| ACA Update 23 June 21

WITH Jill Abel, CEO Australian Cruise Association – More delays:
Disappointing news since
my last column with the federal
government announcing yet another
three-month extension to the closure
of the international borders through
to 17 Sep.
Despite Minister Tehan’s wellintentioned
comments at the
Tourism and Transport Forum
conference supporting the
commencement of domestic cruising
within Australia and to New Zealand,
we have seen no relief offered
around a more defined plan for a
cruise restart.
Unfortunately, this has also meant
that with no surety in place, Cunard
Line and Seabourn Cruise Line have
both cancelled their upcoming cruise
seasons in Australia.
Fortunately, better news has come
out of the United States to balance
this malaise.
Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the
Seas set sail last weekend from
Miami marking the company’s first
cruise from a US port in 15 months.
Around 650 pax – all company
employees who had volunteered –
took the two-night cruise touted as
a “test run.”
The first revenue generating cruise
is now set for Jul.
These, along with the multiple
sailings occurring across all brands
in Europe, will be a great model for
restart in Australia.
It will also be interesting to see
how the onboard protocols being
put in place work out with different
“freedoms” currently being offered
for vaccinated passengers.
The first sailings are full of
complexities but with enthusiasm
being shown to get back on the
water, we are sure that we will start
to see a clearer way forward.