Mr Rogers boarded the Vasco da Gama ship in Bangkok to perform as a "comic in a frock".

He was supposed to disembark five days later in Phuket, but was prevented from doing so because of the coronavirus crisis.

"They wouldn't let us go to a port, so we've been floating around waiting to see what was going to happen for 20 days," Mr Rogers said.

The ship was headed for Fremantle on Thursday.

"We're not allowed to port there. We're refugees really."

The Vasco da Gama is carrying about 950 passengers and 550 crew, with 800 Australians on board.

West Australian passengers will be taken by ferry to Rottnest Island for 14 days of quarantine. Mr Rogers has been told he'll be on the ship until Monday.

"We are waiting for the NSW Premier [Gladys Berejiklian] to decide what will be done with us after that," Mr Rogers said.

"We're pretty lucky because we haven't been to a port. We're protected really. We're in this little bubble that really doesn't know what's happening in the world. We're free to do what we want on the ship. We're being looked after - we have food and entertainment."

Vasco da Gama operator Cruise and Maritime Voyages said there were no reported health issues on board.

Mr Rogers said one passenger did become sick and was taken by boat to Phuket for a coronavirus test, but it was negative.

He said some tempers were a bit frayed on the ship.

"We have to make the best of a bad situation," he said.

"We really don't know how bad it is at home. We're sort of protected. We see things on the news, but until you're living in that environment, you don't really understand."

While off the coast of Phuket, the Vasco Da Gama was involved in a unique transfer operation with another cruise ship, the Columbus. Cruise & Maritime Voyages owns both ships.

With Vasco da Gama headed for Australia and Columbus for England, the ships rendezvoused on March 18. More than 200 passengers were transferred between the ships, so they could return to their respective parts of the world.

"They tendered the Australians onto this boat and the people going back to England onto the other boat," Mr Rogers said.

"Then we parted. It was amazing. It didn't take that long either. I was thinking it was going to be a full day."

Mr Rogers had been trying for 30 years to get a contract to perform on a cruise.

"This was my first contract and I certainly won't forget it. I was booked for one contract, but because we were stuck out here I did more shows," he said.

He joked that by the end of the trip, the passengers would be saying, "Not him again, get off".

"Everybody on board loves what I do, so I'm sure there will be more contracts once it all settles down back to normal, whenever that will be."

It was strange being on the ship: "I came on here thinking I'd be here for five days. I only brought clothes for five days. Luckily there's a laundry on board."

His partner James Hingston has been home at Wallsend, missing him.

"We've had a lot of messages and generous financial support. It's been really touching," he said.