A Perth musician who is confined to a cabin on a COVID-affected cruise ship in the United States with no escape in sight is appealing to the Australian Government for urgent assistance.

Key points: The cruise ship has been placed under a "No Sail Order" by the US Government

The cruise ship has been placed under a "No Sail Order" by the US Government Security guards have told Mr Bednall there are COVID-19 cases among the crew

Security guards have told Mr Bednall there are COVID-19 cases among the crew There are at least 130 Australian crew members stuck on cruise liners overseas

Saxophone player Mike Bednall was playing in a nine-piece band on the ship, which runs cruises out of New Orleans — widely regarded as the birthplace of jazz.

But since March 14, he has been marooned along with several hundred crew members and two other Australians aboard the ship docked in its home port, under a "No Sail Order" by the US Government.

Mr Bednall said when he tried to get off the ship last month he was stopped by security guards and has since been told that there are COVID-19 cases on board.

For the past fortnight, he has been confined to his cabin and only allowed out three times a day for 45 minutes to exercise.

Mike Bednall (far right) has been playing in bands on cruise ships for two years. ( Supplied: Mike Bednall )

But he said the worst part of the ordeal was the fear of the unknown.

"It's up and down … I'm pretty anxious, I have no idea when I can get off this ship," he said.

"I spend a lot of time trying to sleep so I don't have to cope with doing nothing."

The vessel, which the ABC has chosen not to name, is one of about 100 cruise ships stranded in the US due to the coronavirus crisis, according to US authorities.

Mike Bednall says he is starting to worry about his mental health, stranded in a cruise ship cabin for a month with no end to the ordeal in sight. ( Supplied: Mike Bednall )

Mr Bednall is believed to be one of a number of Australians being held on ships on the Gulf Coast among the thousands of other crew members stuck on board.

He and his family have been in constant contact with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian Consulate in Washington, but Mr Bednall said that had so far proved frustrating.

"They just keep saying it is up to the company to negotiate with the US," Mr Bednall said.

He said he had just received an email from the Australian consulate asking for more details, but he had little faith, especially as they got his first name wrong in the correspondence.

"It doesn't give me much to go on," he said.

"I just don't feel like I have any real control over anything."

Up until a week ago, Mr Bednall, a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, was staying sane by practising his saxophone.

But even playing music is now off-limits.

Mike Bednall is no longer able to play his saxophone in his cabin.

"I've been trying to focus on the playing and practising but then about a week ago they told me I couldn't practise in my cabin," he said.

"There were complaints obviously to do with noise."

'It's a constant worry': Mother

Mr Bednall's mother, a Perth nurse, said the cruise ship company tried to fly her son and other crew members out three times and had tickets booked, but the flights were cancelled due to further restrictions.

Mike Bednall and his family are appealing to the Department of Foreign Affairs to help fly him out of the U-S. ( Supplied: Mike Bednall )

Chris Bednall said she felt everyone was working hard to try to get people home, but she was becoming concerned about her son's health and wellbeing.

"This has been weeks now and he has been in isolation since April 2," she said.

"I know it's for his own good which is great, but it's not good for your health mentally or physically.

"It's very uncertain and uncertainty isn't good to live with.

"It's a constant worry."

Mrs Bednall said the ship's 2,000 passengers were able to disembark on March 14 and some crew from Indonesia and the Philippines had since been able leave on charter flights.

But she said on April 12, the remaining crew were informed that the US Government was not allowing any cruise ship to disembark.

Mrs Bednall has pleaded with the Australian Government to act.

"His only hope of returning to Australia is by a charter flight from New Orleans, which would require the intervention of the Foreign Minister," she said.

"My son has been living in cramped conditions out at sea for over a month on a ship with COVID cases.

"We fear for his mental and physical wellbeing."

Most stranded Australian crew are in US

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was working with cruise lines and foreign governments to provide consular support to Australian crew overseas.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is currently aware of 130 Australian crew on 57 ships," the statement said.

"The majority are in the United States, which has recently introduced specific rules that prohibit crew members of cruise ships from taking commercial flights.

"As stated, where necessary, we are providing consular assistance to individual Australian crew members."

For Mike Bednall, that assistance can't come soon enough.

He said when the ordeal was over, he would not be rushing back to the cruise ship industry.

"I like land," he said.

"I'm looking forward most to seeing my family and friends and going to the beach … the Perth beaches are the best.

"And just to be able to practise [music] will be amazing."

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended its No Sail Order for all cruise ships on April 9.

In a statement, it said that the order would likely remain in place for up to 100 days, unless there was an end to the declared public health emergency or the CDC director modified the order.

Under the ruling, cruise ships are banned from allowing passengers or crews to disembark without approval from authorities.