Cruise ship sector calls on national cabinet to set date for restart

The nation’s biggest cruise operators are demanding national cabinet to set firm dates and make immediate biosecurity changes to get their ships into Australian ports this summer.

Two Ponant ships in Noumea, New Caledonia.

The nation’s biggest cruise operators say they need the national cabinet to set firm reopening dates and make immediate biosecurity changes so they can get their ships into Australian ports in time for summer.

Carnival Cruises and luxury expedition firm Ponant say they need more detail from Scott Morrison and the premiers on how the cruise sector will operate once the 80 per cent vaccination mark is met nationally, as it can take up to three months to get their cruise liners ready.

Cruise ships have been banned from entering Australia since early last year, after they became the centre of several early Covid-19 outbreaks, including a cluster on the Ruby Princess in Sydney that led to 22 deaths and a major commission of inquiry.

Ponant Asia Pacific has two ships stuck in Noumea, New Caledonia, which are due to come to Australia and New Zealand this summer. But Ponant chair Sarina Bratton said state and federal governments were not acting quickly enough to help the industry recover.

“The problem we have is the time needed to mobilise these ships. We have crew take our company’s two-week mandated quarantine on board, then have to quarantine in Australia on ­arrival. It can take two to three months to prepare ships which are only five or six days away,” she said.

“I’m concerned governments are not moving fast enough and we’re not getting the right engagement … no one is willing to put their hand up on cruise ships.

“We’re already seeing small ships of under 100 passengers ­beginning to operate. We need to move to the next step and have ships of under 300 passengers, like ours, moving.”

Carnival Cruises Australia president Sture Myrmell said the national cabinet needed a plan to restart the cruise sector both for its more than 18,000 employees and the nation’s tourism sector.

“The urgent need for government to engage on a restart plan for cruising is not just important for cruise lines … a pathway is also vital to the many businesses that are part of cruising’s extensive supply chain,” he said.

“These include farmers, providers, travel agents, tourism ­attractions and tours, transport operators and entertainers.”

Australian Chamber of Tourism chair John Hart said the cruise sector’s revival could contribute $2.4bn to the economy.

“This benefit reaches communities right around the coast,” he said. “Cruise ships visited 47 ports in Australia in 2018-19, bringing tourism to regional and remote coastal communities.

“A significant part of this contribution is expenditure by passengers, cruise lines and crew, providing a direct injection into local communities and the businesses that supply the industry.”

A federal government spokesman said on Wednesday the resumption of cruise travel is currently being considered.

“Agreeing a process and timeframe for cruise operations to resume in Australia requires discussion with, and the support of, the states and the Northern Territory,” he said.