Australia’s Border Force today extended the ban on cruise ships for another three months until September 17th, ending hopes of an early resumption of sailings.
Some cruise lines had been selling itineraries before the September deadline, but most have now relaxed refund and deposit policies, allowing passengers to easily switch to other dates if they wish.
The move comes as the major lines moved their first start dates further out – and talked about how they see the return of cruising world wide.
The Australian Border Force said in a statement: “On 15 May 2020, the Governor-General has extended the human biosecurity emergency period for an additional three months, from 17 June to 17 September 2020. This has enabled the Minister for Health to continue to exercise the emergency powers under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act to prevent or control the spread of COVID-19.
“On 20 May 2020, the Minister for Health extended the determination to prohibit the arrival at an Australian port of any international cruise ship that has left a foreign port. The restrictions included direct arrivals and Round Trip Cruises.”
How the lines will cope with the return of cruising is becoming clearer.
For Silversea, it’s small ships perfect for the proposed trans-Tasman bubble. For Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, it’s a phased comeback: five to seven ships moving to the full fleet over time.
Dream Cruises is bringing back the cruise to nowhere – two or three days in the South china Sea without any port stops to worry about. And Queensland – yes, the state that still won’t open its borders to Aussie tourists – says its new terminal at Luggage Point will open in October, come what may.
It’s been a big week for cruise decision makers charged with trying to work out when you should book and what you can expect when you step on board.
But there is still no consensus on when. That’s in the hands of the health authorities, they concede. Though the flash sales continue and, annoyingly for those who matter most – passengers who want to book with certainty – there is scant consensus on when things might get back to normal.
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian’s best guess is August 1…for now. For Carnival and P&O Australia, it’s September 1. Most insiders agree one thing: only the true optimists expect to step aboard a cruise before September.
Cruise Passenger has been monitoring the global moves to relaunch cruise so you can make informed booking decisions.
Everywhere, the cruise industry is innovating to try and end the longest pause period in more than 80 years of cruising.
In Australia, none of the cruise lines were prepared to talk on the record about what dates look likely for local cruising or what they were planning to do to reassure the cruising public.
But earlier this month, Carnival Cruise Line in the US said it would phase in some cruises beginning August 1 in North America, with the lure of low prices to attract passengers.
The cruise company said eight Carnival ships will depart from the United States from August 1 with “enhanced operational protocols”. But it also recently announced hundreds of layoffs, and its leadership team – including those in Australia – would take pay cuts of 20 per cent.
A company statement to News Ltd made it plain they were hunkering down for a long haul.
“The changes have become necessary because the worldwide pause in cruise operations has been more prolonged than anticipated – with indications that it will not be short-lived.”
Royal Caribbean remains bullish, however, with CEO Michael Bailey anticipating it was “highly likely” that Asia or Europe would see the first ships. “It’s a very different story region by region. We will see different markets come back at a different pace.”
Richard Fain, chairman and CEO , added operations will only start once they are fully prepared, with proper health and hygiene protocols in place.
“We also need to restore the confidence of many by being transparent in our actions and communicating extensively [our plans],” Fain added.
Norwegian Cruise Lines Frank Del Rio, something of an oracle in the cruise industry, is on the record as saying cruising won’t resume until he can look his own family in the eye and say it is safe.
He expects a phased approach to resume cruises, beginning with up to six months to resume fleetwide operations across all 28 of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ ships. It’s a big call, as each ship in the fleet is costing over US$3 million a month to ride at anchor.
Perhaps the most rational response to those who say cruising is over came from Mr Fain, during a coffee chat reported in Travel Weekly, a trade newsletter.
“Cruise travel has evolved, I’m happy to say, and I think Royal has been in the lead in having the cruise experience evolve. So cruising two months ago was very different than it was two years ago or five years ago. We had been enhancing the product, and continuous improvement is in our blood.”
He recalled: “After 9/11, all of a sudden you had to do strip searches at the airport, you couldn’t take a bottle of water on the plane, our whole world was changing. People said, ‘nobody will ever fly if they have to take off their shoes, their belt and everything else.’
“And other people looked back and said, ‘you had 9/11 but nothing changed. We were are all back flying again.'”
Fain said both were wrong. “Air travel didn’t end. In fact, it grew. But it evolved, and it isn’t the same. You do go through security and identification checks and frankly, we’ve become accustomed to it and the technology has helped make that easier.
“I think the same thing will happen on the cruise ships,” he said. “It won’t be exactly as it was before.”
Silversea’s outgoing managing director Australasia, Adam Armstrong, has his eye on the governments of Australia and New Zealand and their proposed “travel bubble.”
“We have got two ships coming to Australia and New Zealand at the back end of this year – Silver Muse, our flagship and the expedition ship, Silver Explorer.
“They’re ideally-sized ships to get into all the ports of call around Australia and New Zealand, so if the bubble is expanded to include cruise – the Government is only currently considering air – we’ve got two ships ready and waiting, ready to go,” he said at a global teleconference to update the market on Silversea’s current status and future plans.
I refused to let a woman out of a restroom near the theatre one night until she washed her hands. She intended on just walking out. It annoys me so much when we do the right thing and use the sanitiser every time we eat or leave washrooms. People spread germs which gives cruise ships a bad name. The term “ floating Petri dishes” Hasn’t helped the industry either!
I agree with all the comments about the unsanitary behaviour of passengers having witnessed it as well. On our last cruise where I was confined to the cabin twice from contracting contagious conditions there was a child playing with food in the buffet on a regular basis. The staff were obviously wary of upsetting the parents so this practice continued throughout the cruise. I of course told the child to stop playing and move away. I never did sight the parents. Staff need more power to ensure handwashing and control children. I feel self service will have to cease. Another problem is being jammed in a lift in close confines. I hope there is a way for cruising to be safer in the future.
September may be too early to resume. When they do strict control is required over passengers and crew regarding their travel history. 14 day isolation for all passengers from outside Australia and for all the crew before cruise commences. No crew changes whilst the cruise is in progress.
There aren’t any cruise ships berthed in Australia. The majority of ships for this region are in Manila Bay. So… our international border is closed and we have been told by the PM and Health Officers not to expect that to open anytime soon. If this in the case, why are cruise companies suggesting that we will be cruising from late September? Personally I can’t see a resumption of cruises until next year. Even though I have a booking on the QE for November (that was booked last year ) I would be quite happy for cruising to resume next year. Let’s keep Australia and ourselves safe and healthy.
I am allergic to sanitiser and soap but am pedantic about washing our hands to the point of driving my family crazy. We all haven’t been sick in many years as a result. I am so glad wash stations are being introduced. I agree 100% it’s a passenger hygiene problem.
The cruise ships ( especially Princess Cruises) are a remarkable and very clean and safe ship to travel on, people above have said that its the disgusting passengers that go on board that dont wash their hands, sanitize regular and handle food badly, these passengers if caught should be disallowed to ever cruise again. Its now time after the covid that ships say we are not going to accept dirty people, if you are TOO lazy to keep clean then you should not be allowed to “EVER” sail again, Put a black mark against their names and name and shame them but why should everyone else suffer. Stop letting them cruise.
Denice..its not always the passengers.. everyone I hang out with does ,but not once have i seen a crew member do it.. So for the most part..most would do it..passenger wise .(you will get some who wont but thats normal anywhere) Even in your own home..
I hate not knowing . America president and all the sucks that hang with him should get their act together on this covid.. Where I live we had over 4oo ppl with it..we now have none and out of those 400 only (sadly) 6 died.. our state is now clear..So, what did we do right..we stayed away from each other for one. Washed our hands till they split..(I did) and obeyed without question as to why we had to do this.. We will get back to cruising..I just hope im not way older and cant go.
Im a patient person but i feel this is slipping away. If they’d just tell us the bloody truth!.
We too love cruising, and have done 25 so far over 7 cruise lines. P&O have no issue filling ships in Brissie for comedy cruises and food n wine cruises. All Aussies. We could easily have something similar from other cruise lines so we’re all relatively hygienic Aussies enjoying cruises to nowhere before we try international cruising…
I also think the passengers are the main cause of infection on ships. I have been on about 12 cruises and the number of people who board with coughs and colds is crazy. You have to fill in forms to day you are well but Really who is going to say they’re I’ll. Also the rude people who go into the buffet and restaurants and refuse to use sanitizer or wash their hands is disgusting. The toilets are also a problem with people not practicing safe hygiene. I’ve seen it all with my own eyes. The poor staff trying to get people to do the right thing to no avail. I went on a P&O cruise and they still have the buffet with the staff fishing out the food from behind a plastic screen. I was so glad as I have also witnessed some disgusting things people do. We mostly eat at the restaurant when cruising I feel so much safer.
I love cruising and my next cruise WAS to be my 18th. I have never had any trouble with infections, but I am very careful of washing my hands etc. The staff are forever cleaning surfaces , hand rails and bathrooms etc. BUT I have seen some passengers ignoring the staff with the hand cleaner upon entering the buffet and dining rooms which appals me and I have said so to them. I can’t wait to go again.
Well……These are just my thoughts, but if Cruiseing does come back and I for one hope it does, it cannot be the same, because if there is only one thing we should have learnt during this Coronavirus lock down, it has to be hygiene, and if we haven’t learnt the importance of that simple act, then it will fail again, and that will be the end of cruising as we know it forever I fear.
You are correct it is some of the passengers lack of essential hygiene….. basic hand washing is essential anytime, but after visiting the bathroom MOST essential, before eating MOST essential, etc, etc, but how many times do you see people leave the toilet, turn the tap on, run a hand by the water thinking that is good enough, then go into the dining room avoiding the sanitiser machine, as your mind you have just washed your hands !!!! proceed to the buffet, handle food tongs etc etc….you get the picture, ….disgusting habits, habits that have helped to spread the virus, take many lives, and bring the world to its knees, and unfortunately because of the number of passengers and confined spaces on a cruise ship, it is a sitting target, so that is why I say if it does come back, it WON’T and CANNOT come back as it was…..We cruise lovers therefore have the choice, shape up, or ship out, it is literally in our hands……
yes! I agree with Yolanda. people just too lazy
to wash hands after bathroom visit ..a crew
member may need to stand outside bathroom door with sanitiser and enforce onto hands…
thats what they doing in some shopping centres before enter supermarket..
Unfortunately the knee jerk reaction of the Australian Government to send all our locally based cruise ships away now means there will be no cruising in Australia until our international borders are open. If they had been allowed to remain anchored off our shores the crews would have been quarantined. Cruising with Australian/NZ passengers in the so called’bubble’ could have been initiated quickly, bringing desperately needed income to the regions.
So short sighted of the Government as a response to the errors made with the Ruby by NSW Health. We were on ‘that’ cruise.
As veterans of over 50 cruises we heartily agree with the other posters. It is the passengers that are the problem with poor hygiene practices & the cruise lines cop the blame when a virus(be it flu or noro or covid 19) goes through a ship. We can’t wait to cruise again. Unfortunately our gutless Premier(QLD) won’t even let us travel in our own state.
We have been on 18 cruises through out Asia, South China Sea, Pacific Islands, around Australia and my biggest gripe is the inability of passengers to wash hands in fact on one cruise a woman over 60 berated the crew member who asked her to wash her hands saying that she had washed her hands that morning and did not see any reason to wash them again. Two days later the buffet was shut down and passengers were served by crew, why, because there was an outbreak of stomach virus and some 30-50 passengers were infected. Stop blaming the cruise ship it is passengers that cause the problem by not being honest about their health. Cruise ships are clean and are sanitized regularly it is the human cargo that are dirty.
It’s not the cruise ships and staff that worry me, it’s the fellow passengers that after three cruises put me off number four. No hand washing after going to the toilet, I would suggest cruise companies put in self opening and closing toilet main doors as people following non hand washers touch the door handle after them. Also bad food handling habits, as in putting food back. And coughing not covering mouth, wetting my face with Saliva, keeping me in cabin for 5 days. Staff were forever cleaning bannisters, lift buttons, actually everything, it’s a passenger problem in my opinion.
Can not wait to cruise again. We also need to stop Putting the full blame on the cruise ships. It is the passengers who do not wash their hands etc. Take some of the responsibility people!!
That is very true Graeme. Why should we take the chance. It is very sad for those of us who love to cruise but something we will just have to accept. Have they actually worked out who first took the virus on board the Ruby Princess?
September is Way Too Early to let these cruise ships back into our ports in Australia. What about the crew members? Are they all constantly screened and tested for the virus? No one here will forget the Ruby Princess in a hurry, not to mention other cruise ships in ports all over Australia. As there will be no international flights allowed, do these cruise lines expect to fill their ships with Australians only? I think most of them have more sense than to go now. May 2021 is the earliest I would consider attempting another cruise and I love cruising and have been on 8 already, mostly with NCL>
i have been on 5 cruises best holidays ever i can not wait till we can cruise again this virus will be contained and i know all cruise lines will be much cleaner and will put the health of their passengers a top priority
The cruise lines will have a major problem in returning to Australia in a post Covid environment. The issue is the crew members who come from many countries where the virus is NOT under control. How can the cruise lines guarantee that these crews will not pass on the virus to passengers? I really don’t think Australia will allow any cruise ships in Australia this summer, it is just too risky after the Ruby Princess fiasco.