'We Can Survive This': Minnesotan Couple On Grand Princess Cruise Ship Speaks About Coronavirus Outbreak
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Grand Princess cruise ship has been plagued by COVID-19 cases for several days. Thousands of passengers were stuck in their rooms while officials tried to find a place for the ship to dock. On Monday Reg Chapman talked with a Minnesota woman on the ship.
Barb Harris is super excited that a plan is in place and soon she and her significant other will get off the cruise ship.
You could hear passengers aboard the Grand Princess cheer as the ship made its way into Oakland Port.
"At least we feel like we are moving forward," Barb Harris said.
For the past four days they've been confined to their rooms after several onboard tested positive for COVID-19.
Barb Harris says she is excited about the plan that eventually gets them home to Minnesota.
"They have decided that the people who are sick, they are going to be the first ones to get off and they will take them to hospitals or some kind of care facility," Harris said.
Native Californians will get off the ship after that.
They'll be taken to Travis Air Force Base for a 14 day quarantine.
"Then those of us from other states, like Stan and I from Minnesota, will get off next and either go to Georgia or Texas, an Air Force Base in one of those states," Harris said.
Harris says she feels lucky that her room has a balcony where she could get fresh air daily.
"It really is a help you don't get so claustrophobic. Otherwise, a small inside stateroom, that's got to be really tough," Harris said.
It could take two more days before this Minnesota couple is able to leave the ship.
"This is very similar to when your plane gets delayed at the airport. You can jump up and down and complain all you want, doesn't change a thing, so we're just going with it, it is what it is," Stan Herman said.
This Minnesota couple says being confined to a cruise ship room for days has only made their relationship stronger.
"She's a pleasure to be with even in closed quarters like this, we figure we can survive this we will be together forever," Herman said.
Both Harris and Herman are healthy and have not shown any signs of the virus.
They hope the next two weeks in quarantine goes fast.
