Two Torrey Pines High School graduates just weeks away from marriage are stuck on a cruise ship in the South China Sea due to coronavirus concerns on board.
The captain said no one on board is sick, the delay is only the result of precautionary safety measures, the couple told NBC 7.
The highschool sweethearts and the 1,455 other passengers on board have no idea when they’ll step foot on land. So, what was supposed to be a romantic pre-wedding cruise has turned into a stressful vacation with no end in sight.
“We don't know where we are going or when we will get there,” Nadine Bialostozky said.
From their room on board the Holland America Westerdam, Bialostozky and her soon-to-be husband Benjamin Capon shared the latest information from their captain.
“We have been reassured multiple times there is no coronavirus on board this vessel,” Bialostozky said.
The high school sweethearts grew up in Carmel Valley, but they have been living in Israel for over five years. They’re supposed to get married in five weeks but they don’t want their family and friends thinking they got cold feet.
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“Ben and I are healthy, both physically and mentally,” Bialostozky said.
The two-week cruise started in Hong Kong on Feb. 1, then it was supposed to dock in the Philippines on Feb. 3, but was denied entry. It’s supposed to finish in Yokohama, Japan on Feb. 15 but the Japanese Government right now isn’t allowing the Westerdam to dock at any of its ports.
“We can probably speak for the rest of the cruise ship passengers when we say we are all frustrated. We are frustrated because we do not have a port of call just yet due to the coronavirus,” Bialostozky said.
Despite their frustration, “We are still in high spirits,” she added. They just hope they can get off the ship soon so they can set sail on their future.
As of Friday evening, the captain of the ship told passengers they may be able to dock next week, but the captain has not said where, according to the couple.
He did tell the passengers all their passports would be to be checked before they dock.
