Tensions are running high on board the cruise ship "Mein Schiff 3" after one crew member tested positive for Coronavirus. There are about 2,900 crew members aboard Mein Schiff 3 gathered from the entire fleet. Some of them have criticized the company for handling the situation, especially about the gathering such a large number of crew on one ship. Most of the crew have not been allowed to leave the ship for more than 50 days. Some crew members are accommodated in cabins without windows and most of them share cabins, therefore social distancing is impossible to follow. 

The situation on board is apparently quite tense than previously known and the Police had to board the ship on Saturday after TUI has reported an incident of property damage on Mein Schiff 3. Police officers recorded the personal details of a male and a female crew member who are said to have deliberately destroyed ships furniture. The damage is said to be several thousand euros.

A video was also recorded by the crew when the police intervened. In the video, you can hear some crew members shouting from the baconies “ Send People Home, Enough is Enough.”

TUI Cruises released the following statement saying:

"We are aware that the situation for the crew on board is currently very stressful and thank the crew for their patience. We do everything in our power to organize the return trips as quickly as possible despite worldwide travel restrictions and requirements. Here we continue to count on the very good cooperation between the authorities.” 

After the first reported case of COVID-19 on board Mein Schiff 3, the entire crew has been tested on May 3. Today two-thirds of the test results were released, with additional seven more crew members positive for Covid-19. The crew members who tested positive had mild or no symptoms and were immediately isolated in their cabins.

Following the test results Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises said "We are pleased with the large majority of the negative test results so far and hope that the disease history of the eight crew members who tested positive for COVID-19 continues to be mild," said Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. “We would like to thank the crew for their patience and assume that the test results will help the crew's return trip to pick up speed. In addition, we are pleased about the good cooperation with the authorities of the state of Lower Saxony, the district of Cuxhaven and the federal police, without which the return trip would not be possible”

Many of the crew members expressed their concern and frustration about the situation saying "What else do you expect when you gather over 3000 people in a closed environment. You bring hundreds of crew members from all fleet in one place and after start deciding how to bring them home. Sorry but to me, this is wiping before pooping"

“This company started only with one Ship (The old mein ship one, and now the Marella Explorer) Now they have a total of 7 Ships, And 2 more are on the way, So don't tell us that you are on the blink of bankruptcy. It's not about the issues of money anymore, the job is replaceable but we only live once” said another crew member.

Today we have received a message from a wife of one of the crew members on board Main Schiff 3 saying:

“I am writing on behalf of my husband and the rest of the Filipino crew members who is now on-board Mein Schiff 3. The current situation on-board Mein Schiff 3 is now a serious cause of concern due to the fact that there are now 1 confirmed and at least two unverified cases of Covid 19. Although it may seem that it is just a minute fraction of the total number of crew members on board, the fact still remains that it just takes one person to spread the virus. I, together with my children and our entire family is now very worried about my husband’s current situation knowing that cabins are shared with one or more crew members. The whole world has been advised to practice social distancing and that there should be at least two meters between each other. And this is quite impossible to achieve if there are 3200 crew members on board and are now sharing rooms. I am aware that my husband and the other crew members still on board did sign and opted to stay on board but as the situation has changed, I believe that it is the company’s moral obligation and responsibility to put forward what is best for each crew member. If the company cannot guarantee that proper safety measures and medical assistance is given to each crew member, it will be best to send them to their country of origin until the Covid situation is under control and things are back to “normal”. I would like to appeal to your humanitarian heart to consider repatriating my husband and the rest of the crew members who are now scared as to what the future will hold for them knowing that the virus has already spread within the cruise ship. I ask for your kind consideration and understanding. It is difficult enough to be separated from family but is more difficult to be separated from your family and be faced with fear and uncertainty.”