.
Passengers continue disembarking from ship
Tents and buses are still dockside along the Grand Princess cruise ship at the Port of Oakland Tuesday night as people continue to exit the ship.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said 269 people had exited the ship on Tuesday as of 1 p.m. with the majority going to Travis Air Force Base and the rest heading to Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas.
What passengers are saying
One Santa Rosa woman and her family described their accommodations at Travis Air Force Base as a comfortable suite or apartment where she said lunch and chilled water bottles were waiting for them.
One of the stranded passengers still on board the ship, Carolyn Wright, told ABC7 news that she is totally in the dark with no information on when she'd get off the ship or where she would be taken to.
She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and has pets to take care of and is self-employed so every day she's gone she's losing her income stream.
She's also worried about the herding or crowding of people she's witnessed as they leave the ship when they were originally told to keep a 6 foot distance from each other.
A total of 234 Canadians also left the ship on Monday and were transported to a chartered aircraft for repatriation.
The problem is thousands more are still aboard.
2:43 p.m.
Nevada Passengers get news from Governor about returning home
1:33 p.m.
Unloaded passengers arrive at Oakland Airport for Charter flights
12:15 p.m.
Unloading cruise ship passengers a slow process in Oakland
