Jump to content

Intrastate cruises will most likely kick off Australia's cruising resumption, whenever that might be...


Recommended Posts

Just an interesting little article quoting the CLIA Australia director. It looks like the industry is eyeing off a return to cruising out of Queensland first, with shorter, local voyages similar to what's been happening in Singapore with Quantum.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/cruise-industry-says-successful-asian-voyages-during-pandemic-show-they-are-covidsafe/news-story/1657023578a2178eec2b8e77a48962d3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • KWofPerth changed the title to Intrastate cruises will most likely kick off Australia's cruising resumption, whenever that might be...
46 minutes ago, twangster said:

That would be a great way to restart and prove to Australia (and the world) that cruise ships can sail safely.

It also makes sense, given we have similar Covid levels to Singapore. There would be a lot more political and general resistance to the idea though, until we are well down the path of vaccine rollout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KWofPerth said:

It also makes sense, given we have similar Covid levels to Singapore. There would be a lot more political and general resistance to the idea though, until we are well down the path of vaccine rollout.

It will be time, if the public is happy with a NZ and pacific travel bubble then there should be no reason for cruising locally to be put on hold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new 2021-22 itineraries are already a lot more focused on 'within Australia' cruising than usual. 

Obviously RC is not due to have a ship here until October, but P&O are planning an April restart (Princess ships are in Singapore being refurbed and rebranded as we speak), so lets see what happens with that. Maybe RC will send a ship early?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I have my fingers crossed crusing will restart soon in Australia but until the vaccine is rolled out, there is still too much political gameship, especially from the Queensland government, and the WA government is well away from any sensible decisions. At the drop of a hat, with only a case or two, the state boarders get shut and with all the negative, bias press; cruising start up will be a challenge. I just hope that when March 17th travel ban comes round, there is a plan to allow Australians to travel overseas and a roll out of controlled crusing to restart. Royal still has Ovation, Radiance and Spectrum in Asia, and with the Alaska season in jeopardy, this might be the perfect scenario for Australian cruising to restart early. We are luck we are not effected by laws such as the Jones and PVS Act's 

I really hope Alaska goes ahead, for the sake of their economy, and all the small business that rely on the seasonal trade. Also my cruise from Honolulu to Sydney on the Ovation in September might still be a chance, slim, but still a chance.   

Anyway, Australia is certainly in a great position to follow Singapore's lead and prove it can be done, and I for one will do my best to be on that first cruise with a Kraken in hand and tear's of joy.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the March-17 ban will be extended another few months at least.

Good news is that the vaccine rollout is supposed to be finished by October, which is around about the same time the RC ships should be arriving for the 21-22 season.

Anything before that is a bonus!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, mattymay said:

I think the March-17 ban will be extended another few months at least.

Good news is that the vaccine rollout is supposed to be finished by October, which is around about the same time the RC ships should be arriving for the 21-22 season.

Anything before that is a bonus!

What chance the 2021-22 season gets reconfigured to Australia cruises only? i.e. cruises up and down the east coast. Possibly NZ cruises could be added too if their rollout goes well and the much-vaunted travel bubble comes into effect?  The Pacific Islands; no idea how their rollouts will go, and whether they will even want cruise ships lobbing on their doorstep just yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, KWofPerth said:

What chance the 2021-22 season gets reconfigured to Australia cruises only? i.e. cruises up and down the east coast. Possibly NZ cruises could be added too if their rollout goes well and the much-vaunted travel bubble comes into effect?  The Pacific Islands; no idea how their rollouts will go, and whether they will even want cruise ships lobbing on their doorstep just yet.

Big chance I think. They they already added a lot of Aus only cruises when they moved Quantum up to Brisbane, at the same time reconfigured some Ovation itineraries from Sydney.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Maybe you could borrow some of our Pfizer stock? (It's the only one being used in NZ and apparently we've ordered enough for us and mos of the Pacific). Interestingly we've also got others on order, I guess better to hedge your bets to cover supply issues and any issues with a particular one.

As for cursing between NZ and Aust I can't see it this side of Christmas but It wouldn't shock me if the second half of the season goes ahead  between the two countries. Both governments would have to be satisfied that staff on the ship(s) have been thoroughly quarantined and tested (And probably vaccinated which seems like the industry has settled on anyway). There will be a lot more scrutiny on reporting of people with illnesses on board and not sure either government will trust ships to self report anymore so it'll be interesting to see how they handle that. 

I think 2022/23 will be our fist full season with overseas guests but maybe we'll get some cursing between NZ/Aust in 21 if not early 22. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/28/2021 at 7:31 PM, KWofPerth said:

Just an interesting little article quoting the CLIA Australia director. It looks like the industry is eyeing off a return to cruising out of Queensland first, with shorter, local voyages similar to what's been happening in Singapore with Quantum.

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/cruise-industry-says-successful-asian-voyages-during-pandemic-show-they-are-covidsafe/news-story/1657023578a2178eec2b8e77a48962d3

Good news, the Aussie gov't appears to be working in good faith with industry.  Nothing wrong with walking before running.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, mattymay said:

With tonight's news that the AZ jab is no longer suitable for those under 50 years old, the 21/22 season is now in serious trouble. I can't see the government allowing non vaccinated cruising and we have no Pfizer stock. 

I don’t know, I’m in two minds about this. Firstly we don’t need to be vaccinated to go to travel interstate as it is, nor for NZ when it opens up this month. Additionally there is just so little covid in Australia, NZ, or the South Pacific that it seems kinda ridiculous to implement a no vaccine no sail rule here. It makes sense where covid is still fairly common in the community such as the UK and the US, but not here. 
The real threat to Australia’s current covid free status are overseas/returning Travellers, not unvaccinated locals. However I don’t see Australia removing it’s hotel quarantine system any time soon either and when it does I am sure those people will be required to be vaccinated. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Vanessa77 said:

I don’t know, I’m in two minds about this. Firstly we don’t need to be vaccinated to go to travel interstate as it is, nor for NZ when it opens up this month. Additionally there is just so little covid in Australia, NZ, or the South Pacific that it seems kinda ridiculous to implement a no vaccine no sail rule here. It makes sense where covid is still fairly common in the community such as the UK and the US, but not here. 
The real threat to Australia’s current covid free status are overseas/returning Travellers, not unvaccinated locals. However I don’t see Australia removing it’s hotel quarantine system any time soon either and when it does I am sure those people will be required to be vaccinated. 

You might be right, just got this feeling that everyone apart from Singapore is doing vaccinated cruising and that we'll probably follow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, mattymay said:

You might be right, just got this feeling that everyone apart from Singapore is doing vaccinated cruising and that we'll probably follow.

I also have this fear. I reckon our opening will be based on the success of others resuming cruising in the next few months, and that data will mostly be coming from fully vaccinated cruises ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, KWofPerth said:

It'll definitely be No jab, No cruise.  I have no problem with that.

In theory I have no problem with that. However given the announcement from last night, and that we only have enough Pfizer to cover 40% of the population the numbers don’t actually support cruise companies even coming to Australia for the season. If vaccines are mandated for cruising I’m afraid that cruise lines will look at the likely percentage of Australians that will be covered at the start of the season, compare that with the cross over of percentage of Australians that cruise and just decide to skip the season if there isn’t enough overlap. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fingers crossed. What confuses me is the terms ‘international travel ban extended to June 17’ which apparently automatically includes cruising, yet travel to NZ, which is technically international, by plane is ok. Like it seems weird that we have a bubble but the means of travel to the country matters. 

Either way, happy to see they’ve started the discussion. Here’s hoping that P&O gets the go ahead from June 17, leading the way for the full season to begin as usual in October. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Vanessa77 said:

Fingers crossed. What confuses me is the terms ‘international travel ban extended to June 17’ which apparently automatically includes cruising, yet travel to NZ, which is technically international, by plane is ok. Like it seems weird that we have a bubble but the means of travel to the country matters. 

Either way, happy to see they’ve started the discussion. Here’s hoping that P&O gets the go ahead from June 17, leading the way for the full season to begin as usual in October. 

I don't know for sure but I imagine the flight crews in this case are made up of either AU or NZ citizens/residents.  Contrast that with cruise ships where the crew are from all over potentially.   Consequently flights get an exception, one that could more easily be revoked should the need arise. 

Allowing cruise ships to sail requires a significant level of effort to crew and prepare.  Revoking that a month later would be financial ruin at a scale much larger compared to flights where aircraft and crew could potentially still be used domestically.  

It's a small step in the right direction that will hopefully lead to a bigger step eventually (cruise ships between the two countries).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, twangster said:

I don't know for sure but I imagine the flight crews in this case are made up of either AU or NZ citizens/residents.  Contrast that with cruise ships where the crew are from all over potentially.   Consequently flights get an exception, one that could more easily be revoked should the need arise. 

Allowing cruise ships to sail requires a significant level of effort to crew and prepare.  Revoking that a month later would be financial ruin at a scale much larger compared to flights where aircraft and crew could potentially still be used domestically.  

It's a small step in the right direction that will hopefully lead to a bigger step eventually (cruise ships between the two countries).

Yes they are all NZ/Aust flight crew flying the bubble flights. Aslo any crew who flies ne of those flights can't fly any other international flight for 14 days before they scheduled NZ/Aust flight and must test negative twice during that time.

I see flights and cruise very different to each other. A flight has assigned seating and very little movement on board. With masks mandatory during the whole flight there is actually very little case of transmission (the airport is a whole other story). I'd see a cruise ship like an indoor entertainment venue, say a night club or bar etc. If you allow those open then you should low cruises (Which we do in NZ/Aust so I'd have no problem with cruising with the right precautions etc). I do have a concern that cruising does traditionally attract an older clientele (Says the 40ish year old who have been on about 15 cruises) which of course are more likely to have server reactions if they catch COVID. For their sake I would like to see everyone vaccinated before cruising even if NZ and Aust are COVID free (I'd hate to see a case that say a boarder worker went on a cruise only to find they had non symptomatic COVID and spread it to someone who might not be able to fight it as well as me due to age or medical conditions etc).

I think comparing cruises to flying actually doesn't help the argument to start cruising again. If we instead look at similar activities like indoor entertainment establishments, gyms, swimming pools, bars etc I think we can form a far better argument why cursing should resume (At least in NZ/Aust). 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...