Thanks to the relentless work of the Consulate General of Italy in Miami, in close collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Washington and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a solution has been reached for the case of compatriots stranded on the cruise ships of the Royal Caribbean company stationed off Florida. The “Freedom of the Seas” began last night its navigation to the Barbados Islands, where it will presumably arrive on May 23rd. From there the 57 compatriots on board will be transferred by charter flights to London, from where they will be able to return to Italy.
Also, the ships “Majesty of the Seas” and “Empress of the Seas” are sailing to Southampton. They arrival is expected at the beginning of June and with similar repatriation via charter flights.
The Italian Consulate in Miami and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Crisis Unit have followed the case of our compatriots stranded on the cruise ships of the Royal Caribbean company from the very first moment, a case with particularly complicated profiles due to the current global pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the countries affected by the routes. The work of the Italian diplomatic-consular network in the United States has been relentless in the attempt to solve a blockade that has also affected 90 thousand seafarers of all nationalities, on more than 100 ships off the coast of the United States. Newspapers have been their contacts with the Royal Caribbean, the American authorities, compatriots, and their families.