The Virgin Islands Port Authority confirmed today that the U.S. Coast Guard denied Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas’ request to berth at the Austin “Babe” Monsanto Marine Terminal in Crown Bay, St. Thomas. The request was denied based on the captain’s report that a crew member on board the Grandeur of the Seas had traveled to Japan within the last 14 days. Though there was no confirmed case of coronavirus on the ship, the ship’s request to berth was denied by the Coast Guard in the interest of public health safety for the residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
However, the U.S. Coast Guard in conjunction with the V.I. Department of Health (VID0H) did allow the ship to return to Crown Bay at 2:15 p.m. today to allow a seriously injured passenger onboard the Grandeur of the Seas to be treated at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital (RLSH) on St. Thomas. The passenger was removed from the ship by VIDOH personnel to be transported to the hospital for treatment. None of the other passengers or crew on board the ship was allowed disembark on St. Thomas. The injured passenger is being treated at RLSH. The ship departed at 2:50 p.m.
VIPA assures the public that it is working closely with the VI Department of Health and the U.S. Coast Guard, and that all safety precautions are being implemented at its port facilities. For more information on COVID-19, the new strain of the coronavirus, please visit the USVI Department of Health's website, doh.vi.gov/coronavirus or text COVID19USVI to 888777. #COVID19USVI