Date international cruise ships could be back in Queensland

International cruise ships could be back in Queensland very soon, with paperwork to green light the industry after a two-year Covid-19 hiatus just needing to be signed.

International cruise ships could be welcomed back into Queensland as soon as mid-April, with the federal and state governments confirming paperwork to green light the industry after a two-year Covid-19 hiatus just needed to be signed.

But at the same time as an announcement draws near, one of Australia’s most popular cruise lines opted to cancel some international voyages scheduled for late in 2022.

In order for the $6bn cruise industry to return the federal government must remove the ban from the Biosecurity Act and the state government — which controls ports — must tick off on health and operational plans.

The ban on foreign-flagged ships was imposed in March 2020 after the Ruby Princess docked in Sydney, causing the spread of Covid-19 across the country. An inquiry linked 900 Covid cases and 28 deaths to the ship.

Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan on Monday said international cruise ships would likely be allowed back into the country from April 17, with the government working closely with Queensland and New South Wales to finalise plans.

“All we need to do is just dot the i’s and cross the t’s,” he said.

“All we need is those health protocols in place at the state level over the next 24, 48 hours, and we should be ready to announce so, especially for our travel agents, this is another piece of wonderful news.

A cruise ship at the Port off Brisbane pre Covid times. Picture: Annette Dew

Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe confirmed the state had been working with Commonwealth and counterparts in New South Wales to “develop consistent guidelines from the Covid-safe return of international cruise ships after April 17”.

“We have more ports, more destinations and onshore attractions, the longest stretch of cruising coastline, and warm winter weather that’s the envy of the southern states,” he said.

Mr Hinchliffe said the industry had warned it would logistically take up to three months before international cruise ships could physically return to Australia’s ports.

Carnival Cruise Line Australia, which recently repositioned two cruise liners from Australia to North America, announced on Monday that trips across the South Pacific scheduled for October and November wouldn’t be going ahead.

Instead the trips had been converted to domestic trips, capturing the Queensland market.

Carnival Cruise Line Australia VP Kara Glamore said the new itineraries would cater to demand from Australians with research showing 54 per cent were planning at least one domestic trip to treat themselves.

Ms Glamore said Carnival was planning to deliver all scheduled cruises from December 2022.