These people are still stuck on a cruise ship at sea

A video diary showing what life is like on board a cruise ship still stranded at sea has shown the bleak reality facing tens of thousands of crew members around the world.

The footage is an eerie contrast to the bustling atmosphere and happy faces that usually fill liners like the Osterdam, operated by cruise company Holland American.

Melinda Mann is one of the more than 100,000 crew members around the world trapped on ships. She's so fed up she shot this video when she attempted to disembark without authorisation. Security stopped her.

Melinda, who works as the ship's youth director, has been stuck here for 50 days and counting.

"It's just so isolating feeling like the governments of the world have forgotten about us," she says.

"It's a ghost town. The lights are turned off, furniture is covered with sheets to keep off the dust, and restaurants are roped off.

"I spend 21 hours a day in my cabin. I'm allowed out for three 30 minute meal breaks and generally like an hour of fresh air or so. So I spend most of my day in my cabin."

In this video diary she shot for Inside Edition, Melinda shows off the breakfast which was delivered to her room - an omelet and sausages.

Holland America told Inside Edition it is deeply committed to getting crew members safely home to their families and continue to make progress in their repatriation.

"We continue to disembark hundreds of crew members each day and continue to coordinate closely with the CDC on its requirements and regulations," they stated.