News: With The Government Poised To Restart, Who Will Be First To Cruise?

[Kiwi_cruiser]

From Cruise Passenger: https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/with-the-government-poised-to-restart-cruising-who-will-be-first-to-sail/

 

19 NOV 2021

 

The Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants it.  So does Health Minister Greg Hunt. And the Premier of NSW Domenic Perrottet is behind it too.  So it won’t be long before we see cruise ships back in Sydney harbour again after a 20-month gap.

 

Most are predicting March, thanks to the 60-90 day turnaround time needed to restart and crew a ship. But the intriguing question is: who will be first to dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal?
 

Carnival Australia wasn’t prepared to speculate. P&O still have ships listed for sailing in February. But the Pacific Explorer is in Cyprus and new vessel Pacific Adventure is in Greece. 

Carnival Spirit and Carnival Splendor are in the Persian Gulf. Princess isn’t sailing until mid-March.
 

It’s suggested that Norwegian could sail in March, though the line wouldn’t confirm that this.  Royal Caribbean has already cancelled Ovation of the Seas and won’t be returning until the wave season next October. Silversea scratched its proposed sailings this week. And Ponant, which has been a leader in trying to get back to cruising in Australia, has two ships standing by in Noumea.
 

But all of this may be academic – at least for the time being.  NSW Health has so far refused to clear foreign flagged ships for cruising and is showing no signs of changing its mind as the December 17 deadline for renewal of the cruise ship ban looms.
 

Which raises the question:  could another state beat NSW to the punch?

 

Dan Russell, general manager of Brisbane-based operator Clean Cruising, was quoted in The Australian this week as saying the states – especially Queensland, which boasts a new cruise terminal in Brisbane – should be leading the local resumption.
 

“We need state premiers to have the gumption to get on with it. At this point it’s not about the health advice, it’s a completely political decision … It is simply costing too many jobs,” he said.
 

A spokesman for the Queensland government said it was working to ensure the return of cruises to the Sunshine State, and is waiting on biosecurity moves by Canberra.
 

All the speculation came after Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt revealed he is considering removing the ban on foreign-flagged ships and allowing cruise ships to be “back on before Christmas.”

 

Mr Hunt said: “I expect to be able to make a decision on cruise ships in the coming weeks once we’ve got the medical information, but it will require at least one state or territory to partner on that.” And that is the stumbling block.
 

While “positive” talks were held with NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, it is understood his officials, bruised after being blamed for the Ruby Princess debacle, are standing firm and refusing to change their stance of no cruising........ Continue Reading >

[portcbob]

At least by the 17th Decenber we should have some idea what's going on with the lift of the cruising bans. Hopefully we all can be more positive to cruise in 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

In NSW Perrottet has indicated he's in favour of a restart but will he be able to convince Hazzard of that, especially after NSW Health got slammed over the Ruby debacle. 

[portcbob]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

In NSW Perrottet has indicated he's in favour of a restart but will he be able to convince Hazzard of that, especially after NSW Health got slammed over the Ruby debacle. 

If he doesn't we're doomed.

[cruisermsoon]

Brisbane has a brand new cruise terminal, so it could be P&O.

[Ondine]

How can you believe what the press says when they don't even know where Trieste is.  Last time I looked it was in Italy not Greece.

 

Herald Sun has a large article today on the mob who got kicked off the Carnival Legend 3-4 years ago for brawling.  They are suing Carnival claiming it "encouraged a culture of battering and assaulting customers among its security staff who violently assaulted and falsely imprisoned the family while on board".  This was after some family members ran amok for days causing mayhem.

 

Only cruise news being reported is the sensational kind.

[MicCanberra]

Live and hope that the ban ends on 17 December, until that is confirmed  by the Feds, nothing else can happen by state governments

[ollyoeno]

I reckon you can charter a yacht to take over 100 passengers from state to state, mooring offshore with a tender to debark them. That'll prove a point to the feds and state governments.

 

How long is this stupid policy going to go on for? It's embarrassing, we've got friends on their fifth cruise.

[portcbob]

9 hours ago, ollyoeno said:

I reckon you can charter a yacht to take over 100 passengers from state to state, mooring offshore with a tender to debark them. That'll prove a point to the feds and state governments.

 

How long is this stupid policy going to go on for? It's embarrassing, we've got friends on their fifth cruise.

Exactly.👍

[NSWP]

18 hours ago, ollyoeno said:

I reckon you can charter a yacht to take over 100 passengers from state to state, mooring offshore with a tender to debark them. That'll prove a point to the feds and state governments.

 

How long is this stupid policy going to go on for? It's embarrassing, we've got friends on their fifth cruise.

Where? USA/UK ?

[SuitesRbest]

We need state premiers to have the gumption to get on with it. At this point it’s not about the health advice, it’s a completely political decision … It is simply costing too many jobs,” he said.

 

Queensland state premier having gumption!!! Oh my. If that is what it will take to kick cruising off out of the new Brisbane port we are all kidding ourselves.

[ollyoeno]

6 hours ago, NSWP said:

Where? USA/UK ?

 

They just flew to Singapore.

 

Prior to that:

 

- Marseille to Dubai.

- Dubai to South Africa.

 

They also did a bit of cruising around the early year. They are 60.

Edited November 24, 2021 by ollyoeno

[portcbob]

Just read a news article this morning stating cruising domestically is to restart in NSW in Feb, 2022 with NSW cruisers. I think they mentioned P & O and Carnival.

[Chiliburn]

Get ready for it.

Greg Hunt will soon announce the start of cruises for Christmas . (2021)

 

 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-australia-updates-nsw-premier-dominic-perrottet-pushes-for-cruising-return/72cc90ee-64a7-42d2-aecb-9fc03e9f0c1e

 

[Cruisers47]

Just got a note from Carnival today.   Cruises in August/September cancelled.

 

offering -$900 OBC together with FCC if cruise was for more than 6 days.

 

very generous…,we can book up to 2024.

 

I think we will take it up.

 

I think they are just fed up with no update from a Australian Government.

 

eileen

[lyndarra]

Pressure to restart cruising is hotting up in the press if articles in today's Sunday Telegraph are any indication.

e.g.

P.07

 Exclusive

"Fortress Oz to open gates"

+

Exclusive

"Cruising industry asks for $10b support as ban bites"

 

P.75. Opinion.

"Cruise industry sinking" - Luke Mangin

 

P.76. Editorial

"Time to get rid of cruising ban"

 

[Hogbay]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Pressure to restart cruising is hotting up in the press if articles in today's Sunday Telegraph are any indication.

e.g.

P.07

 Exclusive

"Fortress Oz to open gates"

+

Exclusive

"Cruising industry asks for $10b support as ban bites"

 

P.75. Opinion.

"Cruise industry sinking" - Luke Mangin

 

P.76. Editorial

"Time to get rid of cruising ban"

 

So I have to go down the road an get Sunday telegraph?

[Russell21]

1 minute ago, Hogbay said:

So I have to go down the road an get Sunday telegraph?

Too big to post here. I've read them.

[Hogbay]

5 hours ago, Russell21 said:

Too big to post here. I've read them.

And did you have a option....yes I walked all the way and bought the paper $3.50 .

I can remember when it was ...ha ha 

There is a gov meeting Monday .what a wast of $3.50 to read that .... let's go A Bo 

[Chiliburn]

4 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

And did you have a option....yes I walked all the way and bought the paper $3.50 .

I can remember when it was ...ha ha 

There is a gov meeting Monday .what a wast of $3.50 to read that .... let's go A Bo 

You don’t know what these clowns are capable of.

Open the boarders or another couple of months,who knows?

Also there’s that legislation that has to pass senate.Where does that come in?

[Hogbay]

1 minute ago, Chiliburn said:

You don’t know what these clowns are capable of.

Open the boarders or another couple of months,who knows?

Also there’s that legislation that has to pass senate.Where does that come in?

No it doesn't that legislation applies to the airline industry too and they have been given a intim order to return to service. 

[Elorac123]

Vaccinated and un vaccinated 5 year olds are going to be huddled together in a classroom tomorrow, they are unmasked often touching their faces etc.(they’re kids after all)

hundreds of people encased in metal in close contact flying all round the world yet cruise ships in Australia  still remain in the water getting rusty.

Buses full and touring holiday destinations.

Cant work it out.

Cheers Carole

[Hogbay]

2 minutes ago, Elorac123 said:

Vaccinated and un vaccinated 5 year olds are going to be huddled together in a classroom tomorrow, they are unmasked often touching their faces etc.(they’re kids after all)

hundreds of people encased in metal in close contact flying all round the world yet cruise ships in Australia  still remain in the water getting rusty.

Buses full and touring holiday destinations.

Cant work it out.

Cheers Carole

I can , they had a big bo bo at the beginning of the out break and failed to act appropriately and some one needs to be fired ,we'll alot need to be held accountable. Now they are too scared to act and the Pandemic has become a epidemic. 😇

[Russell21]

You can have many thousands at the Tennis or Cricket or Football, but you can't have 2 or 3 thousand on a Cruise ship. The Gov needs to answer WHY?

[Bpos]

1 hour ago, Russell21 said:

You can have many thousands at the Tennis or Cricket or Football, but you can't have 2 or 3 thousand on a Cruise ship. The Gov needs to answer WHY?

The answer is simple, the larger percentage of cruisers are elderly and thus more prone to contracting (and might I say dying) covid than the rest of population.   On my last few cruises I thought I was in a nursing home and yes I am old too.