A Maltese couple have finally made their way back to Malta after spending two weeks aboard a cruise ship believed to have been carrying the coronavirus.

Anamaria Magri Pantea and Vincent Magri were two passengers aboard the MS Westerdam, a cruise ship that was stranded at sea because ports were worried about passengers bringing coronavirus to its shores.

The Westerdam departed Hong Kong on February 1st for a two-week voyage but was denied entry in five ports over fears that it may be carrying the coronavirus.

“It was a very unsettling experience,” Anamaria told Lovin Malta.

“Being denied entry into planned ports of call, one after the other, then not being accepted for disembarking by a number of ports, is definitely worrying. Even more when the ship ended up escorted by a military frigate. We just didn’t know what to expect next.”

However, last Thursday, the ship finally arrived at an anchoring point in the port city of Sihanoukville in Cambodia.

“With some 750 people having embarked in Hong Kong, and many of the already onboard passengers having gone ashore in Hong Kong, the possibility of having at least one infected with coronavirus was clearly there.”

Thankfully, those who fell ill tested negative for coronavirus and the Magri’s, along with everyone else were allowed to disembark and eventually make their way home.

The Minister of Health of Cambodia has confirmed that there is NO coronavirus aboard the #Westerdam. Passengers will begin to disembark in the morning. Thank you Cambodia! ????

— Christina Kerby (@ChristinaKerby) February 13, 2020

“Not the holiday we planned for, but definitely an experience to remember for a lifetime!” the Facebook post said.

On the other hand, another cruise ship in Japan remains under quarantine with a reported 200 confirmed cases onboard.

Do you think the coronavirus will make its way to Malta? Let us know in the comments below