Woman quarantined on cruise ship for coronavirus describes ‘scary’ experience

Princess Cruises has canceled the trip to Hawaii, and all guests will receive a refund, according to officials.

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – The Grand Princess cruise ship remains offshore the California coast Thursday morning as testing is underway for the coronavirus.

Denise Stoneham, a local woman quarantined on the ship, told KRON4 the delivery of the testing kits via helicopter was delayed for an hour. The testing kits arrived after 11 a.m.

The ship had been en route to Ensenada, Mexico but turned around after it was informed by the CDC that it was investigating a “small cluster” of coronavirus cases in Northern California linked to the ship.

This is the same cruise ship that was docked in San Francisco after a previous trip to Mexico. On that trip, an elderly man from Rocklin ended up dying from the coronavirus just two days later at a hospital in Roseville.

Officials said at least one other person on board that trip was also infected.

Before it was known the passenger was sick and died, the ship took off from San Francisco for another trip to Hawaii, with some of the same passengers and crew members.

The ship was halted by Governor Newsom when it became known about the death and when other people on board began experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Now there are concerns about whether they have exposed people at the ship terminal to the virus.

Once testing is complete the kits will be airlifted to Richmond for testing.

Officials said no one will be allowed to get off the ship until all test results have been received.

Out of precaution, all guests waiting on testing have been ordered to remain in their rooms.

Princess Cruises has canceled the trip to Hawaii, and all guests will receive a refund, according to officials.

Stoneham said she and other passengers were informed via a note slipped under passenger doors.

Officials said results from the testing kits are expected early Friday morning.

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