Princess cruise ships waiting of the coast of Australia told to go home

[DaveSJ711]

3 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Casual jobs other than in nursing and on the land have evaporated with the closure of hospitality. No restaurants or sit down cafes allowed across Australia. 

 

I asked whether the "financial means" test represents a change in the Aussie approach to gap years.  Neither of my Aussie friends has addressed this issue.  Anyone?

 

 

[Pushka]

10 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

I asked whether the "financial means" test represents a change in the Aussie approach to gap years.  Neither of my Aussie friends has addressed this issue.  Anyone?

 

 

This is a response to a global pandemic. There is no financial means test. It simply means that if you stay, and there is no work for you, then you will not get any financial help from the Government. And if you flout the laws your visa is at risk and may be cancelled which means you are sent home on your own dime. 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Pushka

[Aus Traveller]

4 hours ago, Babr said:

Right. The first flight (charter) got them to SFO, but United refused at that point - hence a line for vouchers. Is the timeline off? When did the second charter fly?

Carnival Corp flew the Aussies who were on the HAL Zeendam to San Francisco. They were refused boarding on a United Airlines flight. The Aust government has said they had a chartered plane to bring them home. It seems that there was a mix-up at SFO airport and that these passengers went sent to board the wrong plane. Here is a post on the Aust & NZ Cruisers forum in answer to someone who asked if the chartered flight had left SFO:

 

It's not on the way, but the flight is scheduled and the plane IS sitting at SFO as it was yesterday, waiting to go. (It actually arrived there on 2nd April, waiting since then). As said, I expected there was a mixup when they were assigned to the SFO flight with someone thinking it was the regular scheduled flight instead of the charter that was arranged. 

 

It is scheduled to leave at 11:50 tonight their time (PST).

[Aus Traveller]

18 minutes ago, Pushka said:

This is a response to a global pandemic. There is no financial means test. It simply means that if you stay, and there is no work for you, then you will not get any financial help from the Government. And if you flout the laws your visa is at risk and may be cancelled which means you are sent home on your own dime. 

I feel this is a responsible attitude of the Aust government. If visitors to Australia have no job and no prospect of one, and no money to support themselves, whey should they stay. The Aust PM says we should expect the present restrictions to last "six months, and it could be longer." ☹️ Many of the backpacker visitors' visas would have run out by then: they get an extension if they work. You could say that is a Catch-22, but what is the point of having them stay when they won't be able to support themselves and they are flouting the rules designed to keep all of us safe, and boasting about it.

[Roberto256]

15 hours ago, Babr said:

May I point out that the US has not taken in any ships that are occupied by crew only.

 

You may, but it would be wrong.

 

I happened to stumble across this artical last night.

 

Crew from crew-only ships was allowed to tender into PortMiami, go to the airport and board flights...

 

Healthy crew members who have been stuck on the coronavirus-stricken Costa Favolosa and Costa Magica cruise ships since mid-March finally touched land in Miami Monday on their way home.

Dozens of workers were shuttled via lifeboat to PortMiami, then boarded buses bound for Miami International Airport around 9:00 a.m. One Wamos Air charter flight and two Ethiopian Air flights — both headed to Manila, Philippines — were scheduled to depart in the early afternoon but were delayed into the evening.

Another two charter flights on Wamos Air for Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line crew were also slated for Monday, a spokesperson for the airport confirmed.

 

Entire artical:

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241620671.html

 

 

 

[Roberto256]

11 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Let's see ... people have died on ships from coronavirus.

 

There are currently thousands of people (crew) stuck on ships with no way to get home.

 

And, these people's flight was delayed, and they didn't get breakfast in their hotel!?!?

 

I'm crying on the inside.

 

 

 

 

I checked on behalf or these folks.   There is an australian consulate in Los Angeles.

Maybe the Consulate-General could have arranged for some breakfast vouchers...

 

Outside business hours, Australians requiring emergency consular assistance can call the 24-hour consular emergency helpline free from the US on +61 2 6261 3305 or SMS +61 421 269 080. During business hours, Australians in the United States requiring consular assistance should contact the Consulate-General.

 

https://usa.embassy.gov.au/los-angeles

 

 

 

 

[icat2000]

15 hours ago, voljeep said:

uh, can't Australia send chartered flights to pick up its' people ?

They are. Both Virgin Australia and Qantas are sending planes for people to book tickets on. Its on their websites. There various routes across the globe to try and get stranded passengers back. However, they won't be flying back in Sydney. I think they go to either Brisbane or Melbourne. I guess if you live in Sydney you need to make your own way home after you have done your mandatory 14 day stay in a hotel. 

[icat2000]

6 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

I asked whether the "financial means" test represents a change in the Aussie approach to gap years.  Neither of my Aussie friends has addressed this issue.  Anyone?

 

 

 

What criteria must I pass in order to apply for a Working Holiday visa?

You must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and be single or married without children.

You need to show that:

• the main reason for coming to Australia is to holiday and that any work that you do is to support yourself while you are on holiday; 
• you have a good chance of finding temporary work to supplement your holiday funds; 
• you have a return ticket or sufficient funds for a return fare and for the first part of your stay; and 
• you intend to leave Australia at the end of your authorised stay.

If you are granted a working holiday visa, you are allowed a stay of 12 months from the date of initial entry to Australia.

You are permitted to study or train for up to three months in Australia if you applied for your visa after 1 July 2000.

 

More information: https://workpermit.com/immigration/australia/working-holiday-maker

 

 

[icat2000]

6 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I feel this is a responsible attitude of the Aust government. If visitors to Australia have no job and no prospect of one, and no money to support themselves, whey should they stay. The Aust PM says we should expect the present restrictions to last "six months, and it could be longer." ☹️ Many of the backpacker visitors' visas would have run out by then: they get an extension if they work. You could say that is a Catch-22, but what is the point of having them stay when they won't be able to support themselves and they are flouting the rules designed to keep all of us safe, and boasting about it.

And they will be competing against out of work Australians who have also lost their jobs. They need to go home. Priority must go to Australian citizens during this challenging time. 

[Fat Albert]

Babr you sure post a lot of hate for the USA. You have not provided any information that was true, what is wrong with you?  The USA has just bought into port 2 Holland ships that were refused by 12 countries in S America and L America. The Coral came into port the next day after she was refused port in many countries too. The USA has provided ports for all ships passengers and the company executive officers have decided to maintain the ships off the coast with a crew to operate safely. The operational cost for a ship to be properly stowed is extraordinarily expensive ,many preparations are required for all the liquids on board. The company is operating  some ships in the case the cruise industry can start up again with ships ready. You keep posting about how Aus is doing so great and the US not so great. This is a pandemic and the world is suffering. if you did not have such a hate filled mind you would have concerns for Italy, Spain, France, UK and many other countries that are battling an almost 10% mortality rate. The US is at 2% currently and Aus at 1.7%. However, you are just going into flu season and your country only tested 285k and the US has tested 1.7 million. You should be more hopeful than hateful.

[zonacruiser25]

Reading all the posts and shaking my head.  The Aussies and US have always been great allies.  My limited personal experience, 1 liberty visit in the Navy and a pre-cruise stay in Sydney left me with a very favorable view of their hospitality.  Now we are in a global pandemic fighting an invisible enemy.  Even if you only listen to "experts" and doctors, much of what we are being told to do to stop this is best case guesses.  As long as groups of people that may have been exposed are transferred around by bus, train, planes or other public transportation, we are seeing the spread of this virus.  The spread is indiscriminate and can only be seen weeks after the fact.  Cruises have become the poster children for, and major contributor to, the incubation and spread of this virus.   Australia is uniquely able to trace the spread with a better degree of accuracy than the major outbreak centers like Italy, Spain, US etc.  

 

Managing responses to this virus requires hard decisions and actions.  Our favorite vacation carriers, cruise lines, are having to make major changes.  Just as countries are facing pandemic response crisis and learning many shortcomings, cruise lines are also woefully unprepared for the situations they are in today.  

 

This will pass and we will learn a great deal of how do deal with future outbreaks.  I hope that we do not destroy good will that has been in place for years.  As a community, I believe CC members will come together quickly and want to get our ships back in service as soon as we can.  

 

Praying for all of the cruise ships and their crews.  So many families around the world are worried about their loved ones working on these ships.  They are concerned for their health and likely also being devastated  financially by the reduction or loss of income.

 

Many countries currently have ships in port or anchored out.  I do not believe Australia will allow harm to come to the ships around the country.  We will all come back stronger than ever if we all pull together.

 

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi

[HotRoot]

20 hours ago, Babr said:

May I point out that the US has not taken in any ships that are occupied by crew only.

The Port of Gulfport, MS, has allowed three ships in to off load crew.  They are bused to the New Orleans airport and sent home.  Gulfport is not a cruise port.  It is a commercial port.  All three ships arrived with no passengers, only crew.  I have no idea where they unloaded the passengers.  So, the US has taken in some ships that are occupied by crew only. 

[bluesea321]

1 hour ago, Fat Albert said:

....The US is at 2% currently and Aus at 1.7%. However, you are just going into flu season and your country only tested 285k and the US has tested 1.7 million....

 

First let me mention that I am an American and proud of it - I live in Texas so no Aussie here.  I am also a scientist and the data you post here and in other places does not pass scientific criteria.  You ignore the fact that the US population is much larger than Australia (or nearly all the other places you have quoted elsewhere).  Here are the facts (see link):

 

As of 11 AM CDT US:

Australia has tested 11,653 per one million of population.

The US has tested 5,073 per one million of population, far less.

Australia has 1 death per one million population.

The US has 28 deaths per one million population, far more.

 

So we are not doing too well.  IMO we waited too long to take this pandemic seriously enough.

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?source=122648

[bluesea321]

11 hours ago, Pushka said:

This is a response to a global pandemic. There is no financial means test. It simply means that if you stay, and there is no work for you, then you will not get any financial help from the Government. And if you flout the laws your visa is at risk and may be cancelled which means you are sent home on your own dime. 

 

Since, as you said, all casual jobs have evaporated how are these people going to be sent home on their own dime, a dime they apparently do not have.

[bluesea321]

11 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't know any country that would allow people to stay for extended periods of time relying on the generosity of the host country.

 

Well...  the US for instance.  My parents and I emigrated here from a communist country long ago and we were welcomed with open arms and given "generosity" for several months courtesy of the US taxpayer.  And for the record I alone (not counting my parents) have repaid that generosity 8,000 times fold by way of taxes, taxes that I have gladly paid for the privilege I was granted.  There is much negative talk about the US these days, some perhaps well deserved, but I can tell you from personal experience that there is much good in the US as well.  Few countries would have accepted immigrants like we have.

[DaveSJ711]

12 hours ago, Pushka said:

This is a response to a global pandemic. There is no financial means test. It simply means that if you stay, and there is no work for you, then you will not get any financial help from the Government. And if you flout the laws your visa is at risk and may be cancelled which means you are sent home on your own dime. 

 

You said in #70 that "the government is making sure that they have the financial means, or are working."  And Aus Traveler said in #65 that "the Prime Minister asked that those who do not have a job should go."

 

That sounds like a means test to me.  And if people don't have the means to leave, how are they going to travel home "on their own dime" when they don't have that dime?

Edited April 5, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[bluesea321]

17 hours ago, Pushka said:

The Australian Government chartered a flight for all passengers. I don't know why these passengers tried to get on to a commercial flight, nor why HAL thought a commercial flight was appropriate. 

 

Hmm again.... 

 

"An initial group of passengers arrived in San Francisco from Florida on Friday and have been given lodging and meals while they wait for their flight home, United spokesman Frank Benenati told USA TODAY. Once a second group arrives Sunday, all 219 passengers will board the chartered plane to Australia."

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2020/04/04/coronavirus-united-fly-holland-america-passengers-home-australia/2949780001/

[DaveSJ711]

15 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

When you backpacked in Australia, I am sure that the government did not pay you money every week to not work. You could have worked fruit picking or in hospitality, but you must have had enough money to feed yourself and presumably pay for accommodation.  This is the problem.

 

Actually, I ran out of money before I left Australia and New Zealand.  I borrowed from friends in order to fund the last part of my trip and to fly home.  In hindsight, perhaps I should have asked Australia for help.  I'm sure it was a friendlier government then.  

Edited April 5, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[Roberto256]

23 hours ago, Bgwest said:

Msdnc talking point alert. 

 

As a courtesy to the gentle readers here, might I ask you to spell check your political rants?

 

 

[icat2000]

5 hours ago, bluesea321 said:

 

Since, as you said, all casual jobs have evaporated how are these people going to be sent home on their own dime, a dime they apparently do not have.

They meant to have a return ticket home or enough funds to fund that journey home. Those are the conditions of the visa. 

[icat2000]

4 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

You said in #70 that "the government is making sure that they have the financial means, or are working."  And Aus Traveler said in #65 that "the Prime Minister asked that those who do not have a job should go."

 

That sounds like a means test to me.  And if people don't have the means to leave, how are they going to travel home "on their own dime" when they don't have that dime?

Well the Australian Government would have just deported them and slap them with three year ban. They should offer up the seats on those flights going over to pick up Australians to any backpacker who wants to return home. My understanding is that the Australian Government is paying Qantas and Virgin Australia (because they flying empty).  

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, Roberto256 said:

 

As a courtesy to the gentle readers here, might I ask you to spell check your political rants?

 

 

Oh Brother! 🙄

May I ask you to pay attention?

[Pushka]

4 hours ago, bluesea321 said:

 

Hmm again.... 

 

"An initial group of passengers arrived in San Francisco from Florida on Friday and have been given lodging and meals while they wait for their flight home, United spokesman Frank Benenati told USA TODAY. Once a second group arrives Sunday, all 219 passengers will board the chartered plane to Australia."

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2020/04/04/coronavirus-united-fly-holland-america-passengers-home-australia/2949780001/

Passengers were directed, presumably by Carnival, to board a plane that was never meant to be their plane. The charter flight was already in SFO. I expect that Carnival was meant to fly them in later, or to provide them with lodging, until the correct flight could depart. 

[Pushka]

21 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

They meant to have a return ticket home or enough funds to fund that journey home. Those are the conditions of the visa. 

Absolutely. Good grief. Knowing the grilling we receiving about our travel and exit plans when we entered the USA last year, Australia is simply doing what every country does. Australia, Canada, UK, Europe etc etc is simply not responsible for escorting citizens from other countries out of their country for ANY reason. 

[Pushka]

2 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

Actually, I ran out of money before I left Australia and New Zealand.  I borrowed from friends in order to fund the last part of my trip and to fly home.  In hindsight, perhaps I should have asked Australia for help.  I'm sure it was a friendlier government then.  

Yeah,  I can see US Border Control loaning me some money because I spent it all.