Aussies stuck on 25 cruise ships overseas

[MMDown Under]

10 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Wife and I, in 1997,  spent a night in an Ibis hotel in Southampton. From memory it was smaller than a stateroom. I had to dry myself in the bedroom after a shower as there was not enough space in the bathroom to wield a towel. Smallest hotel room we have ever experienced.

 I have stayed at some Ibis hotels with small rooms also - but always clean.  I stay at an Ibis at Heathrow Airport.  They set up basics for breakfast at 4 am, with further items later.  It was perfect for jet lagged me, as I could have a cup of tea and toast at 4 am with workers, then come back later for second course with the tourists. The hotel was a perfect location being first stop on free bus from the airport, then great to use as a shuttle to airport for a day at Windsor Castle.  

[MMDown Under]

On 3/29/2020 at 1:35 PM, NSWP said:

Re my son's company (Chimu Adventures) chartering LATAM aircraft to fly Aussies and Kiwis stranded in South America from Antarctic and Latin America travel.  They were flying Lima - Santiago - Sydney and Montevideo - Sydney.     Bad news from his company - the 11 Kiwis who secured seats have had to be dropped from the flights because Australian Border Force will not permit the Kiwis to enter Australia.   They thought abothisut a drop off in Auckland on the way, but not approved due to costs.  So now the Kiwis are stuck in Peru or Argentina until the NZ Govt can work something out.  

 

Suffice to say, my son is seething.  He and his co director had to contact the Kiwis concerned, tears all round.😢

 

So sad to hear this.  Common sense seems to have gone out the window.  Did your son contact the PM and LofO to try to get this decision overturned?  Why would Australian Border Force not permit the Kiwis to enter Australia?  Didn't Aust bring Kiwis back with Aussies from China?  Then Kiwis flew on to NZ.  Didn't that involve Kiwis entering Aus en route?  Someone has to be accountable for this unfair decision. One of my pet hates is the misuse of power!  Can you imagine being one of the 11 Kiwis, who secured seats on this rescue charter, only to be told you couldn't fly.  I would not want to be abandoned in Sth America at this difficult time.  

Seething would be an understatement.  No wonder your son is ageing from frustration.  

[MMDown Under]

On 3/27/2020 at 9:49 PM, LittleFish1976 said:

 

No one has yet mentioned who is going to pay for the accommodation. Is it the Australian tax payer?

Yes.  However, for NT, I think I heard NT Gov saying anyone arriving from overseas would have to pay for their own hotel accommodation for 14 days isolation.  That was a smart move.  I heard the sadness in his voice, when he announced the first two infected people in NT from a cruise ship.  He was first to close his State"s land borders, to protect vulnerable aboriginals.  Then they flew in!

[The_Big_M]

8 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Yes.  However, for NT, I think I heard NT Gov saying anyone arriving from overseas would have to pay for their own hotel accommodation for 14 days isolation.  That was a smart move.  I heard the sadness in his voice, when he announced the first two infected people in NT from a cruise ship.  He was first to close his State"s land borders, to protect vulnerable aboriginals.  Then they flew in!

 

Not just overseas, anyone entering and going into quarantine.

[MMDown Under]

10 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Not just overseas, anyone entering and going into quarantine.

Yes, I thought that was the case, but wasn't sure.  

[Aus Traveller]

There is an ABC news report about the Aussies stuck on the expedition ship, the Greg Mortimer off Uruguay. Because they were not allowed to disembark in Montevideo, they couldn't get on the evacuation flight organised by Chimu. It appears that the passengers are paying for the flight. Here is the link.

 

The report said that because the passengers from the Greg Mortimer couldn't board the plane, the price per seat was much higher. Some of the passengers agreed to pay the higher price, and some even offered to pay the extra for those passengers who couldn't afford it. The passengers appealed to the Australian government who agree to pay the additional cost.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-31/aussies-stranded-worried-they-will-be-forgotten-amid-coronavirus/12105048

[NSWP]

The Chimu LATAM Charter, well the first of them of them with 291 Aussie pax arrived at Sydney Airport this morning, thank goodness. 130 were from a Chimu chartered vessel 'Ocean Atlantic.'    All straight into Quarantine in Sydney Hotels.   Another 1 perhaps 2 charters will happen very soon.   BTW some of the pax on the above flight were independent travellers or clients of other companies. 

 

I won't go into the financial arrangements, who paid what etc, too complicated.   I am aware of the issues with Greg Mortimer vessel.

Edited March 31, 2020 by NSWP

[Pushka]

13 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

There is an ABC news report about the Aussies stuck on the expedition ship, the Greg Mortimer off Uruguay. Because they were not allowed to disembark in Montevideo, they couldn't get on the evacuation flight organised by Chimu. It appears that the passengers are paying for the flight. Here is the link.

 

The report said that because the passengers from the Greg Mortimer couldn't board the plane, the price per seat was much higher. Some of the passengers agreed to pay the higher price, and some even offered to pay the extra for those passengers who couldn't afford it. The passengers appealed to the Australian government who agree to pay the additional cost.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-31/aussies-stranded-worried-they-will-be-forgotten-amid-coronavirus/12105048

Leaving on 15 March was just plain risky. Yes I know a lot of money because cruise lines refused to cancel. We cancelled BALI a couple of weeks ago even though we lost money to do so. Would have left last week. The Government is doing the right thing though. It seems some cruise lines are acting very honourably and others just aren’t. 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Pushka

[Aus Traveller]

11 minutes ago, NSWP said:

The Chimu LATAM Charter, well the first of them of them with 291 Aussie pax arrived at Sydney Airport this morning, thank goodness. 130 were from a Chimu chartered vessel 'Ocean Atlantic.'    All straight into Quarantine in Sydney Hotels.   Another 1 perhaps 2 charters will happen very soon.   BTW some of the pax on the above flight were independent travellers or clients of other companies. 

 

I won't go into the financial arrangements, who paid what etc, too complicated.   I am aware of the issues with Greg Mortimer vessel.

Thanks Les. You previously mentioned that Chimu is looking after its clients.😁  From what I understand, the Greg Mortimer was operated by a different company.

[NSWP]

9 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Thanks Les. You previously mentioned that Chimu is looking after its clients.😁  From what I understand, the Greg Mortimer was operated by a different company.

Correct, but not the fault of Aurora Expeditions the  company operating Greg Mortimer.  I believe Scenic is involved in this current voyage as well.  Montevideo would not accept the ship due to some flu like symptoms on the vessel.   God only knows where they will go now, no South American port would take them.  The pax must be out of their minds with worry.

Edited March 31, 2020 by NSWP

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, Pushka said:

Leaving on 15 March was just plain risky. Yes I know a lot of money because cruise lines refused to cancel. We cancelled BALI a couple of weeks ago even though we lost money to do so. Would have left last week. The Government is doing the right thing though. It seems some cruise lines are acting very honourably and others just aren’t. 

I can understand the temptation because it is such a short season.  But when things go wrong in that region they go really wrong - there are so many factors involved, without the extra problems with ports closing, the virus, etc.  All the small ships look after each other and there is usually another small ship nearby just out of sight. 

Just heard on ABC News some Qantas baggage collectors have the virus (Adelaide).

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, NSWP said:

The Chimu LATAM Charter, well the first of them of them with 291 Aussie pax arrived at Sydney Airport this morning, thank goodness. 130 were from a Chimu chartered vessel 'Ocean Atlantic.'    All straight into Quarantine in Sydney Hotels.   Another 1 perhaps 2 charters will happen very soon.   BTW some of the pax on the above flight were independent travellers or clients of other companies. 

 

I won't go into the financial arrangements, who paid what etc, too complicated.   I am aware of the issues with Greg Mortimer vessel.

Loud clapping and cheering from Sunny Queensland!

[OzKiwiJJ]

On 3/30/2020 at 3:28 PM, lyndarra said:

Wife and I, in 1997,  spent a night in an Ibis hotel in Southampton. From memory it was smaller than a stateroom. I had to dry myself in the bedroom after a shower as there was not enough space in the bathroom to wield a towel. Smallest hotel room we have ever experienced.

I stayed in the Darling Harbour one many years ago. It was quite decent. 

[Pushka]

11 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I can understand the temptation because it is such a short season.  But when things go wrong in that region they go really wrong - there are so many factors involved, without the extra problems with ports closing, the virus, etc.  All the small ships look after each other and there is usually another small ship nearby just out of sight. 

Just heard on ABC News some Qantas baggage collectors have the virus (Adelaide).

6 plus over 100 quarantined. 3 more Ruby. 

[NSWP]

22 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Loud clapping and cheering from Sunny Queensland!

We have a branch in Qld @ Mooloolaba.  I love that town, the 'Loo with a View' is legendary.

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by NSWP

[NSWP]

On 3/31/2020 at 11:48 AM, NSWP said:

The Chimu LATAM Charter, well the first of them of them with 291 Aussie pax arrived at Sydney Airport this morning, thank goodness. 130 were from a Chimu chartered vessel 'Ocean Atlantic.'    All straight into Quarantine in Sydney Hotels.   Another 1 perhaps 2 charters will happen very soon.   BTW some of the pax on the above flight were independent travellers or clients of other companies. 

 

I won't go into the financial arrangements, who paid what etc, too complicated.   I am aware of the issues with Greg Mortimer vessel.

As you have read by now, the second LATAM flight organised by Chimu from its charter 'Ocean Atlantic' left Montevideo and landed in Sydney mid week, happy passengers.

[SeaDog-46]

Coral Princess has docked in Miami 4/4 with some Australians onboard. 1020 passengers & 878 crew.

Arrived with 2 dead & others sick taken to local & Tampa hospitals.

Healthy will disembark over next few days.  65 to remain in quarantine onboard - 38 crew & 27 pax.

 

At the port several cruise ships are repatriating crew - each day 250 - 500 are flying home by charter flights.

[SeaDog-46]

Health information sheet on Coral Princess.

[MMDown Under]

On 3/31/2020 at 11:07 AM, NSWP said:

Correct, but not the fault of Aurora Expeditions the  company operating Greg Mortimer.  I believe Scenic is involved in this current voyage as well.  Montevideo would not accept the ship due to some flu like symptoms on the vessel.   God only knows where they will go now, no South American port would take them.  The pax must be out of their minds with worry.

I agree.  They have the virus on board.

[MMDown Under]

On 4/4/2020 at 3:34 PM, NSWP said:

As you have read by now, the second LATAM flight organised by Chimu from its charter 'Ocean Atlantic' left Montevideo and landed in Sydney mid week, happy passengers.

Well Done!

[MMDown Under]

On 4/1/2020 at 3:11 PM, NSWP said:

We have a branch in Qld @ Mooloolaba.  I love that town, the 'Loo with a View' is legendary.

 

? a  branch of Chimu

Yes love the loo with a view and the beautiful Spit.

[MMDown Under]

On 3/31/2020 at 4:27 PM, Pushka said:

6 plus over 100 quarantined. 3 more Ruby. 

This response says it all!  There is so much happening at such fast pace.  Spare a thought for the public servants involved with all the ships which were in Australian waters, and Ruby remaining. They must be working horrendous hours under pressure.

This is in addition to all the medical staff preparing for the arrival of the virus and now working on the front line.  My neighbour's daughter, a doctor working on the front line, was recently tested for the virus.  When she told her dad the results, she said "it was negative. this time".  This time!  

[NSWP]

12 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

? a  branch of Chimu

Yes love the loo with a view and the beautiful Spit.

Yes, the Qld office, albeit now with fewer staff.

Edited April 6, 2020 by NSWP

[peter1956]

Half the passengers on the Greg Mortimer now have the virus, though luckily they don't appear to be sick with it?

Where did this cruise leave from?

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2020/04/08/greg-mortimer-cruise-ship-coronavirus/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning News - 20200408 

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, peter1956 said:

Half the passengers on the Greg Mortimer now have the virus, though luckily they don't appear to be sick with it?

Where did this cruise leave from?

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2020/04/08/greg-mortimer-cruise-ship-coronavirus/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning News - 20200408 

It is a terrible situation for the passengers on the Greg Mortimer. The company that operated the cruise is saying the Aussies and NZ'ers will have to pay $15,000 each and that amount is "under-determined". This company is expecting the passengers to pay for their repatriation, whereas the larger cruise companies are paying all the costs.