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Ponant hits crew visa snag in New Zealand cruise plans

After receiving conditional approval from New Zealand's Ministry of Health in December to operate domestic cruises with its small expedition ship Le Lapérouse, Ponant now urgently seeks another green light.

Helen Hutcheon, Australasia correspondent

February 2, 2021

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Immigration New Zealand has granted critical worker visas for 29 officers and engineers, but has denied visas for 61 other crew members, mostly hotel staff, considered ‘non-essential.’

Immigration NZ said the ship should not have sailed from Jakarta for New Zealand before the paperwork had been processed and Le Lapérouse has now gone to Noumea for refuelling.

'Every crew member an essential worker'

Ponant Asia Pacific Chairman Sarina Bratton said every crew member is an essential worker, with set responsibilities for safety management. She said New Zealanders recruited for the season will need safety training. 

She has been in urgent talks with New Zealand authorities over the past few days and on Tuesday issued this statement: ‘Communications from the Immigration Department today will determine what steps, if any, are available to salvage our planned and approved operation in New Zealand this season.’

Le Lapérouse is under charter to New Zealand’s small ship specialist Wild Earth Travel, owned and operated by expedition leaders including its general manager Aaron Russ, co-owner of Heritage Expeditions. The ship, carrying Kiwi passengers only, is scheduled to sail from Auckland on February 8. 

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About the Author

Helen Hutcheon

Australasia correspondent

Helen Hutcheon did her cadetship on a shipping magazine and worked in P&O’s Sydney office for seven years as a public relations journalist.

For 19 years she was deputy editor of Travel Week, which was Australia’s leading trade newspaper that covered major local and international industry events.

In 2008 the late legendary Rama Rebbapragada presented her with an award from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd ‘in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the cruising industry.’

In 2010 she won the Neil Frazer Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the cruise industry,’ elevating her to CLIA Australasia’s hall of fame.

She has been the Australasia correspondent for Seatrade Cruise Review since 1997 and for Seatrade Insider (now Seatrade Cruise News) since its launch in 2000.

 

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