Caronavirus - effect on A/NZ cruise market

[Beanb41]

Celebrity have the Millenium cruising around this area and as yet have not cancelled any cruise. More than likely the cruise lines are likely to just avoid Chinese ports rather than cancel cruises. Japan. Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia are likely recipients of port changes

[possum52]

Smart Traveller at the moment is saying the following re China - 

Latest update

Still current at:29 January 2020

Updated:28 January 2020

Latest update:Due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus we now advise you ‘reconsider your need to travel’ to China overall and ‘do not travel’ to Hubei Province. Chinese authorities have restricted travel for parts of the country and may extend these restrictions at short notice. Travellers may be quarantined, due to their health condition or previous location. If you or someone you know is in China and needs assistance, contact +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas or 1300 555 135 from within Australia.

Follow the advice of local authorities. Contact your accommodation provider, travel agent and airline for the latest update. If you’ve travelled to Hubei Province and have developed symptoms of respiratory illness, contact your doctor. See Health and Travel sections.

We now advise you to reconsider your need to travel to China overall. 

Do not travel to Hubei Province. 

And for Hong Kong - 

 

Latest update

Still current at:29 January 2020

Updated:29 January 2020

Latest update:There is an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus in China, originating from Wuhan City in Hubei Province. Travel advice for China has been updated: <https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/china>
The Hong Kong Government has activated its Emergency Response Level in relation to the coronavirus and reduced government services to essential and emergency services from 29 January 2020, until further notice. MTR and local transport services are still operating but some public facilities will be closed. Importantly, transport links between mainland China and Hong Kong will now be seriously impacted including reduced flights and halting or reducing train, bus and ferry services and crossing permits. Contact your local travel provider and monitor local government announcements: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202001/28/P2020012800727.htm. The Hong Kong Government has also advised that residents from Hubei Province and travellers who have visited Hubei Province in the past 14 days will not be permitted to enter Hong Kong until further notice. Passengers arriving into Hong Kong may undergo temperature screening at all border control points. If you have symptoms, you may be taken to hospital for further testing. If authorities suspect you're infected, you may need to stay in hospital or be quarantined. Talk to your doctor before travelling. The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection has set up a dedicated webpage on this issue: www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/102465.htm.
See our Smartraveller news update on novel coronavirus outbreak for more information: <https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/novel-coronavirus-outbreak>

We haven’t changed our advice level:
Exercise a high degree of caution in Hong Kong.
See Safety

 

Leigh

 

[CruiseCriticAUeditor]

Several lines have cancelled cruises - Royal Caribbean, MSC, Costa. 

Star Cruises has cancelled all cruises until further notice on SuperStar Gemini.

https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/5016/

Edited January 29, 2020 by CruiseCriticAUeditor

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

None of the other countries have shut their airports or closed off roads so I don't see why it would be a bad idea to travel to the rest of Asia🤔. So far the epidemic has been confined to China. 

Except for all the cases springing up all around the world.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, gbenjo said:

We are due to fly to China on the 1st May. I rang Trip a Deal yesterday and they have suspended  trips until 20th Feb and will reassess then and my travel insurance provider were a little hesitant in their response just saying if our trip is cancelled to submit a claim and see what happens. At least we are not going till May so perhaps it will settle down a bit by then (wishful thinking  maybe). Might  just have to book a cheap cruise to the islands instead and with all those extra ships here there will be some good deals around.

I hope they have an official line before you have to make any decisions.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, CruiseCriticAUeditor said:

Several lines have cancelled cruises - Royal Caribbean, MSC, Costa. 

Star Cruises has cancelled all cruises until further notice on SuperStar Gemini.

https://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/5016/

Cheers.

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

If Smart Traveller says "do not travel to China" you should be entitled to a full refund from the cruise line or your insurance.  

Agree there should be some good deals around if ships do redeploy here.  I took one during the SARS epidemic and cruised from Sydney to Darwin and would be happy to do that cruise again. 

Re SARS we had a 3 night stop over in Singapore, enroute Heathrow to Sydney  during SARS epidemic, from memory got a $100 room, normally $400 at the Pan Pacific, 500 room hotel, only about 50 rooms occupied.  Perhaps cruises might be the same.

[The_Big_M]

4 hours ago, gbenjo said:

We are due to fly to China on the 1st May. I rang Trip a Deal yesterday and they have suspended  trips until 20th Feb and will reassess then and my travel insurance provider were a little hesitant in their response just saying if our trip is cancelled to submit a claim and see what happens. At least we are not going till May so perhaps it will settle down a bit by then (wishful thinking  maybe). Might  just have to book a cheap cruise to the islands instead and with all those extra ships here there will be some good deals around.

 

I'm an optimist. I'd expect it to go as normal by then. Given the lead time that's also why the insurer isn't going to commit to anything, a lot can change by then.

[The_Big_M]

3 hours ago, Beanb41 said:

Celebrity have the Millenium cruising around this area and as yet have not cancelled any cruise. More than likely the cruise lines are likely to just avoid Chinese ports rather than cancel cruises. Japan. Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia are likely recipients of port changes

 

There's a distinction in whether they're just visiting, or if they're actually operating there. Millennium just visits so bypassing is feasible.

 

With those operating there they do so under joint ventures, so it's not as easy to up and leave, and as a result cancellation may occur.

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Except for all the cases springing up all around the world.

 

People travel and the few cases overseas have been with people out of China so far, not that it is spreading of its own in other countries.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

It would pay to keep away at the moment ,or you could end up quarantined on Christmas Island

 

just announced 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12304302

 

 

Coronavirus: New Zealand and Australia to evacuate citizens

 

New Zealand will join Australia in a plan to evacuate the nations' citizens from the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison today revealed his Government was planning for an operation to move more than 600 Australians currently trapped in the city of Wuhan to the Christmas Island detention centre for quarantine.

The region has been on strict lockdown since the outbreak of the new virus that has killed 132. There have been more than 6000 confirmed cases worldwide.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed there are now 82 New Zealanders registered as being in the region.

[mr walker]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Except for all the cases springing up all around the world.

oh except for those I guess 🙂

[MicCanberra]

As if being sick isn't bad enough.

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Except for all the cases springing up all around the world.

 

A few cases is not an epidemic. Japan was only 3 people, Taiwan 8. The epidemic is only in China. Those few cases outside are outliers otherwise it would be reclassified as pandemic. Until that happens I can't see any reason why you couldn't have cruises docking else where in East Asia.

[MicCanberra]

20 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Not sure what alternatives would be better. If China is off limits, surely Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan would be as well. Maybe Singapore.

 

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

A few cases is not an epidemic. Japan was only 3 people, Taiwan 8. The epidemic is only in China. Those few cases outside are outliers otherwise it would be reclassified as pandemic. Until that happens I can't see any reason why you couldn't have cruises docking else where in East Asia.

It is more than a few cases, it is thousands and most are in china, so yes, there is an epidemic in China and a Pandemic worldwide due to the illness travelling far and wide.

I didn't say they couldn't do it, just that my point was why would they proceed to do a relocation for embarkations to countries that are neighbouring and in some cases already had confirmed cases.

I think they are more likely to relocate further afield and last time I looked Singapore was still in Asia and could probably handle the extra load. 

[MicCanberra]

Personally now, I think that cruise lines may just cancel their cruises until they can find a solution.

[MMDown Under]

British Airways is cancelling all flights to mainland China until March.

News

Edited January 29, 2020 by MMDown Under

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

British Airways is cancelling all flights to mainland China until March.

News

I doubt they will be alone

[banzaii]

3 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Personally now, I think that cruise lines may just cancel their cruises until they can find a solution.

What are the port fees like?

I'd imagine that's not a long term option either.

 

Home port in Darwin and sail the West coast.  Choose from Fremantle, Esperance, Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton, Exmouth, Broome, Port Hedland, Busselton and Augusta

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

British Airways is cancelling all flights to mainland China until March.

News

Long term will be different, but for now some lines have cancelled their cruises. I don't think they will stay in port but just go to sea for a while until decisions are made.

[banzaii]

2 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Long term will be different, but for now some lines have cancelled their cruises. I don't think they will stay in port but just go to sea for a while until decisions are made.

Significant costs in running an empty ship out to sea too!

[The_Big_M]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

 

It is more than a few cases, it is thousands and most are in china, so yes, there is an epidemic in China and a Pandemic worldwide due to the illness travelling far and wide.

I didn't say they couldn't do it, just that my point was why would they proceed to do a relocation for embarkations to countries that are neighbouring and in some cases already had confirmed cases.

I think they are more likely to relocate further afield and last time I looked Singapore was still in Asia and could probably handle the extra load. 

 

Singapore is still in Asia and has had basically the same number of cases as ports you were against.

 

As said earlier, we also have a similar amount, they've all been transferred from China so at this stage any country aside from China is an equal candidate.

[The_Big_M]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Personally now, I think that cruise lines may just cancel their cruises until they can find a solution.

 

Given how well it's been contained elsewhere, aside from the next week or so for wait and see, I can't see them cancelling outside China unless things get worse.

[The_Big_M]

58 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Long term will be different, but for now some lines have cancelled their cruises. I don't think they will stay in port but just go to sea for a while until decisions are made.

 

The only cancellations have been in China.

[The_Big_M]

55 minutes ago, banzaii said:

Significant costs in running an empty ship out to sea too!

 

Very significant as they're up for massive amounts of refunds as well if they do that. It's not  just the cost, but the loss of revenue.