| 17 Nov 21

WITH Joel Katz

MD, CLIA Australasia

Gaining clarity for cruisers

The past week has brought further positive comments from the Australian Government on cruising, this time from Health Minister Greg Hunt who has said he’d like to see cruising back by Christmas.

It’s an encouraging sign and a very welcome comment, but we’re still months away from achieving a resumption in this region.

Even if the Federal Government withdraws its ban on cruise ships, it will still be necessary to establish detailed plans with state governments before cruising can resume. It will also take months of preparations before cruise ships can return to our part of the world.

This has been one of our key messages for some time — cruising involves long lead times, cruise lines need clarity so they can plan ahead, and guests need certainty so they can book with confidence.

Unfortunately, the current lack of clarity in Australia means cruise lines have again been forced to make difficult decisions and cancel upcoming cruises. This undoubtedly causes yet more disruption for cruise guests and travel agents.

While we’re pleased that governments are hearing our calls and that our discussions are making progress, it’s important that we manage expectations and recognise there’s still work to be done before ships can again sail in Australian waters.