Talking about Bass Strait bubble

[getting older slowly]

I have written off a cruise holiday this year....and had planned to do another road trip around Tasmania again.. this year..

 

Wondering about, when the Spirit of Tasmania is going to come on line for us main lander's

 

and what restriction will be in ??? ocean recliners  Out ???  only cabins and what about getting dinner on board

 

Since it all the things the cruise lines will have to do.... but just over night

 

Also if the price is going to go up further ??

 

I think it will be the closest thing to a cruise for a while

 

Cheers Don

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by getting older slowly
spelling adn fat fingers

[MicCanberra]

I expect if the SOT has less passengers, then those who are allowed would be paying more.

[GUT2407]

If it opens before December but cruises don’t we may look at a road trip.

[Bizziecruzer]

Currently travellers must book a cabin. "supplies" are left in your cabin in lieu of meals as the restaurant is not open.

[Fletch1]

Obviously, it won't open up before Tasmania open up their borders again. Which I read somewhere may not be until mid July????

 

I was walking down Port Melbourne a few days ago and there were quite a few semi trailers loading up on the SOT, so it must be still operating for freight, less passengers.

[macntosh]

Yes, freight is still operating on a daily basis (and returning Tassie residents). For tourists however, the drawbridge is currently still drawn up on the moat that is Bass Strait. 

 

There is discussion within the Tasmanian State Government that they will fully subsidise the cost of transporting tourists vehicles to and from Tassie once the borders re-open. 

 

Not sure if this link will work, if not google "Spirit of Tasmania free travel".

https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6757509/free-spirit-would-stoke-tasmanian-travel-tict/

 

We have been pretty lucky down here during the entire time of this virus. Mind you, it has been very quiet without any tourists around, but we can now visit national parks and go to our weekender shacks.  Things are starting to improve rapidly since we have not had any new cases in nearly 3 weeks.   

Edited June 8, 2020 by macntosh

[By The Bay]

11 hours ago, macntosh said:

Not sure if this link will work, if not google "Spirit of Tasmania free travel".

https://www.examiner.com.au/story/6757509/free-spirit-would-stoke-tasmanian-travel-tict/

The good news - The link works.

 

The bad news - It is behind a paywall.

[MMDown Under]

28 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

The good news - The link works.

 

The bad news - It is behind a paywall.

Try the Advocate.com.au 

[Tranquility Base]

11 hours ago, macntosh said:

Things are starting to improve rapidly since we have not had any new cases in nearly 3 weeks.   

That's good news.

You guys should put a Bass Strait bubble on the back-burner and concentrate on a Tasman Hobart - Auckland bubble.

Edited June 8, 2020 by Tranquility Base

[getting older slowly]

14 hours ago, Bizziecruzer said:

Currently travellers must book a cabin. "supplies" are left in your cabin in lieu of meals as the restaurant is not open.

 

Doesn't sound very appealing.... before the SOT refit.. use to really enjoy the restaurant and as soon as on board would bee line to make a booking........ the cafeteria style now is ok.... but no where near the same.....

13 hours ago, macntosh said:

There is discussion within the Tasmanian State Government that they will fully subsidise the cost of transporting tourists vehicles to and from Tassie once the borders re-open. 

   That would be nice.... but we are just hoping all the places we love to visit are still in business 

our favorite places are the North West and the South East 

 

We will wait and see.....

 

Cheers Don

[macntosh]

Sorry about the pay-wall stopping you reading the article on that earlier link.

Here is a link to the Advocate article.

https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/6767153/labor-jumps-aboard-free-spirit-of-tasmania-travel-proposal/

 

Locally, we are hearing that over the long weekend just gone, that many Tasmanians went to their weekend shacks and that most of the local businesses are now operating again. Yes, there may be a few changes to the way they operate, but wonderful to hear they have "tuffed" it out and are now on a long and slow road to recovery.

 

I say, "Bring back the tourists to Tasmania!"  We need you now more than ever.

 

Anyway, stay tuned for free travel, in some form, across Bass Strait.

 

[getting older slowly]

1 hour ago, macntosh said:

Anyway, stay tuned for free travel, in some form, across Bass Strait.

 

Honestly happy to pay.... since always take the car... spent over 30 weeks holidaying in Tassie over last 10 years...

 

As long as it isn't a rowboat   lol     if so stick with the white and red boat

 

Cheers Don

[bazzaw]

Unfortunately, we here in Queensland are still imprisoned by our paranoid female Labor Premier!!!!!  I guess Victorians are much the same - but their Premier is MALE!!!! - but also paranoid.

[MicCanberra]

Cautious or paranoid?

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Cautious or paranoid?

Wise, based on health advice.

[benjoon]

3 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Unfortunately, we here in Queensland are still imprisoned by our paranoid female Labor Premier!!!!!  I guess Victorians are much the same - but their Premier is MALE!!!! - but also paranoid.

We are also imprisoned in WA. We sent our daughter back to Canberra 2 weeks ago and now don’t know when she can come home to visit again. We are hoping to visit her in October but who knows if it will happen.

[By The Bay]

How long before the QLD border is open for people from NSW?

 

"New South Wales has now gone two full weeks without a single case of community transmission of coronavirus." Source

 

"Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk again defended the closure today and said the borders would not be opened before the end of the month." Source

[bretts173]

3 hours ago, benjoon said:

We are also imprisoned in WA. We sent our daughter back to Canberra 2 weeks ago and now don’t know when she can come home to visit again. We are hoping to visit her in October but who knows if it will happen.

October is a long way off, you will be fine. We seem to forget it has been less than 3 months since we went into lockdown. We are now virtually out the other end already.

[The_Big_M]

NZ aren't opening their borders yet either. Are they also "paranoid?"

 

I don't have a problem with the NSW approach, but it is just a judgement call either way. Nobody can predict the future - nor knows the true extent of spread in the community (since so many are asymptomatic, as well as not tested) so it's a bit rich to throw labels at people for making their own considered decision.

[MicCanberra]

I think it wise to be cautious and take baby steps towards opening right up, I would be very hard to go back to lockdown.

[pully8]

Agree with being cautious. However given the large public gatherings it seems a confusing mess.

Strict rules and measures about somethings and not others suggests decisions are not evidenced based.

Pressure to open up borders and business because of commercial interests is understandable.

We need to know that any infections will be detected and dealt with promptly.

Currently people are moving around and interstate, essential worker status.

The strawberry picker who flew on 2 flights Melbourne to Brisbane to Bundaberg,  mixed with many.

Apparently was infections when he travelled and failed to disclose he had been near cases prior to travel? 

Compliance with quarantine remains an issue.

There are exceptions granted to people to avoid having to do so. 

Each state has different rules and communication between them is not always optimal.

Regardless we are keen to travel with the knowledge things are not perfect and risks remain.

 

[MicCanberra]

'Compliance with quarantine remains an issue'.

I am not surprised about this at all

[getting older slowly]

Latest update  is SOT is now taking booking fro sailing after the 1st of September  ( for mainlanders ) 

 

Price is pretty much the same......    So will wait and see

 

Cheers Don

 

[LittleFish1976]

On 6/10/2020 at 6:01 AM, bazzaw said:

Unfortunately, we here in Queensland are still imprisoned by our paranoid female Labor Premier!!!!!  I guess Victorians are much the same - but their Premier is MALE!!!! - but also paranoid.

Does it matter, male or female?

 

Dan Andrews is so 'paranoid' that he cooked up 21 new cases in last 24 hours!

 

Still like us to join you for our holidays?

[pully8]

I think the fact that we are denied/forbidden choice is annoying and the endless lecturing. Plus the guidance is not always accurate and changes frequently and varies between states.

Would be happy to holiday in Tasmania, beautiful scenery. We dislike the hot weather so that would suit us.