Predict when cruising will start again post-Coronavirus

[Aus Traveller]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

The problem is they have made numerous comments stating there will be no international travel this year, no one leaving, no one coming in (except for the NZ bubble). They have also said it won't happen until vaccinations are completed possibly by October this year.

I would like that confirmed officially so we have some certainty that at least until October, nothing will happen and the airlines and cruise lines can act accordingly.

I can see your reasoning. We have several cruises booked. I am expecting that at least the August one to the islands will be cancelled (not much doubt about that) and maybe the October one as well. ☹️

[OzKiwiJJ]

Australian cruising doesn't depend on international travel though. Yes, the crew have to be allowed to operate the ship but that can be managed with quarantine before they join the ship plus at least 14 days onboard while the ship repositions to Australia. The risk would actually be very low then, far lower than having returned travellers in quarantine here with the virus "escaping" from the quarantine hotels.

 

The real block to cruising recommencing is the ignorant and unrealistic attitudes of some (most?) of our politicians who have probably never ever been on a cruise but consider themselves experts.

Edited February 5, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[Chiliburn]

We don’t have a problem in Australia and New Zealand with the virus.

Its the returning passengers bringing it into the country,

The boarder for travel will stay closed for the rest of the year.

 

But Why can’t  we can still have domestic cruises.

[ilikeanswers]

Since there was some discussion about requirements for travel I thought this article might be of interest:

What vaccines mean for the return of travel

[MicCanberra]

41 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

We don’t have a problem in Australia and New Zealand with the virus.

Its the returning passengers bringing it into the country,

The boarder for travel will stay closed for the rest of the year.

 

But Why can’t  we can still have domestic cruises.

Because it needs government approval and they are just scared of cruise ships.

[Aus Traveller]

9 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Because it needs government approval and they are just scared of cruise ships.

Absolutely!! The debacle of the Ruby Princess will continue to resonate for quite a while. Thank goodness Princess don't plan to have that ship come to Australia. That would only make it worse.

[Chiliburn]

46 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

Since there was some discussion about requirements for travel I thought this article might be of interest:

What vaccines mean for the return of travel

I don’t think I will be going overseas for a long while.

Maybe NZ or Singapore.

My wife is stuck with work in the Philippines and Japan and wants me to visit her. 

I can easily get a exemption BUT no way will I be going there.

[Chiliburn]

20 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Absolutely!! The debacle of the Ruby Princess will continue to resonate for quite a while. Thank goodness Princess don't plan to have that ship come to Australia. That would only make it worse.

I’m not going to be popular with the princess fans .

But I think princess has left a real stigma on the cruise industry.

[Chiliburn]

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24324-alaska-cruise-season-cancelled-as-canadian-government-bans-cruise-ships-for-2021.html
 

 

We may have our first winter season.

[LittleFish1976]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

We don’t have a problem in Australia and New Zealand with the virus.

Its the returning passengers bringing it into the country,

The boarder for travel will stay closed for the rest of the year.

 

But Why can’t  we can still have domestic cruises.

 

I suppose if you look at the wider picture though it makes some sense; we have people from overseas returning to Australia, and let's face it, bringing the virus in with them. Especially with the new, more infectious variants, they escape from time to time (with increasing regularity) into the community. All it would take is for someone to be a contact of a contact or pick up the virus unwittingly in the supermarket or whatever, and suddenly you've got a case becoming positive on the local cruise ship and 1,000 or more people exposed. It could get out of hand very quickly and I think that's why it won't happen until 2022.

 

The government has basically said as much with their intention to stop international travel until 2022, at least, and with their stated 'desire' or 'wish' or 'hope' or whatever it is (I might call it 'unrealistic') that all Australians will have been offerred a vaccine by October this year. Sounds to me like they're trying to prepare to have some sort of travel into Australia by end of year but I don't think cruising would be a high priority. I also don't think anything of that sort will happen until we have everyone vaccinated who will take one.

 

If I were a gambling person, I'd bet money that there will be no cruising in 2021 in Australia.

 

 

[Blackduck59]

6 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

I don’t have a link   but    apparently the Canadian government has ban cruises till 28th February 2022.

 

So that well and truly puts a end to this year Alaska season.

 

IF  our governments allow it we can have a winter season.

 

Don't need a link Chili, I can confirm the announcement was made today. It will be interesting here, the cruise industry is worth about $130 million a season here. A couple years ago the Victoria City council was beaking off all kinds of anti cruise crap. I wonder if they are re-thinking their stance now that the biggest industry in the city (Victoria proper) will have almost no tourists for a second year in a row.

[OzKiwiJJ]

55 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I’m not going to be popular with the princess fans .

But I think princess has left a real stigma on the cruise industry.

Or is it that the NSW government has besmirched Princess' reputation? The combination of still having international visitors coming into the country plus the way NSW handled the disembarkation was a very bad combination.

 

And, yes, I do realize Princess also had an outbreak on Diamond but that was in the very early stages of the pandemic before it was realised how easily it spread. Ships from other lines also had outbreaks.

[OzKiwiJJ]

15 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

I suppose if you look at the wider picture though it makes some sense; we have people from overseas returning to Australia, and let's face it, bringing the virus in with them. Especially with the new, more infectious variants, they escape from time to time (with increasing regularity) into the community. All it would take is for someone to be a contact of a contact or pick up the virus unwittingly in the supermarket or whatever, and suddenly you've got a case becoming positive on the local cruise ship and 1,000 or more people exposed. It could get out of hand very quickly and I think that's why it won't happen until 2022.

 

The government has basically said as much with their intention to stop international travel until 2022, at least, and with their stated 'desire' or 'wish' or 'hope' or whatever it is (I might call it 'unrealistic') that all Australians will have been offerred a vaccine by October this year. Sounds to me like they're trying to prepare to have some sort of travel into Australia by end of year but I don't think cruising would be a high priority. I also don't think anything of that sort will happen until we have everyone vaccinated who will take one.

 

If I were a gambling person, I'd bet money that there will be no cruising in 2021 in Australia.

 

 

The cruises that operated in Europe included regular Covid testing and restricted excursions ashore. Also cruises to nowhere have been operating out of Singapore for several months now with no issues.

[LittleFish1976]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The cruises that operated in Europe included regular Covid testing and restricted excursions ashore. Also cruises to nowhere have been operating out of Singapore for several months now with no issues.

That's great. I'm happy for them. I just don't think it will happen here. Also, in light of the increased transmissibility of the new variants, it won't be possible to contain and halt the spread of the new virus as we could with the original one.

 

Weren't there cruises in Europe that had cases? Hurtigruten definitely did but weren't there others, too?

[Blackduck59]

I would be thinking that Celebrity Solstice and Eclipse will both be available for "other markets" soon. Both are already in Asia, one is in drydock and the other is waiting to go in. All refreshed and their Alaska season just got cancelled. I was hoping that we would open up a little, the announcement took me by surprise; I guess the up side is that people don't have to wonder if their 2021 Alaska cruise will happen...it won't.

I'm now having serious concern whether we will be travelling down under a year from now.

[Aus Traveller]

The Australian company, Coral Expeditions, has operated a dozen cruises with its smaller ships, around 100 passenger maximum. No COVID on board.

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I would be thinking that Celebrity Solstice and Eclipse will both be available for "other markets" soon. Both are already in Asia, one is in drydock and the other is waiting to go in. All refreshed and their Alaska season just got cancelled. I was hoping that we would open up a little, the announcement took me by surprise; I guess the up side is that people don't have to wonder if their 2021 Alaska cruise will happen...it won't.

I'm now having serious concern whether we will be travelling down under a year from now.

I hope your trip to Aust next year can happen.🤞 I recall that early last year you were not happy with  me when I suggested that your original plan of a trip in this present summer possibly would not happen.🙂

[Cruisegroover]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Yes, but instead of just extending the cruise ban for another month or two, perhaps they should just extend it until end of September or even for all of 2021.

 I know that may mean heartache for many but at least the cruise lines would be forced to cancel and pax can get their credits/ refunds and the uncertainty is removed for 6-8 months.

The legislation (The Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020 was made under section 475 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth))  only allows by the Federal Government ban to be extended by 3 months at a time. It sure is a pain but they probably never thought they would need to declare an emergency for this length of time.

How long can a human biosecurity emergency declaration last?

Subsection 475(4) requires that the human biosecurity emergency period last no longer than the Health Minister considers necessary to prevent or control the entry, emergence, establishment or spread of COVID-19 in Australia, or in any case, not longer than three months. The current declaration is for three months. The Governor-General may extend a declaration indefinitely (with each extension being for no longer than three months) if the Health Minister remains satisfied that the conditions that required a declaration of a human biosecurity emergency continue (section 476).

 

 

The other issue that comes into play is that State Governments can ban cruise ships from their state under the Public Health Emergency legislation eg Qld banned cruise ships from June last year to 31 March. 

 

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/cho-public-health-directions-under-expanded-public-health-act-powers/restricting-cruise-ships-from-entering-queensland-waters-direction

[OzKiwiJJ]

23 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

That's great. I'm happy for them. I just don't think it will happen here. Also, in light of the increased transmissibility of the new variants, it won't be possible to contain and halt the spread of the new virus as we could with the original one.

 

Weren't there cruises in Europe that had cases? Hurtigruten definitely did but weren't there others, too?

The MSC cruises had no problems at all and I don't think the Aida ones did either. Not sure about others.

[Chiliburn]

51 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

I suppose if you look at the wider picture though it makes some sense; we have people from overseas returning to Australia, and let's face it, bringing the virus in with them. Especially with the new, more infectious variants, they escape from time to time (with increasing regularity) into the community. All it would take is for someone to be a contact of a contact or pick up the virus unwittingly in the supermarket or whatever, and suddenly you've got a case becoming positive on the local cruise ship and 1,000 or more people exposed. It could get out of hand very quickly and I think that's why it won't happen until 2022.

 

The government has basically said as much with their intention to stop international travel until 2022, at least, and with their stated 'desire' or 'wish' or 'hope' or whatever it is (I might call it 'unrealistic') that all Australians will have been offerred a vaccine by October this year. Sounds to me like they're trying to prepare to have some sort of travel into Australia by end of year but I don't think cruising would be a high priority. I also don't think anything of that sort will happen until we have everyone vaccinated who will take one.

 

If I were a gambling person, I'd bet money that there will be no cruising in 2021 in Australia.

 

 

All so true.

We can’t close the country as we need air crew to bring the vaccines,urgently needed air freight,parts for vital machines ,ect.

 

 

[Chiliburn]

40 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Or is it that the NSW government has besmirched Princess' reputation? The combination of still having international visitors coming into the country plus the way NSW handled the disembarkation was a very bad combination.

 

And, yes, I do realize Princess also had an outbreak on Diamond but that was in the very early stages of the pandemic before it was realised how easily it spread. Ships from other lines also had outbreaks.

I was cringing when I did that post,thinking you will be the first of many.

 

But wasn’t there 4 princess ships in the headlines.

 

But that’s all history.

[Chiliburn]

25 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I would be thinking that Celebrity Solstice and Eclipse will both be available for "other markets" soon. Both are already in Asia, one is in drydock and the other is waiting to go in. All refreshed and their Alaska season just got cancelled. I was hoping that we would open up a little, the announcement took me by surprise; I guess the up side is that people don't have to wonder if their 2021 Alaska cruise will happen...it won't.

I'm now having serious concern whether we will be travelling down under a year from now.

Hey Lyle 

If we are going to have a cruise bubble in our part of the world.

We maybe able to work out a exemption for you and Lyn.

 I can say you and me are romantically involved and need a good booze up together.
We just have to work something out for Lyn.

[MicCanberra]

23 minutes ago, Cruisegroover said:

The legislation (The Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020 was made under section 475 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth))  only allows by the Federal Government ban to be extended by 3 months at a time. It sure is a pain but they probably never thought they would need to declare an emergency for this length of time.

How long can a human biosecurity emergency declaration last?

Subsection 475(4) requires that the human biosecurity emergency period last no longer than the Health Minister considers necessary to prevent or control the entry, emergence, establishment or spread of COVID-19 in Australia, or in any case, not longer than three months. The current declaration is for three months. The Governor-General may extend a declaration indefinitely (with each extension being for no longer than three months) if the Health Minister remains satisfied that the conditions that required a declaration of a human biosecurity emergency continue (section 476).

 

 

The other issue that comes into play is that State Governments can ban cruise ships from their state under the Public Health Emergency legislation eg Qld banned cruise ships from June last year to 31 March. 

 

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/cho-public-health-directions-under-expanded-public-health-act-powers/restricting-cruise-ships-from-entering-queensland-waters-direction

Thanks, a useful link. That said, they could amend the legislation just as they did last year.

[mr walker]

40 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I'm now having serious concern whether we will be travelling down under a year from now.

I join with Aus Traveller in also wishing you good luck. You have demonstrated that you & Lyn deserve to come downunder & experience all the things you have been been exposed to on this forum, and even find that some of them are true 🙂 . 

I am hoping that from, at latest, some time next summer there can be cruises here & that deserving folk from Canada can come to enjoy.

[Porky55]

29 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I was cringing when I did that post,thinking you will be the first of many.

 

But wasn’t there 4 princess ships in the headlines.

 

But that’s all history.

 

There were lots of ships with Covid - but Australian media made Ruby Princess Headline News. Check the list, quite a few RCI ships in there too 🤔🙄

And yes - fingers, toes and eyes crossed that we don’t see numbers like these on any ship ever again.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Porky55