NZ PM announced No cruise ships to visit NZ until 30/6.

[MMDown Under]

PM of NZ just announced no cruise ships are to visit NZ until 30/6.

She also announced all Kiwis returning to NZ from midnight Sunday will need to self quarantine for a fortnight.  

Edited March 14, 2020 by MMDown Under

[cruisine21]

The Radiance was due to depart for New Zealand today

[Kiwi Kruzer]

KEY POINTS

• Effective from midnight Sunday, all travellers, except for those coming from the Pacific islands, will have to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival to New Zealand
• The PM says the rules are the strictest in the world 
• She told New Zealanders not to travel overseas if they don't have to and issued stark advice: no hugs, hongi or handshakes
• All cruise ships have been asked to not come to NZ until June 30
• There will also be further announcements on mass gatherings

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Kiwi Kruzer

[Kiwi_cruiser]

  

😞 a sad day for New Zealand and cruise ships visiting New Zealand.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

NZ Herald:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12316692

[MMDown Under]

3 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

KEY POINTS

• Effective from midnight Sunday, all travellers, except for those coming from the Pacific islands, will have to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival to New Zealand
• The PM says the rules are the strictest in the world 
• She told New Zealanders not to travel overseas if they don't have to and issued stark advice: no hugs, hongi or handshakes
• All cruise ships have been asked to not come to NZ until June 30
• There will also be further announcements on mass gatherings

 

 

 

Well captured, David.  Your PM is always impressive in leading from the front!

[lissie]

8 minutes ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

  

😞 a sad day for New Zealand and cruise ships visiting New Zealand.

 

Really? Im a huge traveller - and usually blase about government warnings - but I'm actually pretty proud of our government at the moment 

[Kiwi Kruzer]

21 minutes ago, lissie said:

 

Really? Im a huge traveller - and usually blase about government warnings - but I'm actually pretty proud of our government at the moment 

Yes .Its very sad . .......and be prepared for more .Until this all blows over stand by for restrictions we have never seen before in our lifetime .

I would not be surprised to see interstate restrictions in Australia come into force .

Travel as we have known and enjoyed will never be the same .

[lissie]

Just now, Kiwi Kruzer said:

 

Travel as we have known and enjoyed will never be the same .

 

I think that is an overreaction - its a virus - not a terrorist attack . 911 changed travel - this will become just another seasonal flu in a year or - vaccines will be developed.   Hopefully there will be a big uptick in people getting seasonal flu (and other) vaccinations.  If it brings in more mandatory vaccinations for travellers I think its a very good thing 

 

The only real question I see is how long will it take to blow over - I'm currently thinking of rebooking for August might be a safe window 

[pully8]

In favour of this and other measures to protect the public in all countries given the current circumstances.

Sadly given the less than effective screening of arrivals, and noncompliance with self isolation, even after a positive coronavirus result, we are seeing the virus spread globally.

Lessons will be learnt but we are sometime off that final analysis.

Plus testing has been slow or zero in some cases, so the extent of spread is not yet known.

We love to travel and this is frustrating but it will pass and hopefully we can all enjoy our interests again. 

[avalon007]

13 minutes ago, lissie said:

 

I think that is an overreaction - its a virus - not a terrorist attack . 911 changed travel - this will become just another seasonal flu in a year or - vaccines will be developed.   Hopefully there will be a big uptick in people getting seasonal flu (and other) vaccinations.  If it brings in more mandatory vaccinations for travellers I think its a very good thing 

 

The only real question I see is how long will it take to blow over - I'm currently thinking of rebooking for August might be a safe window 

Flu vaccines are only on average about 40% effective so not going to be any guarantee.

[Aus Traveller]

14 minutes ago, lissie said:

 

The only real question I see is how long will it take to blow over - I'm currently thinking of rebooking for August might be a safe window 

August 2021 might be OK. I do not believe there is a chance that the coronavirus threat will be over by August, 2020.

 

I am currently trying to postpone a land-based holiday in Australia booked for 28th March. If we can re-schedule, I expect it to be at the end of the year, or even in 12 months' time.

[avalon007]

Human nature being what it is, self isolation is not fully effective as people break the rules & the trust system employed by most countries when screening people by asking if they have been to affected countries, or in contact with anyone who has in the last 14 days is a joke.

 

Many would lie & most people would have no idea if they were close to people who had returned from affected countries overseas - could be the hotel guest check in staff, the local shop keeper, some random person on the bus, train etc.

 

Looks like our Ovation cruise that returned from NZ on Thursday will be the last one to have completed a NZ cruise for a while. Their tourism sector was already suffering according to a local tour company we used, now it will be hard for them in ports that have grown used to multiple cruise ships arriving each week, although the season is at least near it's end, so could have been worse if the virus consequences had hit in October. 

[lissie]

5 hours ago, avalon007 said:

 

Looks like our Ovation cruise that returned from NZ on Thursday will be the last one to have completed a NZ cruise for a while. Their tourism sector was already suffering according to a local tour company we used, now it will be hard for them in ports that have grown used to multiple cruise ships arriving each week, although the season is at least near it's end, so could have been worse if the virus consequences had hit in October. 

 

Ruby Princess left Wellington tonight - not sure what her schedule is - I beileve ships already here are able to finish their trip. I know Cunard have cancelled their Queen Elizabeth crusies to NZ due in the next few days 

[lissie]

5 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

August 2021 might be OK. I do not believe there is a chance that the coronavirus threat will be over by August, 2020.

 

I am currently trying to postpone a land-based holiday in Australia booked for 28th March. If we can re-schedule, I expect it to be at the end of the year, or even in 12 months' time.

 

This is interesting take on it https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-coronavirus-adviser-expects-global-coronavirus-pandemic-to-be-over-by-june

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, lissie said:

 

This is interesting take on it https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-coronavirus-adviser-expects-global-coronavirus-pandemic-to-be-over-by-june

That would be wonderful. If we were all prepared to self-isolate for a month or two and bring, not only Aust and NZ, but the rest of the world to a halt, it would probably stop the spread, but that won't happen. The Chinese have controlled the spread of the virus in their country, but other government won't be as strict with the regulations they impose.

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Yes .Its very sad . .......and be prepared for more .Until this all blows over stand by for restrictions we have never seen before in our lifetime .

I would not be surprised to see interstate restrictions in Australia come into force .

Travel as we have known and enjoyed will never be the same .

I agree travel as we have known and enjoyed will never be the same. 

Governments have taken back their power from the cruise lines.  The power to say cruise ships can't visit their country.  Without destinations, there will be no cruise industry.  

[megsie]

Looks like Ovation is heading back towards Australia, on cruisemapper. It was due in Bay of Islands tomorrow. 

[Porky55]

15 hours ago, avalon007 said:

Looks like our Ovation cruise that returned from NZ on Thursday

Right now on ***** there are six (6) cruise ships at ports around NZ.  And a Carnival ship heading to the Islands (??) or a 3 day jaunt 😳

Ovation looks like she is heading back too .....

Then, how accurate is *****?

Edited March 14, 2020 by Porky55

[Chiliburn]

Royal Carribean just close shop globaly.

[erewhon]

Celebrity Solstice and Azamara Journey in Port Chalmers today, and if I were from NZ I would want to get off before ships head back to Australia!

[Chiliburn]

17 minutes ago, erewhon said:

Celebrity Solstice and Azamara Journey in Port Chalmers today, and if I were from NZ I would want to get off before ships head back to Australia!

That would be a good idea.
I suppose if they flew home in a few days time ,they would have to go into isolation.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

10 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

That would be a good idea.
I suppose if they flew home in a few days time ,they would have to go into isolation.

Yes .Anyone who enters NZ from tonight ,including locals , has to self isolate .

[Chiliburn]

6 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Yes .Anyone who enters NZ from tonight ,including locals , has to self isolate .

It was just on the news that kiwis are lined up at the airport trying to get back home.

Bondi will be a ghost town.

[Rassa]

1 hour ago, erewhon said:

Celebrity Solstice and Azamara Journey in Port Chalmers today, and if I were from NZ I would want to get off before ships head back to Australia!

 

I was supposed to board Solstice next Friday and was glad to hear the cruise could not end in NZ and happy it would possibly end in Sydney, but alas all cancelled now.   Second time for me a cruise has been cancelled before boarding but happy I am not stuck in NZ or anywhere (that was a worry).