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A New Zealand travel agency is furious that the government took months to approve a small cruise ship to enter New Zealand waters, saying the delay cost the country millions and is an “incredible loss and missed opportunity.”
Ponant Cruises has received permission to operate in New Zealand with the Le Laperouse ship, and voyages with New Zealand-based passengers will begin in February. However, Christchurch-based travel agency Holland Clarke & Beatson had chartered the ship for a January 30 cruise from Dunedin to Auckland. The cabins were nearly sold out, with some reportedly costing up to $ 75,000. They were only available for sale to those who were already in New Zealand.
LAWRENCE SMITH
The Le Laperouse cruise ship docks at Auckland’s Queens Wharf during the Covid-19 shutdown earlier this year.
Preparation for the cruise began in May, with a request submitted in September, but the paperwork was only approved last week, meaning the ship will not be able to logistically move to Dunedin in time for the January 30 cruise, and now needs to be canceled.
Sarah Clarke of Holland Clarke & Beatson, who had chartered the ship, is furious and says the government’s slow response had cost the economy millions.
Were you booked on the Ponant cruise ship that is due out early next year? Email [email protected]
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Clarke says that “$ 2.5 million has been lost immediately to the New Zealand travel industry, and approximately $ 2.5 million more has been lost to our economy in terms of tourism, port fees, etc. for that cruise.
“Our feeling is that the New Zealand government should be ashamed of this incredible waste and missed opportunity, and that means to us, from a political perspective, that this government would rather pay wage subsidies than its citizens earn an honest living.”
The Ministry of Health has responded firmly, through a spokesperson saying that “the Ministry is not responsible for the fares that are sold on a cruise ship that at that time did not have permission to operate.
A strong border remains New Zealand’s main defense against Covid-19. As part of this, our maritime border remains closed to foreign vessels. Exemptions are not granted lightly. “
Clarke says the cruise “was not about a foreign company looking to take its profits abroad, it was about supporting local businesses like us at Holland Clarke & Beatson, and the many travel agencies and tourism companies in New Zealand. They are working desperately just to survive.
SUPPLIED
Le Laperouse at The Kimberley, Australia before the impact of Covid-19.
“The trip we rented was sold to New Zealanders by local travel agencies, agencies that have shown considerable initiative in the face of great adversity to involve their clients in traveling and exploring New Zealand this summer. Many of the agencies I know are staggering the limit of survival and for whom even reserving a couple of cabins in this card will mean the difference between survival and failure “.
The initial application was submitted to the Ministry of Health in September, and Clarke says that “we cannot understand for love or money why the government would not approve it weeks, much less months ago, for something that is ‘safe’: the cruise. can. ” This happens unless you’re Covid-free to begin with.
Ponant can still relocate a ship here for the February voyages, which include a 14-night expedition to Chatham Island and the subantarctic islands.
Clarke is now busy, for the second time this year after the initial border closure, reimbursing passengers or rebooking them for a similar trip in March.
“Our biggest resentment with the government has been the lack of communication throughout the process.”
Preparations began in May, but Clarke says the cruise line wouldn’t be able to apply until a mechanism was created in September. She says the Ministry of Health was supposed to respond in 20 business days, but it took 43.
Under the Maritime Borders Order, cruise ships will only be exempted from entering the country and operating if they are carrying out major repairs or remodeling in New Zealand and are being delivered to a company.
Clarke says the main problem was insufficient information on ship repair costs; says the company promised to spend tens of thousands on repairs when it arrived in New Zealand. That meant a completely new application had to be submitted, which took another 20 days.
The Ministry says the initial application was rejected because “it did not meet the requirements of either category of the Maritime Borders Order.
“All requests for exemptions to enter New Zealand are considered within the framework of the Order and exemptions are only made if the request clearly meets the criteria of the Order.”
The Ministry added that it worked hard to process the second application before Christmas.
Ponant, who operates the ship, said he had no comment to make.
Clarke says that “we are very, very worried and frustrated by this terrible poor decision making.”
