A second cruise line will resume operations in Australia on October 14th as the industry looks to recover after the global shutdown of cruising back in March.
The first cruise ship to resume operations was the 36 passenger True North in July. The small yacht like ship began doing sailings to the Kimberly coast from Broome, Australia.
Second Cruise Line Will Resume Operations
A second cruise line has now announced they will also resume operations in October. According to the Coral Expeditions website, the 72 passenger Coral Discoverer will resume sailings on October 14th departing from Cairns, Australia.
The 7-day cruise will sail to the remote and untouched northern areas of the Great Barrier Reef which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage area.
Foreign Cruise Ship Ban
All foreign cruise ships are banned from arriving in Australia until at least December 17th. The ban however excludes Australian owned cruise ships that do not port in other countries. In addition, all foreign tourists are barred from entering the country including Americans, so the only passengers on board will be residents of Australia.
Coral Expeditions COVID-19 Protocols
Coral Expeditions will be enforcing strict COVID-19 prevention protocols on board the Coral Discoverer.
- Their new ‘SailSAFE‘ program targets a 100% COVID-19 free environment when ships set sail.
- Some of the new COVID-19 prevention measure and health protocols include the following:
- 7 day self-isolation before cruise
- Health declaration from doctor
- Negative PCR COVID-19 test no older than 72 hours prior to departure
- Small ships less than 100 passengers and proper social distancing
- Remote nature based expeditions
- Food safety and no buffet service
“As we prepare to restart operations and do so safely, we understand the changed environment that the presence of COVID-19 has created. As always, it is our priority to keep our guests and crew safe while travelling with us. Not only that, but we want our guests and crew to have the greatest confidence that their safety and wellbeing have been thoroughly considered.” said Mark Fifield, Group General Manager & Director of Coral Expeditions in a statement.
Coral Expeditions currently has 4 small cruise ships that carry less than 120 passengers and is currently building its 5th ship.
Cruise Lines Resume Around the World
10 additional cruise lines have now resumed operations around the world including the Mediterranean, Polynesia and soon the Caribbean.
The first large cruise line to resume sailings was MSC which has now successfully completed its fifth cruise without a single case of COVID-19 onboard.
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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories