Peter Lynch in an exclusive report in Cruise Passenger says that Australian Government departments are considering ways to restart cruise operations in Australia and as also reported in this article in eGlobal Travel Media recently CLICK HERE are studying guidance from America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Cruise Passenger says that with the new CDC regime to resume sailings in America published last weekend, most cruise lines have yet to comment on what amounts to a tough regime of testing and trial sailings, but the Australian government has confirmed it is already studying the 40-page document as the deadline to renew its cruise ban on December 17 looms.
A government spokesman told Cruise Passenger: “Australian Government departments are considering the parameters around the future resumption of cruise operations in Australia and are considering the international approach to resumption of cruise operations, including guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), adding,
“When it is appropriate, the cruise ship restrictions can be amended at any time to respond to changes in the domestic and global situation” and
“Above all, the Government will need to be assured that cruise ships can operate in a COVID-safe way and that the risk of transmission is acceptably low before cruise operations will be permitted in Australian waters again.”
“The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) continues to provide public health advice based on evidence-based research on the risks posed by cruise ships and the restrictions may be eased or extended consistent with that advice.”
Cruise Lines International Association Australasia is also talking to federal and state governments about how cruise could resume and it has also been revealed that Graham Turner, the boss of Flight Centre, the global travel agency, is talking to state governments about the return of cruise., with Mr Turner saying to Cruise Passenger, “There is general agreement from health authorities on what is safe domestically; cruise lines such as a 6,000-berth MSC ship have been operating in the Mediterranean over the past couple of months with no major COVID-19 issues. Cruising is safe now if they stick to the protocols”.
An edited report from Cruise Passenger by John Alwyn-Jones