Brunswick County couple pleas for help after being stuck on cruise for a month

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A two week cruise has turned into a month-long nightmare for an Oak Island family.

They have been stuck on the Coral Princess Cruise Ship down in Florida, and just want to get home.

“I’d like to have some hand in my fate. I don’t think it’s my fate to die on a cruise ship. I still have plans. I want to go hot air ballooning in Egypt. I’ve still got mountains to climb, places to go,” Wife Kathleen O’Neill said.

Traveling has been Kathleen and husband, John Hutton’s hobby. This trip to South America was just another one in the books for them.

“We wanted to go around Cape Horn, and this looked like a good adventure. My husband was looking at back surgery in March, so this was going to be our hoorah trip,” Kathleen said.

The two started their trip to Santiago, Chile and ended in Buenos Aires. Kathleen said they found out they would not be able to return to their home at the end of the two week excursion.

“One afternoon they came over the loud speaker and said, ‘Everyone return to your cabin now,'” Kathleen said.

A month later the two finally made it to Miami, FL, but Kathleen said the cruise lines have not allowed them to leave because of CDC safety measures.

Kathleen said with all the news she has gotten from the internet and loved ones, she has been wanting to get tested.

“I’ve already been in contact with Brunswick County Health Department to alert them we’re coming home, and to get onto their quarantine sequencing,” Kathleen said.

During Kathy’s interview with WWAY’s Lakeeda Johnson, the captain was heard announcing that the cruise line had been working diligently with leaders on the best approach to getting people back home.

“Princess has been working with a number of federal, state, and local authorities, including the United States of Disease Control and Prevention…under the rules and regulations and suspension privileges, Princess must be responsible for your grounds transport home.”

Kathleen and John also found out Senator Thom Tillis has been working on getting them a charter flight back to the Cape Fear Tuesday.

We’ll keep you updated as they give us more information.