New Zealand’s health declarations for Ruby Princess deemed appropriate

Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern announced in May that year the investigation was to determine whether an offence under New Zealand’s Customs and Excise Act had occurred.

Ruby Princess sailed between Australia and New Zealand and people with COVID-19 were linked to the ship after it docked in Napier on March 14.

Open engagement

In a message to the New Zealand Cruise Association, NZ Customs thanked the cruise industry for its ‘open engagement’ with the investigation.

NZ Cruise Association CEO Kevin O’Sullivan said it is clear from the outcome that the ship’s crew and others connected with the visit did the right thing in satisfying pre-arrival reporting requirements.

‘The findings will help to reassure the people of New Zealand that the cruise industry can be depended upon to act responsibly and in full compliance with local regulatory requirements.’ O’Sullivan said.

A class action by passengers who departed Sydney on March 8, 2020 and disembarked March 19 over the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak on board is pending.