50,000 cruise ship workers are still stuck at sea.

50,000 cruise ship workers are still stuck at sea.

Nearly 50,000 cruise ship workers are still stuck at sea amid the coronavirus pandemic and may not be able to leave their vessels for another month. 

While much attention has been paid to the plight of passengers trapped on various liners during the global health crisis, crew members say they have been overlooked.  

Close to 100 cruise ships still have crew on board, according to a bombshell report in The Washington Post Wednesday. 

24 of those boats have confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 among crew members.  

'As an American citizen I should have the freedom to go home,' Matt Gordon, a cruise ship performer stuck on board Holland America's Volendam.

Gordon is one of 592 crew members who remains on the vessel, stranded outside The Bahamas with no place to port. Passengers were able to disembark the ship on March 20. 

Gordon told the program that he has not been on dry land since January, and it may be four more weeks before they are finally given clearance to dock.

While the Volendam has no reported cases of COVID-19, crew members are taking no precautions. They sit six feet apart for meals and are often confined to their small cabins, many of which are without windows.  

'This is not a fun frivolous thing,' Gordon stated. 

However, some crew members are trying to make the best of a bad situation. 

Snaps taken on board the Volendam show crew members soaking up the Bahamas sunshine in their bikinis from the ship's deck.   

'Keep Smiling!' Thankful for the sun and a positive outlook. Perfect words from our Captain every morning,' one wrote beneath a photo that showed her reclining on the vessel. 

In a statement, Holland America told GMA that they are working around the clock  to repatriate as many crew members as possible.  

Meanwhile, other cruise ship workers have now reached dry land, but still remain furious about the ordeals they have had to go through. 

Crew from Celebrity Cruises have now filed a lawsuit on behalf of 1000 employees, alleging 'careless and continuous failure to protect its workers'. 

One crew member from the coronavirus-stricken Celebrity Infinity cruise spoke to GMA from her home in Georgia where she is now in quarantine after disembarking the vessel. 

'It felt like being in a prison,' she stated, adding that there was limited ability to communicate with bosses or with colleagues as crew were confined to their cabins. 

One crew member from the Infinity died earlier this month, and two more were airlifted to hospital. 

Celebrity Cruises told GMA that they do not comment on 'pending litigation'.