Trans Tasman Bubble ?

[trig42]

49 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

That really is the equivalent of Australia re establishing flights to Norfolk Island, hardly international travel😕. 

Not quite. The Cook Islands are a country, a New Zealander still needs a passport to enter the Cook Islands (and vice-versa) and to go through customs. I don't think an Australian passport holder *needs* a passport to travel to Norfolk Island do they (apart, maybe, for identification?)

[By The Bay]

I hope it happens. Any opening would be great for both Countries.

 

"High level talks are underway between the Queensland Government and New Zealand to open up a travel bubble from as early as next month.

Air New Zealand is involved in the discussions, which could see flights operate between New Zealand, Brisbane, Cairns, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast." Source

[MMDown Under]

13 minutes ago, trig42 said:

Not quite. The Cook Islands are a country, a New Zealander still needs a passport to enter the Cook Islands (and vice-versa) and to go through customs. I don't think an Australian passport holder *needs* a passport to travel to Norfolk Island do they (apart, maybe, for identification?)

No Australians don't need a passport to travel to Norfolk Island.  They used to.

[By The Bay]

5 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Word is NZ ...might... get a aTrans Pacific bubble before a Trans Tasman bubble , in order to help tourism which has been savaged . Looks like the Islands for winter sun instead of Gold Coast .🏝🏖🏝

From Cruise Weekly. No mention of Vanuatu or Fiji. 😒

 

"Travel bubble boost

NEW Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tahiti’s tourism bodies have thrown their support behind a South Pacific travel bubble, forming a working group to help it become a reality.

The group’s stated objective is to “forge collaboration and positive discussion between the national governments of the South Pacific and Australia, as well as relevant stakeholders throughout the region, and demonstrate there’s a strong appetite from the tourism industries in these countries”.

A formal letter was recently submitted by the group to the offices of both the Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers, outlining the benefits of including its nations in a regional travel bubble."

[Balsam12]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

NSW never closed its borders to visitors from other Australian states, although like all the states non-essential travel was restricted during the lockdown.

 

However Australian borders are still closed to overseas visitors. This is not a State issue, it is a Federal issue. For your cruise to go ahead you need the international borders open AND cruise ships permitted back to Australian ports. 

 

Even if the Trans Tasman bubble goes ahead and includes cruises it is unlikely that your itinerary will remain the same as Vanuatu would be outside the TT bubble.

Some very valid points, however the "Trans Tasman" bubble looks more like including Pacific Islands as well as Oz and NZ. Many of these rely heavily on tourism and will be eager to get tourist back and spending money.

 

I'm also not too worried if the itinerary changes for my cruise. If we were restricted to only NZ and OZ, I would be happy to change the two ports in Vanuatu to ports in NZ or even Oz.

At this point, Australia is actually the sticking point. Currently, NZ, Vanuatu, Fiji and all of the other places that cruise ships visit from Australia in the Pacific are all free from Covid-19.

It is the other countries that are at risk from any "bubble" rather than Australia.

The other sticking point will be the perception of cruise ships following the Ruby Princess farce, so the cruise lines will need to demonstrate what they have changed and how they will ensure passenger safety.
 

[OzKiwiJJ]

A South Pacific bubble is the next logical step as long as the South Pacific countries are restricting international visitors from outside the bubble.

 

I read somewhere recently that Fiji is desperate for tourism to resume.

[OzKiwiJJ]

13 minutes ago, Balsam12 said:

At this point, Australia is actually the sticking point. Currently, NZ, Vanuatu, Fiji and all of the other places that cruise ships visit from Australia in the Pacific are all free from Covid-19.

It is the other countries that are at risk from any "bubble" rather than Australia.

The other sticking point will be the perception of cruise ships following the Ruby Princess farce, so the cruise lines will need to demonstrate what they have changed and how they will ensure passenger safety.
 

And we have to be realistic, it is going to take Australia much longer to become Covid-19 free, if indeed it ever does manage that, given the higher density cities in Australia and the fact that there are still Australians who were stuck overseas when the pandemic started who are still trickling back home.

 

Unfortunately educating the blinkered governments about cruise ships is going to be harder. No matter how much effort the cruise lines put into keeping the ships as clean as possible, and whatever measures they put in place for social distancing, there will always be some passengers who think the rules don't apply to them so viruses will still spread on ships, just as they do in schools, shopping centres, supermarkets etc. The only different is that the contained environment of a ship makes it easier to trace the spread of a virus - in the community it is much harder, especially for viruses such as the flu or the common cold. 

[By The Bay]

20 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

A South Pacific bubble is the next logical step as long as the South Pacific countries are restricting international visitors from outside the bubble.

 

I read somewhere recently that Fiji is desperate for tourism to resume.

"Fiji has accused Australia and New Zealand of demoting the Pacific nation to "second-class consideration" in talks over a trans-Tasman travel bubble plan."  Source behind paywall.

 

Very interested in how this pans out, especially given the high rates in US of A.

 

"Flights from Paris to French Polynesia will resume next month with RNZ reporting that from 15 July, travellers from Europe, the United States and New Caledonia will be allowed to enter the country, though they must have a Covid-19 test three days before departing for the territory and four days after arrival." Source

[OzKiwiJJ]

I was wondering what French Polynesia were doing about international travel. Yikes! That's a bit scary, especially with travel between there and New Caledonia, which could meant the virus travels from the US to Tahiti then onto Noumea. 

[NumnuT]

I still have everything crossed for a Fiji trip in mid August!

 

BULA!

[By The Bay]

1 minute ago, NumnuT said:

I still have everything crossed for a Fiji trip in mid August!

 

BULA!

This year? Very doubtful IMHO.

[ilikeanswers]

5 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I was wondering what French Polynesia were doing about international travel. Yikes! That's a bit scary, especially with travel between there and New Caledonia, which could meant the virus travels from the US to Tahiti then onto Noumea. 

 

There has not been a non stop commercial flights between Papeete and Paris for years. They need to be able transit through LAX if they are going to be able to tap into the European market, unless France decides to subsidise some non stop flights between them. It makes sense their need to open up to the US soon but it is a heck of risk. 

[pully8]

The risk of infection may increase with getting on/off at ports?

The environment on the ship can be controlled and monitored but once off in port there may be more risk.

Also passengers can be checked pre boarding and hopefully the crew will be too.

Cleaning between cruises can be rushed on turn around day. more time might be required to be sure of cleanliness. 

 

[Porky55]

7 hours ago, pully8 said:

Cleaning between cruises can be rushed on turn around day. more time might be required to be sure of cleanliness. 

Looks like that is being planned, along with staggered embarkation. A ship will be deep cleaned after every cruise. The “new normal” is the new catch phrase 😉

[Porky55]

7 hours ago, pully8 said:

but once off in port there may be more risk.

Masks and hand washing / sanitiser or stay on ship? Our “new normal”.

[Tranquility Base]

Air NZ Chief Executive said today it was looking likely the Trans Tasman would be active around August - September.

He hoped a bubble with the Pacific would come faster.

He would like to operate to Cook Islands and Niue sooner rather than later, and there are good discussions around that he said.

 

Also, good news for Auckland & NZ as the Americas Cup looks to go ahead.

Two Challenger teams and their families have been given exemptions to travel to NZ.

This involves about 400 people and they will be in NZ for up to 10 months.

 

[MicCanberra]

Good news indeed.

[By The Bay]

On 6/11/2020 at 12:15 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

A South Pacific bubble is the next logical step as long as the South Pacific countries are restricting international visitors from outside the bubble.

 

I read somewhere recently that Fiji is desperate for tourism to resume.

(CNN) — Fiji is planning to create a travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand, the South Pacific island nation's leader said on Sunday.  "Cruise ships, however, are banned indefinitely."

[Porky55]

20 hours ago, By The Bay said:

(CNN) — Fiji is planning to create a travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand, the South Pacific island nation's leader said on Sunday.  "Cruise ships, however, are banned indefinitely."

The cruise industry need their own PR team. Definitely the underdog in this pandemic and undeserving of the label - Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants etc.  all had their share of spread too, but not copping anywhere near the same infamy.  
Take the quarantine Hotel in Victoria right now for example - security guards caught Covid from someone, somehow at that premises 🧐
 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-19/coronavirus-cases-in-victoria-rise-outbreak-stamford-plaza-hotel/12372188

Edited June 23, 2020 by Porky55

[MicCanberra]

22 hours ago, By The Bay said:

(CNN) — Fiji is planning to create a travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand, the South Pacific island nation's leader said on Sunday.  "Cruise ships, however, are banned indefinitely."

Looking at what hoops Fiji want people to go through, which is quite involved, I will be waiting.

[Porky55]

Gosh 🙄 world really has gone crazy ...... 

Pinning my hopes in a vaccine - seems to be the only sensible solution.
And Im a believer in it being sooner rather than later - because there is HUGE $$ involved for those who are first 🤔

Edited June 23, 2020 by Porky55

[By The Bay]

8 minutes ago, Porky55 said:

Gosh 🙄 world really has gone crazy ...... 

Pinning my hopes in a vaccine - seems to be the only sensible solution.
And Im a believer in it being sooner rather than later - because there is HUGE $$ involved for those who are first 🤔

Israel has developed what is known as a passive vaccine.

 

"Israeli biopharmaceutical company Kamada announced that it completed development on a plasma-derived antibody treatment for COVID-19, also known as a passive vaccine. The Rehovot-based company plans to make it available under the compassionate use program in Israel, a treatment option that allows for the use of not-yet-authorized medicine for severely ill patients." Source

[By The Bay]

A very disappointing article on why the trans-Tasman bubble is under threat.

Kiwi travel writer Brook Sabin gives six reasons the idea may be dead. Source

[sewgood]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Looking at what hoops Fiji want people to go through, which is quite involved, I will be waiting.

I'm with you Mic, two weeks quarantine for a weeks holiday is not worth it, I'd rather fly to Coffs Harbour. By the time they sought out this Fiji bubble it will be warm enough to swim off our lovely northern NSW beaches.

[sewgood]

46 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

A very disappointing article on why the trans-Tasman bubble is under threat.

Kiwi travel writer Brook Sabin gives six reasons the idea may be dead. Source

I read the article and it does seem very logical especially the part about the upcoming federal election in NZ.

I can't see the bubble operating either until after the election and Australia gets the rate of community spread down to almost zero for a month or two.