Diamond Princess Completes Guest Disembarkation in Japan

Princess Cruises confirmed on Feb. 27 that all guests have disembarked the Diamond Princess, which was under quarantine at Yokohama, Japan, since Feb. 3. Some crew members still on board will enter a secondary quarantine at a land-based facility in Japan, where they will get medical care.

Fewer than 500 crew members remain on board, and some are awaiting government charter flights. The rest will enter the quarantine facility under a plan finalized with the Japan Ministry of Health.

Princess hired Aspen Medical, a World Health Organization-certified company with global experience in delivering public health services, to care for crew members at a land-based center in Japan. The Australia-based company will deploy up to 60 professionals, including doctors, nurses and environmental health officers, along with operations personnel.

Aspen will provide daily health checks and laundry, meal and housekeeping services and help with recreational activities.

“This secondary quarantine is required by the Japan Ministry of Health, out of an abundance of caution, to ensure the health and well-being of each team member,” Princess said in a statement. “Aspen Medical will be operating under the direction of the Japan Ministry of Health, which is ultimately responsible for the quarantine.”

The crew members who served passengers on the quarantined ship, amid a rising number of coronavirus cases, will get two months of paid vacation from Princess.