The NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet has confirmed to Cruise Passenger that current Covid restrictions for cruising, including vaccinations, are on the way out. NSW Premier Chris Minns is expected to announce the policy changes in the coming days.
Cruise Passenger has received correspondence from several state and federal departments confirming a decision was expected by the end of this week.
Minns told Cruise Passenger he strongly supports the changes.
“We need to move on and get life back to normal,” he said. “We’ll be removing restrictions on cruising, like the need for wearing a mask and having a Covid vaccination when boarding. There is no need for it anymore.
“Passengers should continue looking after their health before and during their cruise, including through vaccination. But Australia can’t remain the only country globally with these rules for cruising.
“These protocols were important at the time to get the cruising industry going again after Covid. They were never meant to remain forever.”
What happens next?
Should the NSW Government removes the protocols, other states should follow.
The Communicable Diseases Network of Australia, a subcommittee of the Australian Health Protection Principal, reviewed the guidelines.
The issue was proving particularly problematic for families. Many families kids have turned 12 since the pandemic, but haven’t wanted to vaccinate their kids to cruise.
Australia was the last country in the world to maintain these cruise Covid protocols.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) told Cruise Passenger: “The removal of Covid-19 vaccination and testing requirements for cruise ship passengers will bring Australia into line with other jurisdictions around the world.
“The revival of cruise operations in Australia has been carefully managed since the middle of last year and many hundreds of thousands of Australians have sailed successfully in local waters.
“As the current settings have become increasingly confusing for guests, CLIA and cruise lines have engaged with Federal and state health authorities to seek a consistent approach in line with current community standards. As other countries have now removed Covid-19 measures relating to cruising, Australia is now the only significant cruise destination in the world with ongoing testing and vaccination mandates.
“CLIA looks forward to further details from governments so that cruise guests can have clarity ahead of the summer cruise season. The industry’s highest priority remains the health and safety of guests, crew and the communities we visit.”
How the cruise lines are responding
Virgin Voyages have released a statement supporting the move.
“We thank the Premier for his decision on the removal of these regulations. It will finally bring Australia in line with the rest of the world. We encourage the remaining states to follow suit as soon as they can, given the high levels of interest to cruise by Australians and the contribution it makes to the economy nationally,” said Virgin Voyages Chief Brand Officer Nathan Rosenberg.
“Australia is a very important market for Virgin Voyages given our sister companies are well known and well loved. We couldn’t be more excited to be coming to Australia. We are looking forward to bringing a sea change by offering Australians something they have never experienced on our newest and truly game-changing ship,” Mr Rosenberg said.
“There is a lot of anticipation building for our arrival. It will be a significant boost for the economy and the cruising industry. It’s fantastic that the NSW Government has been able to support the cruise industry in this way,” he said.
Have your say. How do you feel to see these vaccination rules axed?
For more information on cruise vaccinations, click here
I am unvaccinated but I am taking a chance by paying a deposit and booking a cruise in the hope that the Government will lift the ban on cruise passengers !.
Does this mean you don’t need to be vaccinated to cruise out of Sydney only?
I am double vaccinated with certificates to prove it. I am cruising from Melbourne in December. My vaccinations were 2years ago and i don’t intend to have any more do they still count?
Too little too late. We’ve skipped departing Australia and will pick up our cruise next year in Singapore. The worried fearful and the faithful should get a life and move on.
I am happy about it, I have been writing to every gov dept I could get my hands on asking them to let us cruise again, glad someone finally listened.
Thank goodness!! We have a cruise booked for December and our son turns 12 in October… We were about to cancel our cruise.
well i for one refused to go cruising with this ridiculous rule in place.AS the stats come out it is as we expected The boosted are the ones dying of and passing on covid. Protecting noone just forcing obedience. About time we all stood up to this tyranny
We are the laughing stock of the rest of the world keeping these ridiculous rules in place that don’t protect anyone
Let’s get back to normal asap!!
The whole thing was a joke anyway. We went on a cruise from Brisbane in January 2023 and the people checking us in did not even ask to see our vaccination certificates or evidence that we had self tested and were negative. Many others on the cruise told us the same thing happened to them. I’ve even heard of some people taking fake paper vaccination certificates and claiming they could not download an electronic copy.
Praise God for some sensibility to finally reign, allowing people to actually take responsibility for their own health, rather than keeping the discriminatory rules in place.,
Seriously the rules made no sense given vaxxed people still got COVID as well as spread COVID, and most people gave up after 2 vaxes which was 2 years ago so any protection given is total well gone now. What are they up to now 4th or 5th booster?!? I stopped counting after 2.
We’ve had our injections and boosters … by OUR choice! I’ll be damned if I’ll tell or show the government ANYTHING about it. About time this futile cr@p was thrown out.
Brilliant news. Big thanks Tallis for keeping on top of this great reporting.
Cannot wait to set sail
I use to book Singles cruises 10 to 15 cabins since Jab introduced next Cruise in December 2 cabins. Majority of my clients choose not to be forced to get the jab. Hoping Queensland steps up and stop this outdated practice soon. Get Australia Tourism flowing again .
It’s time for change. It doesn’t mean that you can’t wear a mask in crowded situations. It’s now time for everyone to take responsibility for their own health.
Keep the restrictions in place. Get vaccinated or don’t enjoy the freedoms that the majority of society do because they chose to vaccinate.
About time the discrimination ends. My family and I have copped rubbish like this for 4 years. Can’t wait to go cruising again!
Amen is all I have to say. Get on board Qld and other states to rebuild the cruising industry.
Well if you look at the ships in Miami, their having a nova virus spike , they could bring it to Australia when they reposition cruise in a few months so keep the restrictions in place till the new year at least , if quarantine is happening still , there will be a lot of cruisers under house arrest even more
I was hoping that they would change their minds. I love Australia and had such a good time the 6 years ago we were there. We booked a transpacific 33 day cruise, but I have not fully paid for it. We are going April 24 and the final payment due in December 2023. But I was using November 1st as my cutoff date to pull out as we are unvaccinated. Interestingly,the people in our neighborhood who were vaccinated have had covid 2 or 3 times? Doesn’t make sense. Anyway so happy that Australia is finally considering doing away with that requirement.
Thank you
Australian Health and BorderForce no longer require Vax to get into the country. They were the ones who provided the advice for the Eastern Seaboard cruise Protocols.
Several months have passed and its long overdue to be removed.
About time. Simply embarrassing and completely unnecessary that these rules were imposed in the first place let alone how long they’ve gone on for.
Is simply ridiculous that these restrictions are still imposed
But all the cruise lines haven’t lifted it until all the states have the go ahead.
Finally – Erap yimmet Covid rules. Been waiting to get on another cruise now for a while. Haleh – Carnivale Cruiseliners, better remove your rules quicksmart
Finally! It is embarrassing how long Australia held onto these restrictions. The vaccines never provided immunity, nor have they stopped transmission. Anyone who is still advocating for these restrictions because of their “safety” are probably the same people who wear masks when driving in their car with no passengers.
When ?????? Cruise in under two weeks
Two words, About time!
Hooray. It’s still disappointing to know that the protocols were voluntarily adhered to by the cruise lines. They could have chosen to ignore them but large corporations tend towards psychopathy on matters like this. To all the low information types who think that allowing uninjected people on boats is a bad thing, I look forward to not seeing you aboard.
I’m in Qld. I think it’s only NSW who have changed the ruling. I am devastated to have to get vaccinated for a cruise in January.
Has gone on way too long. It should have been stopped a year ago when they realised the vaccines don’t stop transmission!
The reason for mandates was to protect others. Then the states were saying it’s about reducing severe illness on ships. Well it’s mainly the elderly it affects (even if vaccinated) so why were they allowed to cruise and low risk teenagers were not!
This whole debacle has raised the question of ‘is anyone in the govt actually reading the data’… And their power has gone to their heads in that place!
Thank goodness finially someone who hasnt got his head in the sand. Aboit time . Now the cruise ship need to be on board royal Caribbean still.saying thet require vaccination. If they keep this up my class action will go against them .
Thank goodness it’s about time Australia aligned with the rest of the world
It’s about time and long overdue!
We need to move forward like the rest of the word.
Just in time for our already booked cruise. At least now we won’t need to go through the bull of applying for an exemption. The whole thing has been a mess with no govt depts wanting to take responsibility for removing them.
To all the ones who have been complaining for months about not wanting to cruise with the unvaccinated, stay home for a while, stay safe. We no longer have any sympathy for you.
It’s well overdue.