The Australian cruise industry has been shut down for more than 12 months following the outbreak of coronavirus and theHowever, since Tuesday’s announcement that a trans-Tasman bubble would begin on April 19, allowing quarantine-free travel between New Zealand and Australia, the cruise industry wants to be included.
Mr Katz has been leading the negotiations with the state and federal governments on behalf of the world’s cruise lines. Cruise Lines International Association Australasian spokesman Joel Katz says it’s time to set a date for cruise ships to return to Australian waters. Picture: Supplied“Now is the time for governments in Australia and New Zealand to progress a phased and strictly controlled resumption of local cruising, operating for locals-only within domestic boundaries or within the trans-Tasman bubble.”
Mr Katz said the industry had developed highly responsible COVID-19 protocols that were already in practice around the world where sailings had begun, and there had yet to be any transmission of the virus. Royal Caribbean’s 'Ovation of the Seas' is due to arrive in Sydney on October 16. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty ImagesFor 10 months, Dream Cruises has been conducting intra-country cruises – mainly island hopping – within Taiwan’s territory, while Royal Caribbean and Dream Cruises have been cruising within Singaporean waters since late 2020.
Well if they hire staff from countries with low rates of covid, rather than ones that have low wages, then maybe people will consider cruising. I’ll be damned if I go on a cruise with staff from countries with high rates incidences of Covid