Cabin fever sets in for desperate Newark cruise line worker who was on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas for 65 days and remains at sea because of coronavirus
A cruise liner worker has been stranded at sea for more than 65 days and says he has been kept in the dark as to how he will get home.
Greg Wheeler spends his days in isolation 24 hours a day in a cabin that is no bigger than a standard home's living room.
He said he felt like a prisoner on a ship, Oasis of the Seas, where it is believed three crew have died with covid-19, and a victim of misinformation and conflicting from the operators of the cruise line.
The crew were told in a captain's announcement that there were 54 covid-19 cases onboard, but rumours among the crew puts that figure at more like 300.
Theatre technician Greg, who said he initially felt cared for and supported by cruise line operator Royal Caribbean International, was said by supporters to be living on basic food, little contact with the outside world, friends and family. and living cabin fever in real-time.
Argent, the theatre company he belongs to back home in Newark, said it was a disgrace and inhumane while friends say he and others like him have been forgotten.
Greg, from Newark, has worked for Royal Caribbean for over two years and said up until the "covid-19 debacle" planned to spend a decade working for the company.
The way I coped in isolation I do not know," Greg said.
"On the 25th all but essential crew had their contacts brought to an end — in my words fired but Royal Caribbean Lines doesn't like that.
"I was on the second group when two days before the CDC decided that any cruise ship crew had to travel by private transport, meaning all booked flights are off, and on the 28th we had our first case of covid-19 so we went into isolation for 14 days.
"It got extended to 28.
"In the end in the end we were told officially told we had 54 cases. From the ship board grape vine it was over 300.
"I have now been moved to Freedom of the Seas and hopefully onto a charter home.
"Myself and most of the crew haven't set foot on land in 65 days and even when we do get home everyone I know will be doing 14 days isolation just to be sure we are not passing it on.
"As time passed myself and my friends began joking about us being just number on a spreadsheet and I began to feel like we were never getting home."
The Argent Theatre Company is offering support under the hashtag #Getgregghome and say he receives basic food, little contact with the outside world, friends and family.
Newark MP Robert Jenrick, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, has taken up Greg's case with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
"I have spoken with the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to raise the case and followed up in writing, as well as to Royal Caribbean. This is a very unfortunate situation and his many local friends are understandably concerned," said Mr Jenrick.
It has been reported there are as many as 100,000 cruise ship workers trapped at sea.
Greg said there have been three suicides in the Royal Caribbean fleet, although none of them were on Oasis of the Seas.
"Even though I don't know them personally it hurts to know someone in our ship family was left thinking that jumping into the sea was their only hope," he said.
A spokesman for Royal Caribbean International said: "We have already been able to help over 17,000 of our colleagues return safely home to their families and loved ones on commercial flights, charter flights and direct sailings to their native countries and thousands more are going home in the coming days.
"We are working with governments and health authorities around the world on our plans, and we very much appreciate our crews’ patience, understanding and good spirit. In addition to HR support onboard each of our ships, we offer an Employee Assistance Program that crew can call confidentially, 24 hours a day.
"Our foremost priority is getting our crew members home safely and we are investing heavily in this massive endeavour. We will not rest until this is done.
"The majority of our UK and Ireland crew have been repatriated and landed in London on Tuesday, May 19.
"Mr Wheeler is currently onboard Freedom of the Seas, which is on her way to Barbados, arriving on May 23; daily charter flights for repatriation begin on May 24.
"Mr Wheeler had a late change of heart regarding his original repatriation and due to CDC restrictions regarding the timing of submitting documentation, could not be added to the charter flight.
"All non-working crew members who have not yet been able to be repatriated have received goodwill payments to assist them during this difficult time."
Greg said that in relation to his "change of heart" the travel arrangements offered up were so vague he had no faith in them, and said he was aware of only five of the hundreds of crew on the Oasis of the Seas who took up the option that was presented to them while the rest stayed onboard.
Greg said: "I still don't know how I feel as I've been this close to getting home before."