A report in Cruise Passenger says that Carole Smethurst, founder of award-winning Bicton Travel, has been devastated by the pandemic which has seen her company’s annual turnover plummet from $40 million to $1.5 million, with her telling Cruise Passenger, “I feel like a ruined woman,” with Cruise Passenger saying she is not alone.
The report goes on to say that the industry has this week been hit by a double whammy – the extension of the cruise ban until September 17, and the cancellation of cruises by hugely popular Cunard, which was to have stationed the Queen Elizabeth in Australia this year. Probably meaning another round of refunds and lost income.
It adds, industry-wide, in the past 15 months, at least $6 billion in cruise linked economic activity has been lost and more than 700 cruises that would have carried more than 1.8 million guests from Australian ports cancelled. This is money that would have been spent on port-related fees and charges, transport and logistics, food and beverage, shore tours, entertainers and travel agents.
A staggering 25 per cent of Australian-based travel agencies specialising in cruise holidays on Carnival Australia brands in 2019 have now closed. Thousands of travel consultants have left the industry. Six thousand consultants registered in one Carnival Australia brand’s training academy have left the industry.
Since founding her travel agency business in Perth 23 years ago with two members of staff, Carole Smethurst expanded her business to 29 consultants. Today, she has just four. With international borders closed and large, foreign-flagged cruise ships banned in Australia, her business has been consumed with getting refunds for cancelled cruises.
She said, “Our business has handled about $500,000 worth of refunds and Future Cruise Credit (FCC) when Cunard and Seabourn ships cancelled their cruises to Australia”, adding, “In addition, we have handled about $300,000 worth of refunds for cancelled Kimberley cruises for Ponant, Silversea, Scenic and APT.
“The pandemic has decimated my business.” “My agency is a cruise specialist and since the pandemic, we have downsized to four travel consultants and two casuals.” “This year my annual turnover will dwindle to only $1.5 million, mostly in domestic travel.”
“While I try to remain positive, I strongly feel that the government has not done enough to get the cruise industry back to normal.”
“It is disappointing and ridiculous that there’s a ban on foreign-flagged cruise ships and that its hospitality crew must be Australians.”
Cunard’s decision yesterday to cancel all cruises to Australia is a signal that more international cruise lines will also pull out, she predicted.
Cruise ships have been through hoops to introduce stringent health protocols, enhanced cleaning/sanitising procedures, social distancing, temperature checks, wearing of face masks and mandatory vaccinations, to ensure cruises are safe.
“What is making me very frustrated is that the government has not done enough to get cruising back to normal.
“Mentally, I try to remain positive but this past year, I am feeling more like a child with terminal cancer.”
An edited report from Cruise Passenger by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor.
