Renewed call for cruise ship ban to be lifted in New Zealand

‘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,’ CEO Kevin O’Sullivan said. 

‘In the more than two years since our borders closed, New Zealand has lost over a billion dollars,’ O’Sullivan said.

‘This can’t continue.

Time running out

‘Cruise lines need time to plan their schedules for the 2022-23 cruise season and time is rapidly running out. More than 80 countries around the world are now open to cruise, including Australia.

‘The government must announce urgently when the maritime border will open or we will continue to see yet more cancellations and we will miss out on the vital opportunities that cruise offers to our communities.’

As previously reported, P&O Cruises Australia cancelled its 2022 New Zealand cruise season, affecting 21 departures from Auckland from July 5 until November 27.

Outlier

Joel Katz, MD of Cruise Lines International Association Australasia, said New Zealand is now an outlier among cruise nations with no confirmed timeline for the reopening of its maritime border. 

‘CLIA and the New Zealand Cruise Association have had very encouraging discussions with government agencies, but at this stage we still don’t have any word on when cruising might be able to resume,’ Katz said.

He urged New Zealanders to message Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other ministers to show how they have been affected by the cruise suspension.

O'Sullvan and Katz will take part in the 'Australia and Regional Developments' session 9:30 a.m. April 27 at Seatrade Cruise Global. The conference program is here.