[skilly57]

Yesterday the NZ government advised that ALL cruise ships are banned from berthing in New Zealand until June 30th, 2020, at the earliest.

A debacle like the Diamond Princess ('Virus Princess'?) would probably be beyond the resources of our health systems to cope with. So that's the end of the cruise season down here, and it had just started increasing again with the extra traffic that was bypassing Asian ports.

It will hit local tourism businesses very hard.

The second announcement was that ALL persons coming into NZ (except aircrew) MUST go into voluntary isolation for 14 days. So that will put a lot of travellers off coming here by plane.

Gummint will look real stooped if we get a large coronavirus outbreak despite all their safety measures.

Skilly

 

[Dickyboy]

There are currently half a dozen cruise ships on the Kiwi Coast according to the AIS, none in port as far as I can see.

 

[spongebob]

We have had one cruise ship berthed at Mount Maunganui terminal for a few days complete with crew but without any passengers on board as the vessel passes time to suit a revised schedule .
Looks like she will be unwanted for a while yet
Must check but would it be cheaper to stay along side paying port dues and allowing the crew a bit of R&R than slow steaming off shore for days on end .

Bob

Ps ship is Noordam scheduled to sail 18/3/20

 

[Dickyboy]

We have had one cruise ship berthed at Mount Maunganui terminal for a few days complete with crew but without any passengers on board as the vessel passes time to suit a revised schedule .
Looks like she will be unwanted for a while yet
Must check but would it be cheaper to stay along side paying port dues and allowing the crew a bit of R&R than slow steaming off shore for days on end .

Bob

Probably cheaper and safer to slow steam or anchor from everyone's point of view. The problem might be getting back on a berth once she has left it. Just my opinion.
I'm following a container ship around on AIS at the moment, she sailed from Tauranga for Manzanillo in Mexico a couple of days ago. A good couple of weeks away. I'll bet they're pleased they have blue seas and skies ahead of them. Just hope they haven't got any bugs aboard.

 

[skilly57]

P&O Australia have just announced they are returning their 4 Australasian-based vessels to port by noon tomorrow and all pax to be off-loaded. They will tie the ships up for a minimum of 30 days at this stage.

Also just in, the Golden Princess (yes, another bloody Princess Cruises vessel!) has anchored in Akaroa Harbour (NZ) this morning with 3 suspected coronavirus cases on board. All pax forbidden to go ashore.

 

[Rutts]

Read today Miami is not charging berthage fees for their homeported cruise ships that have been withdrawn from service and laid up until the current situation improves.

 

[trotterdotpom]

Probably cheaper and safer to slow steam or anchor from everyone's point of view. The problem might be getting back on a berth once she has left it. Just my opinion.
I'm following a container ship around on AIS at the moment, she sailed from Tauranga for Manzanillo in Mexico a couple of days ago. A good couple of weeks away. I'll bet they're pleased they have blue seas and skies ahead of them. Just hope they haven't got any bugs aboard.

No worries, they're down by the head with Corona in Mexico.

John T

 

[skilly57]

Australia have now adopted NZ's rules, and have trapped the Queen Mary 2 in Fremantle. Pax getting off tomorrow and no new ones boarding. Now wouldn't that cheese one off if one had paid for a world cruise!

 

[Varley]

Yes, but who can they blame? I am cheesed off that BA took 30 quid off me for cancelling my London flights next week.

 

[spongebob]

My partner's hairdresser and husband went on a cruise of of a life time last week from Auckland and around Australia and the pacific etc . They reached Port Chalmers as the isolation news broke so they and three hundred other passengers took the chance to quit before the ship left NZ shores . No refunds apparently and as the hubby won't fly they face an expensive long journey back to Tauranga.

Then our friends and neighbours left home ten days ago to fly to Brisbane for a family reunion with Aussie and Texas based members .
They will have to fly home and go into home isolation for fourteen days at the best if they can fly out. The US based members may yet have to change their accents if Trump stops Australian flights into Texas!

We have an Australian based Grandson who is working on contract as a grip on the production of the Lord of the Rings TV epic at studios in Auckland .
A production halt has just been announced and he is in limbo.

We are now waiting to hear of another personal contact's plight !

Meanwhile we have done the big shop, stuff from toilet paper to Corona lager , great with a shot of lime in the hot weather, and chatting to neighbours at twenty paces .
Every news bulletin paints a grimmer picture so we all hope that there is a turnaround soon.

Bob