More than 50,000 Filipino cruise ship crew will be “jobless” till the end of 2020 as more than 200 cruise ships all over the world will not sail until the end of 2020, a recruitment and migrant expert said.
Migrant expert Emmanuel Geslani said major cruise operators have canceled most of their schedules till the last quarter of the year while some will start only in 2021.
In a statement, Geslani said another 12,000 Filipino seafarers are expected to arrive in Manila starting this week and May from major cruise lines Royal Caribbean, P & O Australia, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Holland and Princess.
“All these ships are carrying Filipino and Indonesian crews sailing to Manila from Asia, Australia, Europe and the USA and the OFWs will disembark at the Port of Manila,” he said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has repatriated more than 14,000 Filipinos from various cruise ships through chartered flights arranged by the government and their respective manning agencies from many parts of the world including the USA and Europe since last week.
The Inter-Agency Task Force has given permission for the cruise ships to dock at Manila’s ports where the crews will disembark and undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine or home quarantine as may be directed by the Bureau of Quarantine.
“At least 14,000 Filipino crews are still on board their cruise ships who are still at sea or anchored off in ports abroad on self-quarantine waiting for ship management to bring them to friendly ports so that they can board charter planes for Manila,” he said.
Geslani said the Filipinos who were sent home will be out of work till the last quarter of 2020 and will receive their last pay check this month.