Cruise industry paves way to sail again
Australia’s crippled cruise industry has devised a four-phase strategy to revive a business crippled by the pandemic.
Australia’s cruise industry has unveiled a four-step plan to get ships and passengers back on the water and revive a business crippled by the pandemic.
Devised by industry body Cruise Lines International Association in collaboration with operators, the plan is aligned with the Federal Government’s four-phase strategy to gradually reopen the country after achieving 80 per cent vaccination rates.
It would see a resumption of limited domestic-only cruises when 70 per cent of the population is fully inoculated, followed by the creation of trans-Tasman and other cruise “bubbles” when vaccination levels hit 80 per cent.
Speaking before an online forum attended by almost 1000 delegates on Friday, CLIA managing director Australasia Joel Katz said the cruise industry needed certainty and a clear roadmap to ensure its survival.
“This is about having plans agreed in advance so that we’re ready as conditions improve with the rising vaccination rate,” Mr Katz said.
“Our governments have created a four-phase plan to reopen Australia, and we’re now calling for our own four-phase pathway to be included in this process.”
According to CLIA, one million people have already successfully embarked on cruises in Europe, the US and Asia. It says Australia is the only significant cruise market without a government-approved framework for a resumption of sailing.
“Cruising involves long lead-times ahead of operations, so we need a plan in place now
so we can work towards reviving an industry worth more than $5bn a year to communities around Australia,” Mr Katz said.
Under the suggested plan, phase one would involve reaching agreements with the government and health authorities on protocols such as mandatory vaccinations, onboard testing, contract tracing and response plans.
Phase two would see local-only itineraries, with no overseas passengers or international port calls. Phase three would aim for expanded domestic voyages, assuming the end of lockdowns and opening of state borders, and the establishment of international bubbles.
The final step, after the vaccination rollout, would be resuming international itineraries from Australian ports with ongoing strict health regulations in place.