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'Floating around in a petri dish' | Huntersville couple stuck on cruise ship due to COVID-19

The Bucklers said passengers have been quarantined in their rooms since March 31, not allowed off unless a charter flight is arranged.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A Huntersville couple is trying to get home after being stuck on a cruise ship for more than a month.

The Coral Princess set sail from Santiago, Chile on March 5 and is now docked in Miami after having to take several detours.

According to NBC News, three people are now dead after taking the cruise and at least a dozen have tested positive for COVID-19.

When Lewis and Shirley Buckler boarded the ship in March, they thought they were setting sail to see the sights around South America.

They saw glaciers and penguins, took part in activities on board the ship, and made a stop at Cape Horn.

"Oh, well we were really looking forward to the trip,” Shirley said. “It was lots of fun."

But the trip took a turn for the worst when the ship was denied from docking at port after port. The ship finally made it to Buenos Aires where the couple was supposed to get off. Before the Bucklers could catch their flight, Argentina closed its borders.

The ship was then turned away from several other ports before it finally docked in Miami on Saturday.

Now, the only view the Bucklers can see is of Miami from their small cabin.

"We're sitting in a, in a — floating around in a petri dish,” said Shirley. “We do not feel safe. It's frightening."

Sometime around March 31, Lewis said an announcement was made telling passengers on board that people were getting sick.

"The captain announced that there was higher than usual respiratory illness on board and that we should take precautions,” Lewis said.

The Bucklers said passengers have been quarantined in their rooms since March 31, not allowed off unless a charter flight is arranged. Lewis said many passengers from foreign countries have been allowed to go home with charter flights, but there are still Americans sitting on board the ship in Miami.

"It's only 10-plus hours,” Shirley said. “We can drive right into our garage and shut the door, but they won't let us off the boat to even do that."

The Bucklers said they are both in the age demographic considered to be high risk for COVID-19, and Lewis also has a heart condition. Their medications are set to run out Tuesday, but they don’t want to take any prescriptions from the ship infirmary if it’s treating COVID-19 patients.

They said they are worried that they could be next if they continue to sit on the ship not knowing who or how many are truly infected.

“Now I feel very concerned that we'll get off of here alive,” Lewis said.

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