Two weeks before recording that video, New Yorker Brendt Reil had boarded the Zaandam for what he hoped would be a dream vacation.
The trip did not go as planned.
- March 27, 12:24 pmBREAK
- Brendt
4 people died last night on ship
- Ryan
What?!
- Ryan
How are you feeling babe?
- Ryan
F— this is scary
The Virus at Sea
On March 7, Brendt Reil boarded the Zaandam in Buenos Aires, Argentina as the guest of a longtime friend who was performing on the ship.
Argentina had recently confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19. Brendt says his doctor told him the risk was low and encouraged him to carry on with his travel plans.
The Zaandam’s 1,243 passengers and 586 crew expected a two-week journey around the Southern Cone of South America.
Brendt stayed in constant contact with his partner, Ryan Murvin, who remained in New York City with their dog Linus.
Posted to Facebook
Brendt Reil
Finally made it to Eva Perons grave. Feeling unusually emotional…
#
On the second day of the trip, the U.S. State Department issued an advisory against traveling on cruise ships. Seattle-based cruise operator Holland America Line chose to proceed with the voyage.
- March 10, 12:54 amBREAK
- Brendt
Beunos Aires
We could live there
- Ryan
In Buenos?
- Brendt
We could have a normal cute modern/ reclaimed/ natural green living life
- Ryan
Yes!!!
- Brendt
It is very French
Colorful, artistic…..
- Brendt
Except all they eat is meat
- Ryan
Werq!! It’s a dream!
- Brendt
I need more veggie options. 😆
Today at sea all I ate was veggies.
- Ryan
Good!
You feel good though?
And nobody is sick?
- Brendt
No body
- Ryan
As long as you stay healthy, I’m good.
- Ryan
- Brendt
It won’t download completely cause I’m at sea but I know it’s liniiiiii [Linus]
Posted to Facebook
Brendt Reil
Feeling great on formal night!
#cruising
- March 12, 2:04 pmBREAK
- Ryan
Hey babe!
Involuntarily cut from work tonight. It begins…
- Brendt
I’m sorry about that. That sucks
We will be ok. […]
- Brendt
I saw the most amazing penguins today and they reminded me of u… […]
Us
- Ryan
They’re so fierce!!
I’m so happy you got that experience babe! I would have cried! Lol
- Brendt
Linus
- Ryan
HAHAHAHA. That’s him right now
- March 15, 2:35 amBREAK
- Brendt
Are u up babe?
There is a lot of news happening right now
- Brendt
Chile closed its boarders [due] to the coronavirus.
I was suppose to dock there
- Ryan
S—.
Right.
- Brendt
There was a ship that had our same ports that docked a week before us […] they have the corona virus on board
- Ryan
Just stay calm. You guys have probably been a lot more careful than this other ship
As far as corona
- Brendt
Yes
- Ryan
But get extra vigilant
- Brendt
I’m fine I just want to go home
- Ryan
I know babe
Ugh. This is crazy
- Ryan
Hey ash your hands constantly.
*wash
- Brendt
B—-
I know
Lol
- Ryan
I’m just saying. Don’t touch anybody
Wipe your utensils. Don’t touch doorknobs.
- Brendt🤦🏻
- Ryan
Act like a germaphobe
I know I know
I love you
- Brendt
I love u
Halfway through the planned two-week journey, Holland America announced it would abort the cruise and find a way to get everyone home.
- March 15, 3:00 pmBREAK
- Brendt
Only one in the pool on this freezing day
- Ryan
Nice! Lol. Are you drinking water?
- Brendt
Wine.
[…] I’m trying to lead by example on a ship where everybody is panicking
By at least having fun
- Ryan
They’re freaking out?
- Brendt
Well the trip is canceled […]
Not going on to any other ports
Trying to find ways to get people home as countries are closing boarders all around us
- Ryan
Yeah that’s awful
- Brendt
I think everyone needs to relax and realize we are in the safest space possible
Unlimited food
People who clean up
- Brendt
Just if someone gets sick on this ship then we are all f—ed
- March 16, 7:57 amBREAK
- Brendt
I have a sore throat this morning. 😒
Holland America had hoped passengers could immediately disembark and fly home. But negotiations with the Chilean government failed.
They sailed north, searching for a port that would allow its passengers to disembark.
- March 17, 4:12 pmBREAK
- Brendt
This internet is not connecting at all now because we are traveling through the fiords.
- Ryan
Grrrr. As long as you’re safe babe. Do you have a fever? How’s your throat?
- Brendt
No fever
Throat is fine
Just a little bit of a dry couch I can’t seem to kick
- Ryan
What!?
If you have a dry cough, that’s a symptom!
- Brendt
I know
But the air is dry here
I always have that cough
My mom gets it too - Ryan😑
- Brendt
One day at a time babe
Posted to Facebook
Brendt Reil
I just wanted to give everyone an update to what’s the latest in my never ending cruise to no where…we just refueled and restocked in Valparaiso, Chile. They would not let us come dock side so for the past two days they have been sending out little cargo boats full of supplies…food , drink etc…. and enough fuel for three weeks of travel.
The captain just announced that if all goes according to plan…..we will make it through the Panama Canal on the 27th and continue to Ft. Lauderdale by March 31st which would be amazing! Plan B and plan C will happen if we can’t get through Panama…. Then we will continue on to Puerto Vallarta or San Deigo. Either way we have a plan.
Up until now we had no destination and weren’t even sure they would get us fuel and supplies. So the mood on the boat is ecstatic. I am talking with people from all over the world and the love and support for each other is overwhelming, transgressing languages, age and cultures. We all want the same thing…. to be heard.
If all goes well I’ll be back in New York to celebrate my 12 year anniversary. Many things can happen in the next week or so but I’m coming for you Ryan Murvin.
#
The day after the cruise was scheduled to end, passengers learned coronavirus may be circulating on the ship.
Passengers were asked to remain in their rooms until further notice. Meals would be left outside their doors.
Photo of the cruise ship Zuiderdam
The Zaandam sent out urgent humanitarian requests to ports across the Americas. No country granted their request to dock.
Meanwhile, Brendt began to feel sick. He started tracking his temperature.
38.0°C (100.4°F) 9:00 pm
38.6°C (101.5°F) 11:17 pm
39.2°C (102.6°F) 3:14 am
Even as his fever rose, Brendt downplayed its severity to Ryan.
- March 23, 8:27 pmBREAK
- Ryan
Sorry babe. I picked up but didn’t hear anything on your end
- Brendt
Me too
😒 - Ryan
Have you had a fever though? Don’t keep stuff from me to keep me from worrying. I’d rather know what’s really up
- Brendt
Low grade. Off and on
- Ryan
Yeah. Ugh. Just want symptoms to pass for you.
- Brendt
Me too
I have to admit to myself that I have corona virus. […] I am coughing + now expectorating. My lungs feel like there is liquid in them and when I cough too hard I am coughing up blood.
There is always a slight panic to [whether] or not I am going to be able to take in a big enough breath so I don’t suffocate.
As the Zaandam approached the Panama Canal, its authorities announced they would not allow the ship to pass through.
Then came worse news.
- March 27, 12:24 pmBREAK
- Brendt
4 people died last night on ship
- Ryan
What?!
- Ryan
How are you feeling babe?
- Ryan
F— this is scary
- Brendt
I’m feeling so much better babe
Honestly
- Ryan
[…] Breathing is ok?
- Brendt
It’s getting better
Four passengers had passed away over the last five days. They had all suffered symptoms of COVID-19.
With more people falling ill each day, Holland America sent sister ship Rotterdam, stocked with medical supplies and doctors, for a rendezvous on the open sea. Some passengers transferred to the new ship.
I don’t know when it’s morning or night or breakfast or lunch or anything. All there is are 4 walls constantly staring back at me mocking me because I’m still here in the same spot and that’s all there is.
Mood of the ship: everyone is very worried.
After stalling off Panama for days with no clear destination, the ships were finally granted permission to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
And after more than a week of struggling to breathe, Brendt’s symptoms began to abate.
But as the ship headed for Florida, the governor said he would not allow them to dock. Passengers organized a campaign demanding they be allowed to disembark.
- April 1, 12:39 amBREAK
- Ryan
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!
- Brendt
12 years!!!!!!!!!
- Ryan
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
We will celebrate in person so soon
- Brendt
I thought I’d be home for it
I always secretly thought I’d make it
- Ryan
I know
- Brendt
Just posted a video
I’m
Just VARY EMOTIONALPEOPLE WILL MAKE FUN OF ME FOREVER
- April 1, 6:10 pmBREAK
- Brendt
So we just got some news
- Brendt
They are having a meeting tomorrow to discuss disimbarking
We should know by noon
- Brendt
We have to stay in foreign waters so right outside the us limit….
But it all depends on the meeting tomorrow
- Ryan
Ok. 😬
Almost done with this s— babe!!!!
On April 2, the ships were permitted to dock in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Fourteen critically ill passengers were immediately transferred to nearby hospitals. Other passengers could disembark the next day, provided they passed a health screening.
- April 2, 8:58 pmBREAK
- Brendt
Just stepped on American soil
- Brendt
Now I’m back on the ship….
Wah wah
- Ryan
BABE!!! Does it feel amazing? Even though it’s… Florida…? Lol
- Brendt
But I’ll be leaving tomorrow!!!
Even Florida feels amazing
- Ryan
[…] Why did you go to land?
- Brendt
Passport and medical exam
I’m cleared
So I’m leaving
- Ryan
Yay!!
- Ryan
No. More. Boat.
No! More! Boat!
- Brendt
Ever!!!!
Two weeks after his journey was supposed to end, Brendt flew home to New York.
- April 3, 8:10 pmBREAK
- Brendt
Hey babe. Getting an Uber!!!!
- Ryan
Holy s—!! I gotta shave!!
- Brendt
You are fine!
Posted to Facebook
Ryan Murvin
Both of my boys! Together at last! ❤️❤️
#
At least seven Zaandam passengers and one crew member died of confirmed or presumed COVID-19. An antibody test later confirmed that Brendt had been infected with the disease.
In a statement, Holland America told FRONTLINE that it had responded to the rapidly evolving global pandemic in accordance with guidance from U.S. and international health officials.
While Brendt and other passengers were allowed to disembark in Florida, the ship’s crew was not. In the weeks to come, employees remained stuck at sea because no port would allow them to dock and return to their home countries.
This was true for cruise ships all over the world. As of June, more than 52,000 cruise employees were still stuck on the ships, waiting to go home.
Watch the FRONTLINE Documentary:
This story is derived from Brendt Reil’s social media posts, photos, videos, journal entries, and text messages. Texts were edited for clarity and length.
Reported and produced by Katie Worth, designed by Dan Nolan, built by Anthony DeLorenzo and video edited by Miles Alvord. Coordinating Producer Katherine Griwert. Fact checking by Lauren Prestileo. Special Council Dale Cohen.
Director of Digital Video Carla Borrás. Senior Editor Sarah Childress. Managing Editor Andrew Metz. Executive Producer Raney Aronson-Rath.
Photo credits: Chris and Anna Joiner. Aldy Rinaldy Arismansyah. Getty. Panama Canal Authority. Shutterstock.
Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the Park Foundation, The John and Helen Glessner Family Trust, and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation. Funding for “The Virus at Sea” is provided in part by the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund.
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