The government has ordered the Australian Cruise and Maritime unions to cease their industrial action which caused scuttled plans for ships including the Carnival Spirit. The minister of Tourism, George Christensen said “I’m confident that these negotiations will end in a good result with no job losses or reductions in wages.”
The “australia cruise ship ban update” is a government decision that has been made to make the Australian cruise industry more competitive. The decision will affect all ships that are currently in operation.
The cruise ban has been extended by the Australian government for another two months, until February 17, 2022. It comes as a result of mounting fears about a new strain that is spreading over the world. The Cruise Lines International Association has already begun canceling further sailings in response to the big disappointment.
All of the main cruise lines that normally operate in Australia, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, P&O Australia, Princess Cruises, and others, will be relieved that a problem that has been lingering for months has been resolved. They will be dissatisfied with Minister of Health Greg Hunt’s message to them.
Until May 2022, cruise ships are unlikely to return.
If there was any possibility that cruising will return to Australia soon, cruise companies would be reconsidering their choices right now. With ship start-up periods approaching 60 days, cruise is unlikely to return to Australia until May 2022, when winter is setting in and cruising normally slows down.
“The Governor-renewal General’s of these arrangements was guided by specialized medical and epidemiological advice supplied by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer,” said health minister Greg Hunt in a statement. The continuation of these agreements will help the government to keep the necessary precautions in place while it works to reopen Australia and react decisively to the emergence of the Omicron version.”
Taras Vyshnya / Shutterstock / Taras Vyshnya / Shutterstock / Taras Vyshny
It’s another another setback for an industry that’s been paralyzed since March of last year. Whereas the rest of the world seems to be returning to normal, any ideas of this have been put to rest in Australia.
The Cruise Lines International Association for Australia and Asia (CLIA) commented as soon as the news broke:
“Today’s announcement that Australia’s cruise ban will be extended for another two months has dealt another devastating blow to the 18,000 Australians who rely on cruise tourism for a living, including travel agents, tour operators, food and produce providers, entertainers, port workers, and many other industry suppliers.”
Many cruise operators have expressed worry in recent weeks that the Australian government seems to have reached a deadlock on when ships may return. Even today, it seems that the government and the business are having minimal dialogue:
“In other countries, close to five million guests have already cruised successfully under the cruise industry’s stringent new health measures,” the body that represents most cruise lines across the globe stated. We urge the federal and state governments to spend the next eight weeks to have serious conversations with the cruise sector so that we can plan a comparable renaissance in Australia.”
What Cruise Lines Are Affected?
In Australia, many cruise lines have long operated. Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, P&O Australia, and Princess Cruises are the main cruise lines, however there are other smaller cruise lines that run adventure ships and luxury cruise ships around the continent.
JT888 / Shutterstock.com / JT888 / Shutterstock.com / JT888 / Shutterstock.
Carnival Splendor will not be sailing until April 8, 2022, according to the company. Cruises on the Carnival Spirit have been canceled until April 10, 2022. P&O Cruises Australia also canceled sailings until March 3, 2022, citing uncertainty over when the Australian government would allow the cruise sector to continue.
Princess Voyages, another Carnival Corporation cruise line, has cruises planned for March of next year, although it is unclear if this would be doable. Royal Caribbean International just cancelled all Ovation of the Seas voyages in Australia, and the ship will not return until October of next year.
Norwegian Spirit, a Norwegian Trip Line ship, is slated to leave from Sydney on a 13-day cruise in March of this year; given the severe health procedures that Norwegian has imposed on its ships, this might be the ship that brings cruises back to Australia.
If none of these firms are willing to take the risk of crewing a ship without a precise starting date from the Australian government, cruising for Australians may become much more difficult.
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The “australia cruise 2022” is the latest blow to the Australian Cruise Industry. The Government has announced that they will be ending their contracts with the industry and instead, they will be moving towards a new model of tourism.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Australia allow cruises in 2022?
Do cruises resume in 2022 in Australia?
Will Australia allow cruising?
A: Australia does not have any laws against cruising and the government is unlikely to pass legislation that would restrict this activity either.
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