NZ re-opening sooner than advertised and dropping self-isolation on arrival.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, nermal9900 said:

I was booked to New Zealand for this October having paid in full July 2020 but I had to pull out when my initial consultant told me it was cancelled last August for November 2021 so went to see what alternatives existed I opted for a similarly timed(albeit a few weeks later)Quantum of the Seas Queensland Cruise.The Primary Reason I would choose NZ for cruising is mostly a lot of overlooked places you might have done in between 18 and 35 or 18 to 39 on Contiki and Top Deck that they with their coaches don't have the time for.

October is early in the season for a NZ cruise and very early for a ship to get into Milford Sound. The seas are particularly rough in the winter preventing ships from entering the sounds. It can still be very cold in the South Island at the end of Nov/start of December. I remember one cruise from Brisbane that arrived in Milford Sound around 10th December. Snow fell on the deck when they were in Milford. Many of the Queenslanders on board didn't have winter clothing.

[NSWP]

11 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

October is early in the season for a NZ cruise and very early for a ship to get into Milford Sound. The seas are particularly rough in the winter preventing ships from entering the sounds. It can still be very cold in the South Island at the end of Nov/start of December. I remember one cruise from Brisbane that arrived in Milford Sound around 10th December. Snow fell on the deck when they were in Milford. Many of the Queenslanders on board didn't have winter clothing.

It was end of September 2007 on ye olde Regal Princess, LA to Sydney when we got hit by the Antarctic Gale, Force 11-12 and 12 metre seas around the Bluff after leaving Dunedin. Scary. Because of reduced speed and rough seas we missed Milford and were a day late getting to Sydney, much to the ire of the many Americans on board who missed their flights.  Yes sure are some big seas around bottom of south island of NZ.

[springaussie]

NZCA Media Release
NZ Cruise Association Urgently Seeks Reopening Dates
21 April 2022

New Zealand Cruise Association is warning that New Zealand risks losing millions of dollars unless the Government can confirm as soon as possible when our maritime borders will reopen.

The New Zealand Cruise Association says the continuing lack of certainty on the future of the cruise sector is also putting at risk hundreds of ailing tourism businesses that support the cruise sector around the country.

“The continuing silence from Government on reopening our maritime borders is squandering the enormous contribution that the New Zealand cruise sector could make in providing desperately needed revenue to help regional tourism operators survive into 2023,” Chief Executive Kevin O’Sullivan says.

New Zealand has already lost 250 port calls and around $150 million in revenue due to the uncertainty on when the border will open. Cruise lines need time to plan their schedules for the 2022-23 cruise season and time is rapidly running out, Mr O’Sullivan says.

“More than 80 countries around the world are now open to cruise, including Australia. We know there is considerable pent up demand among travellers for cruise, but international cruise lines are unwilling to put New Zealand on their list because we are still closed.”  

The impact will fall most heavily on regions which rely on income from cruise ships in the summer months, especially while international tourism is still recovering, Mr O’Sullivan says.

Prior to the pandemic, the cruise sector added $550 million to New Zealand’s economy – equal to the entire Business and Events sector. 

“In the more than two years since our borders closed, New Zealand has lost over a billion dollars. This can’t continue. We cannot lose another cruise season without a serious breakdown in our ability to service all visitors to New Zealand,” Mr O’Sullivan says.

Cruise is now well recognised as leading the way with COVID health measures, he says. All passengers and crew are vaccinated and regularly tested, ventilation has been enormously enhanced and there are extensive proven health measures on board. 

“The Government must announce urgently when the maritime border will open or we will continue to see yet more cancellations, and we will all miss out on the vital opportunities that cruise offers to our communities.”

 

[Bugalugsnz]

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2022/04/covid-19-new-zealand-cruise-industry-urges-government-to-stop-mucking-around-on-maritime-border-re-opening.html

[onlyslightlymad]

Here's some push back against the cruise lobbyists.  Much as I enjoy cruising,  the author has some good points.

 

 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/465732/nz-should-be-in-no-hurry-to-reopen-its-border-to-cruise-ships

[OzKiwiJJ]

51 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Here's some push back against the cruise lobbyists.  Much as I enjoy cruising,  the author has some good points.

 

 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/465732/nz-should-be-in-no-hurry-to-reopen-its-border-to-cruise-ships

Hmmm! I think he's wrong on a few points. Firstly he claims that cruise ship passengers "eat meals provided onboard rather than onshore ". If so why did so many new eateries pop up in Akaroa once cruise ships started going there, and why were they always chocka when a ship was in port? Mt Maunganui also seemed to grow as the cruise industry grew. Sure, some passengers go back to the ship for lunch but many eat locally, and buy souvenirs and/or clothing. Napier puts on an amazing 'show' based on it's Art Deco history - it wouldn't do that if there was no financial reward in it. It's harder to see the impact in the bigger cities though as cruise ship passenger just get absorbed in the normal city hustle and bustle. But I know for a fact that Dunedin is very aware of cruise ships being in port - my brother lives there and we've had some interesting discussions about the pros and cons of cruise ship visits.

Edited April 22, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[Aus Traveller]

12 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Here's some push back against the cruise lobbyists.  Much as I enjoy cruising,  the author has some good points.

 

 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/465732/nz-should-be-in-no-hurry-to-reopen-its-border-to-cruise-ships

Thanks for the link to a very interesting article. I note one comment -

According to one Australian MP, "Sydney has been a dumping ground for the cruising industry's oldest and dirtiest cruise ships - vessels that wouldn't even be allowed to enter most ports in the northern hemisphere."

 

Wow! This is an ill-informed and incorrect comment by the Aust MP and unfortunately quoted in this article. The ships coming to Australia also dock in many ports in the northern hemisphere. Some of them are sailing there now and others, like the Coral Princess on her world cruise, call into northern hemisphere ports some time in the year.

Edited April 22, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[losfp]

4 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

This is an ill-informed and comment by the Aust MP

Yes. A vast majority of the ships that sail out of here only sail from Australia in our summer and then move back across to Alaska, Pacific Coast, Asia etc in our winter. They absolutely dock at northern hemisphere ports. I know what they're trying to say, but outright untruths aren't helping.

[onlyslightlymad]

16 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Hmmm! I think he's wrong on a few points. Firstly he claims that cruise ship passengers "eat meals provided onboard rather than onshore ". If so why did so many new eateries pop up in Akaroa once cruise ships started going there, and why were they always chocka when a ship was in port? Mt Maunganui also seemed to grow as the cruise industry grew. Sure, some passengers go back to the ship for lunch but many eat locally, and buy souvenirs and/or clothing. Napier puts on an amazing 'show' based on it's Art Deco history - it wouldn't do that if there was no financial reward in it. It's harder to see the impact in the bigger cities though as cruise ship passenger just get absorbed in the normal city hustle and bustle. But I know for a fact that Dunedin is very aware of cruise ships being in port - my brother lives there and we've had some interesting discussions about the pros and cons of cruise ship visits.

Most of the tourists at the Mount are actually domestic - Aucklanders.  While the restaurants welcome custom from the cruise ship passengers and even cater to them to a point (macaroni cheese as a side?) they are definitely not their core business.  I read an article on that a while ago - will see if I can drum it up.  Most of the cruise ship passengers here jump on a bus and either go to Rotorua or Hobbiton.  

One point I do agree with is that when when we visited Akaroa on a ship, we were disturbed by the churn of the ocean floor when the ship started up to leave.  I'm glad they're going back to Lyttelton now.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 minute ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Most of the tourists at the Mount are actually domestic - Aucklanders.  While the restaurants welcome custom from the cruise ship passengers and even cater to them to a point (macaroni cheese as a side?) they are definitely not their core business.  I read an article on that a while ago - will see if I can drum it up.  Most of the cruise ship passengers here jump on a bus and either go to Rotorua or Hobbiton.  

One point I do agree with is that when when we visited Akaroa on a ship, we were disturbed by the churn of the ocean floor when the ship started up to leave.  I'm glad they're going back to Lyttelton now.

Aucklanders have been going to the Mount for decades but I really noticed the changes on our 2017 and 2019 cruises, compared with land trips and our 2015 cruise. I don't think that degree of change was just an increase of local visitors. 

[onlyslightlymad]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Aucklanders have been going to the Mount for decades but I really noticed the changes on our 2017 and 2019 cruises, compared with land trips and our 2015 cruise. I don't think that degree of change was just an increase of local visitors. 

A lot of Aucklanders have actually moved to the Mount too.  I'm not saying that cruise ships don't have an influence or the extra income isn't appreciated but I don't think they are the main source of increased business.

[OzKiwiJJ]

15 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

A lot of Aucklanders have actually moved to the Mount too.  I'm not saying that cruise ships don't have an influence or the extra income isn't appreciated but I don't think they are the main source of increased business.

Probably a bit of both. 

[kidzplay]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:36 PM, onlyslightlymad said:

Here's some push back against the cruise lobbyists.  Much as I enjoy cruising,  the author has some good points.

 

 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/465732/nz-should-be-in-no-hurry-to-reopen-its-border-to-cruise-ships

An interesting read, pretty much highlighting everything negative about the cruise industry and just in case you don't inject an ample amount of panic always throw in the Ruby Princess to elicit a little more panic, I just think we have learnt so much about this virus in 2 years and have learned to live with it. All said and done though if NZ does not want to open because the risk outweighs the gain then just say so, the NZ govt just needs to tell the cruise industry that NZ is closed to cruise ships indefinitely and put an end to the speculation and passengers booking and paying for trips that will be unlikely to proceed, as long as they don't start whinging because there tourism industry is waning that's all.

[onlyslightlymad]

5 hours ago, kidzplay said:

An interesting read, pretty much highlighting everything negative about the cruise industry and just in case you don't inject an ample amount of panic always throw in the Ruby Princess to elicit a little more panic, I just think we have learnt so much about this virus in 2 years and have learned to live with it. All said and done though if NZ does not want to open because the risk outweighs the gain then just say so, the NZ govt just needs to tell the cruise industry that NZ is closed to cruise ships indefinitely and put an end to the speculation and passengers booking and paying for trips that will be unlikely to proceed, as long as they don't start whinging because there tourism industry is waning that's all.

We will open to cruise ships again.  It's just that it would be nice to rethink the way tourism is managed in this country and that includes cruising.  I don't think it's so much what we've learnt about this virus, it's the fact that most of the population is vaccinated.  That is what makes the difference between what is happening here and what happened overseas.  

[onlyslightlymad]

Most cruise ships expected to dock in Lyttelton rather than Akaroa this year when they arrive in Canterbury.  I'd imagine the Akaroa locals are pretty happy about that, they were a bit cross about the influx of passengers when I was last there.    The article again states that an announcement re the maritime border should be made in the next couple of weeks.

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/128571848/cruise-ships-coming-back-to-akaroa-lyttelton-for-summer

[onlyslightlymad]

I think the maritime border date reopening may be announced tomorrow.  Watch this space.

 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/466806/government-expected-to-reveal-new-border-re-opening-date

[vozzie]

On 5/7/2022 at 3:00 AM, onlyslightlymad said:

Most cruise ships expected to dock in Lyttelton rather than Akaroa this year when they arrive in Canterbury.  I'd imagine the Akaroa locals are pretty happy about that, they were a bit cross about the influx of passengers when I was last there.   

They didn't seem to mind taking my money when I was there !

[mr walker]

On 5/7/2022 at 5:00 AM, onlyslightlymad said:

Most cruise ships expected to dock in Lyttelton rather than Akaroa this year when they arrive in Canterbury.  I'd imagine the Akaroa locals are pretty happy about that, they were a bit cross about the influx of passengers when I was last there.   

We did the most wonderful tour with Pohatu Penguins there in 2019. They do penguin rescue work & profits from the tours are used to fund their work. They seemed pretty happy to have us there.

[nz1]

1 hour ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I think the maritime border date reopening may be announced tomorrow.  Watch this space.

 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/466806/government-expected-to-reveal-new-border-re-opening-date

Just saw this, too! 🤞

 

https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/10/govt-fully-expects-cruise-ships-to-return-by-october/

[vegemeter]

I thought so

 

❤️

Edited May 10, 2022 by vegemeter

[onlyslightlymad]

11 hours ago, vozzie said:

They didn't seem to mind taking my money when I was there !

I'm sure the tourism operators are very happy.  It's the people who live there who didn't like it.  Many are retired and didn't enjoy the crowding and pressure on infrastructure.  A lot of angry letters to the editor.

[Mikamarii]

13 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I think the maritime border date reopening may be announced tomorrow.  Watch this space.

 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/466806/government-expected-to-reveal-new-border-re-opening-date

Amazing,

 

we originally had 11 days planned in NZ as part of our larger South pacific journey but opted to cancel as there just weren't enough updates about what was going to happen and things like flights were non-refundable. At least it looks like we will be able to visit the NZ ports as part of the TP cruise. 

[Aus Traveller]

3 hours ago, Mikamarii said:

we originally had 11 days planned in NZ as part of our larger South pacific journey but opted to cancel as there just weren't enough updates about what was going to happen and things like flights were non-refundable. At least it looks like we will be able to visit the NZ ports as part of the TP cruise. 

Trans-Pacific cruises often call into Auckland, but the may not visit anywhere else in NZ such as Fiordland National Park, Tauranga (for Rotorua), Wellington, and the South Island cities, Dunedin and Lyttleton (for Christchurch). You would be able to say you had been to New Zealand, but you would have seen very little.🙂

[Mikamarii]

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

Trans-Pacific cruises often call into Auckland, but the may not visit anywhere else in NZ such as Fiordland National Park, Tauranga (for Rotorua), Wellington, and the South Island cities, Dunedin and Lyttleton (for Christchurch). You would be able to say you had been to New Zealand, but you would have seen very little.🙂

Our cruise is planned to go to Napier, Picton, and Wellington. We were hoping to home base it in Auckland for the extra time and visit that area (planned to see most of the northern island) but there's so much planning for this trip that we just couldn't wait to see how it played out and wanted to get things booked. Instead we are spending 25 days in Australia and decided one day we will return and spend the whole time in NZ and explore then!

[Russell21]

6 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I'm sure the tourism operators are very happy.  It's the people who live there who didn't like it.  Many are retired and didn't enjoy the crowding and pressure on infrastructure.  A lot of angry letters to the editor.

Someone would have been happy, or now disappointed, I read that it cost $32,000.00 to drop the anchor at Akaroa.