BELIZE CITY, Sun. May 31, 2020– The New Orleans-based Carnival Glory made its way into the Belize City harbor this weekend to drop off its 10 Belizean crew members. Since the COVID-19 pandemic locked down the world in March and April of this year, many cruise ships have had to remain anchored at sea.

Carnival Glory was reportedly anchored off the coast of Jamaica for the past two and a half months.

Since Belize became a port of call for major cruise ship companies, many Belizeans have been hired by cruise companies in various capacities.

Last Saturday, Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas anchored in the Belize City harbor on a similar mission—to bring home its 14 Belizean crew members.

Under the present quarantine arrangement that the government has set up for returning Belizeans, the cruise ship companies have agreed to pay the cost of hotel accommodations for their crew. The Rhapsody of the Seas’ Belizean crew is being quarantined at the Radisson Fort George Hotel.

There was no immediate report on where the Carnival Glory crew will be quarantined for the next 14 days.

Ministry of Health officials have recommended the quarantine process for returning Belizeans to protect Belizeans at home from any possible contact with imported COVID-19 cases.

According to an official report, there are about 500 Belizeans who have been displaced due to the global lockdown and are ready to return home.

Due to limited financial resources, the government has announced that it is giving priority to Belizeans who can afford to pay for their quarantine. Those Belizeans who cannot afford the cost of the 14-day quarantine will be returned at a slower pace.

The process for Belizeans to be repatriated back home begins with the filling out of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs form that is available on the government’s COVID-19 web page. Following the filling out of the form, applicants will then be screened by the Ministry of Health, the Immigration Department and the Ministry of National Security, before being allowed to enter Belize.

Feature photo: Carnival Glory