Coronavirus: Kiwi visa row a blow to cruise lines

Luxury cruise operator Ponant has had to cancel a series of voyages after its hospitality crew was refused visas to enter New Zealand.

A Ponant cruise ship in Milford Sound in New Zealand.

In a further blow to the cruise industry and hopes of a trans-­Tasman travel bubble, luxury operator Ponant has had to cancel a series of voyages after its hospitality crew was refused visas to enter New Zealand.

French operator Ponant said the cancellation was “devastating” and had cost the cruise line $1.6m after the ship was turned away just outside New Zealand waters, despite receiving approval from the country’s Ministry of Health.

Expedition ship Le Laperouse had sailed 3600 nautical miles (almost 6700km) from Jakarta with 90 COVID-free crew on a 20-day isolation voyage and was due to start the first of seven cruises on February 8. The voyages were restricted to 100 Kiwi passengers in New Zealand waters, and six of the seven were fully booked.

Ponant said it was notified by Immigration NZ on January 28, two days prior to its arrival in Auckland, that although visas had been granted for its 29 technical crew, they would not be issued for its 61 hotel staff, which include the hotel manager, sous chefs, sommeliers and housekeepers.

The company was told those positions, mostly taken by workers from The Philippines, should be filled locally, despite all crew being required to have maritime safety training certification.

Sarina Bratton, Ponant’s Asia Pacific chairman, said the company had engaged a recruitment company to source staff across New Zealand but found only five people with the required skills and qualifications. “These are highly skilled people. Irrespective of what position they hold, they all have safety responsibilities,” she said.

The incident has significant implications for the international cruise industry as it struggles to survive the fallout of the pandemic and global travel restrictions.

“I actually think it’s a serious situation,” Ms Bratton said.

“I’m not only seriously concerned about the viability of the expedition industry but the cruise industry at large … it will be very difficult for any operator to manage commercial and operational risks.”

In a statement, New Zealand Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said Ponant’s permission from the Health Ministry was based on the condition Le Laperouse obtained the necessary visas prior to arrival.

“Where people are organising events, such as concerts or tours, they need to have all the necessary paperwork and COVID compliance requirements sorted before they make bookings, sell tickets, or try to bring workers into New Zealand,” he said.

Ponant is offering its New Zealand passengers full refunds or a 115 per cent future cruise credit.