In the closing submissions of the Ruby Princess inquiry, NSW Health was criticised for making three crucial mistakes when handling the arrival of the ship, when it docked in March. After more than a dozen days of hearings since April, the inquiry into the cruise ship’s COVID-19 outbreak heard health officials should have prioritised the … Read more
Cruising: you either get it or you don’t. It’s why the coronavirus pandemic has seen such a polarised view of a leisure activity that is decades old and has produced so much joy…and division. This week was more interesting than most. It started normally enough: yet another ABC report about the Ruby Princess – same … Read more
It’s one of the biggest maritime operations in history – repatriating thousands of crew members from cruise ships, back to home. And it has turned Manilla Bay in the Philippines into a giant Ocean ship park. Riding at anchor are the Sun Princess, Carnival Spirit, Queen Elizabeth, Sea Princess, Spectrum of the Seas, Voyagers of … Read more
Princess Cruises has moved to refute suggestions the Ruby Princess did not update documents to show how many passengers had signs of illness when she docked on her last cruise to Sydney in March. A reporting system on the vessel, which was accessible to all authorities, was updated at 7.21 pm on the night before … Read more
In another twist to the story of the cruise ship at the centre of the largest COVID-19 cluster in Australia, health officials have revealed a doctor’s report arrived AFTER the Ruby Princess docked in Sydney showing more cases. Had it been filed on time, it probably would have stopped passengers leaving without checks. According to … Read more
As the Ruby Princess finally left Australia this week, Princess Cruises president Jan Swartz issued a heartfelt plea to Australians who have made the line the country’s favourite: “Stick with us”. Her appeal came in a personalised letter to tens of thousands of cruisers in which she addressed the issues of how COVID-19 has so seriously … Read more
Some 49 crew members from the Ruby Princess will be flying to their home countries, bringing the ship one step closer to leaving Australian waters. NSW Police, along with NSW Health, the Australian Defence Force and Transport for NSW disembarked the crew members, one of whom tested positive for COVID-19. The crew member was taken … Read more
Local Kiama resident and teacher, Nicole Dillon could bare it no longer. She wanted to do something to cheer up the 1100 crew members stuck in isolation on board Ruby Princess at Port Kembla. So she rallied the help of the local community and businesses in Illawarra and donated 1200 gift bags filled with Australian … Read more
Graeme Lake celebrated his wife’s 75th birthday aboard the Ruby Princess on its now infamous cruise back to Sydney last month. They were among those ushered off the ship while 13 fellow passengers were being tested. They travelled back to Murrumba Downs, Queensland, before both started to display signs of COVID-19. Mrs Lake died in … Read more
She's the most specious ship yet from luxury line Oceania Cruises. James Sitters tells Rose Kelly and Peter Lynch what's on board the new class of ship, including restaurants, spas and suites.
