Covid 19 coronavirus: travel bubble delay is ‘unfortunately’ realistic, small cruise ships could offer vacation options

An aviation body says a prediction by Air New Zealand chief Greg Foran that a transtasman travel bubble is at least six months away is “unfortunately” realistic.

But small cruise companies hope to It may give Kiwis more vacation options this summer.

Justin Tighe-Umbers, co-chair of the New Zealand Aviation Coalition, says the sector was ready to start flying as soon as the Covid-19 case numbers allowed.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today that the transtasman bubble could be back on the table if Australia reaches a place where it does not have community transmission.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has floated the idea of ​​having a quarantine-free bubble between the South Island and Australia that he says would also allow more Australians to return home as number limits are relaxed.

Tighe-Umbers said his coalition, which represents airlines and airports, wanted New Zealand travel to Australia, state by state, to open as soon as possible.

“It would benefit not only all the people who work in the aviation sector, but also families and friends, businessmen, especially people from both countries who depend on tourism to feed their families.”

He said that at this time the growth of international hours remains limited by managed isolation and quarantine accommodation capacity.

“We would like the government to explore ways to expand this capacity and look at business quarantine options and how they could safely benefit by bringing in much-needed people for sectors such as film, international students and temporary workers.”

Nine months after the Covid crisis, which has dealt the worst financial hit to airlines in history, capacity is still 49 percent lower than the previous year. Growth stalled a month ago with the resurgence of the virus in many parts of the world.

However, small ship cruise lines are working to offer vacation options to Kiwis with trips around this country during the summer and say there is strong demand for them.

New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions operates small ships and is working with Maritime NZ and other authorities to bring in a Russian-flagged ship that seats just 50 passengers.

Expedition leader and business director Aaron Russ said that now that Covid has halted overseas travel, New Zealanders appear to be looking for unique getaways and, in the case of his company, are looking to explore the farthest reaches of the backyard of this country.

The Spirit of Enderby was scheduled to depart on two seven-day voyages around Stewart Island / Rakiura and Fiordland later this year, but was still awaiting government approval.

Russ said the Russian flag on the ship made getting approval more difficult, but he was hopeful that the expeditions would be signed.

“We are currently working with various government departments to allow our Southern Ocean season to continue.”

The quarantine conditions for the Russian crew are 14 days at sea, but plans include tests before and for 14 days of isolation before departure. The ship will then be at sea for 29 days en route from Russia, during which none of the crew will make landfall.

Upon arrival in New Zealand, further tests and a complete additional deep cleaning of the ship will take place prior to the first expedition (as well as between each voyage).

The small luxury cruise line Ponant also expects to operate a 10-day cruise across the country from late January with prices ranging from $ 7,200 to nearly $ 30,000 per person at La Laperouse. The ship is now anchored in New Caledonia.

The executive director of the New Zealand Cruise Association, Kevin O’Sullivan, said his organization had been in talks with government agencies over the winter.

“It looked very promising, but when community cases occurred and elections were postponed, all of our meetings were suspended until after the elections.”

A Covid-19 maritime border order prohibits foreign ships, including cruise ships, from entering New Zealand, with certain specific exceptions, such as cargo ships and international fishing.

In “exceptional circumstances”, foreign ships may be allowed to enter New Zealand, but would have to demonstrate a humanitarian reason or an imperative for the ship to be delivered to a New Zealand company.

Maritime NZ’s deputy director of maritime systems underwriting, Kenny Crawford, said he was aware of at least one cruise company that has applied for a waiver to allow a foreign ship to enter New Zealand.

This was going through the Ministry of Health process.

“The crew arriving in New Zealand must undergo testing, isolation and quarantine as established by current border settings.”