PH Consul General in San Francisco Sends Off Filipino Crew Onboard Grand Princess Ship

Philippine Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. on the phone with one of the Filipino crew members onboard the Grand Princess. (San Francisco PCG photo) 

SAN FRANCISCO 10 April 2020 – Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. sent off Filipino crew members onboard the Grand Princess cruise ship from San Francisco Port on 08 April 2020 as the ship sailed off to Princess Cruises’ headquarters in Los Angeles.

Consul General Bensurto called one of the crew members on the phone to check on their situation. The crew member updated the Consul General of their situation, saying that all Filipino crew members are well and in good spirits, but are hoping they will be repatriated soon to the Philippines.

Consul General Bensurto has been coordinating with California State agencies and Carnival Corp. and Princess Cruises management on the repatriation of the remaining Filipino crew, who finished their quarantine period on the ship on 04 April 2020.

Based on updates from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), the Grand Princess will reposition to outside Los Angeles. The ship will then join other Princess ships already in the LA area, and from there, repatriation arrangements will ensue. “In the interim, all crew fleet-wide will remain onboard in the care of Princess until which time a plan of repatriation can be successfully executed,” stated the CalOES update. END

Philippine Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. bids farewell to the Grand Princess Filipino crew as the ship departs Pier 35 in San Francisco. (San Francisco PCG photo)

The Grand Princess leaving Pier 35 bound for Los Angeles. (San Francisco PCG photo)

Philippine Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. waves the Philippine flag as the Grand Princess approaches the Golden Gate Bridge. (San Fransisco PCG photo)

For more information, visit https://www.sanfranciscopcg.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippinessanfrancisco.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/.