Hamilton family set to sail after cruise ship delayed by coronavirus concerns

A Hamilton family whose holiday was held upby fears about thenovelcoronavirusis finally scheduled to sail Monday just not to the destination they'd initially intended to visit.

Holly Lejeune and her family were booked aboardRoyal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas that was supposed to leave New Jersey onFeb. 7. But the cruise was delayed to screen passengers for coronavirus.

Now, three days later, they might actually be on their way.

"Our 8 day Bahamas cruise has changed to a 5 day Bermuda cruise," Lejeune explained in a text message to CBC.

She added the family "will try and salvage what little vacation is left."

A total of 27 passengers from the ship recently travelled from mainland China and were screened, according to officials.

Four of those people were taken to hospital where theytested negative for the virus.

New Jersey GovernorPhil Murphy said in a statement that personnel with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) allowed the four passengers to be discharged from the hospital Saturday.

Three of the four people stayed in a cabin together and were diagnosed with the flu. The other person stayed in a separate cabin and did not have any symptoms, Murphy said.

An email the Lejeune family received from Royal Caribbeanalso states the CDCconfirmed the tests came back negative.

"We've been scrambling overnight to see how we can make your vacation a little more enjoyable," it reads.

The company also outlines steps to try and make up forthe headaches that have plagued the trip so far, including a 50 per cent refund added as onboard credit and a 50 per cent future cruise credit.

Lejeunepointed outsome passengers already "bailed and have gone home" rather than wait around for those offers.

She said some customers are "disappointed with the lack of transparency," adding she's skeptical there was ever a real threat of the virus.

"If there was, they would have never let anyone off the ship in the first place."

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In a second email the family received, the cruise linethankedpassengers for their patience.

"Our top priority is your health, safety and wellbeing, and that of our crew," it read, explaining the company didn't want to put people's health at risk. "With every decision we've made, it's been important that we are overly cautious."