Coronavirus crisis sparks tough 30-day cruise ship travel ban

Holiday-makers will have their dream trips aborted after the Government issued a tough new lockdown over coronavirus fears.

The Federal Government has banned international cruise ships from docking in Australia for at least the next 30 days in a bid to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The tough new measure was announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday morning and came into effect at midnight last night.

Many ships are in the process of returning to port as a result, with their voyages set to be abandoned.

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Mr Morrison said special arrangements would be made to get Australians home quickly, although specific details are yet to be revealed.

“In specific cases where we have Australians on cruise ships then there will be some bespoke arrangements that will be put in place directly under the command of the Australian Border Force to ensure the relevant protections are put in place,” Mr Morrison said yesterday, according to the ABC.

Under the snap new rule, passengers from ships that have been following domestic itineraries will not have to self-isolate after disembarking, but those arriving from overseas ports will need to follow the Government’s recently announced 14-day self-isolation requirements.

The Government’s rule includes provisions for ships that are already at sea to return to port as soon as possible, which means affected passengers will not be stranded on-board.

At the moment, individual cruise lines are working with port authorities to plan their returns, which will take place over the coming days.

News.com.au understands future cruises will also be cancelled, and guests affected by any cancellations will be contacted by their individual cruise line with more information.

The Queen Elizabeth – pictured at Circular Quay yesterday – will be the last international ship to port there for at least the next 30 days. Picture: Damian Shaw

In a statement provided to news.com.au, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia – the industry’s representative body – said it and its cruise line members were “responding to evolving circumstances swiftly and in consultation with governments and health authorities internationally in relation to COVID-19”.

“As always, the health and safety of passengers and crew is the highest priority,” CLIA said.

“As the Australian Government has announced, all international arrivals by cruise ships to Australian ports will be suspended for 30 days, with provisions for vessels currently in operation.”

The body said many cruise lines had previously announced voluntary suspensions of their operations, which meant the industry was already “well advanced in returning ships to port”.

“CLIA has been working closely with the Government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and has been consulting with state and national health departments over the extensive measures enacted by the cruise industry globally,” the statement reads.

It added that cruise lines were now “focused on a safe and smooth return for affected ships at sea and on arrangements for the disembarkation of passengers”.

“While we acknowledge these suspensions will cause inconvenience and disappointment to many, cruise lines are working around the clock to maintain a focus on the health and safety of passengers and crew,” CLIA said.

“This is an unprecedented situation and we are conscious not only of the impact on guests but also on the destinations that cruise lines visit and the many businesses that depend upon cruise tourism.

“Despite challenging times, we are confident our industry has the resilience to overcome this situation in the longer term.”