Cruise Ship Arrivals into New Zealand Banned

The Prime Minister of New Zealand announced publicly at 4:30pm (NZ Time) Saturday 14 March that cruise ships will be temporarily banned from entering NZ waters effective 2359 hrs Saturday 14 March.  The ban will continue until 30 June 2020.

Cruise ships already in New Zealand’s waters are not included in the ban, but our estimates are that 141 ship visits, and 45 voyages, will be cancelled.  This will have a significant effect on the New Zealand tourist economy and impact severely on NZCA members.

This announcement has come as a great shock to us as it will have to you.  We are already being asked what financial impact these measures will have on our members – the government indicates that assistance could be available, but we have no details yet.

We will be meeting with government to ask that the ban be lifted earlier, and that it does not go beyond 30 June 2020.

We are deeply saddened for our cruise industry and we are thinking of every single one of our members, and of course all New Zealanders.

Please remember that this is a pause – we will get through this.

To reiterate:

The stepping up of government measures, includes:

• From 23:59 tonight (Saturday 14 March 2020) there will be a temporary ban enforced on the entry of cruise ships to New Zealand’s territorial waters on public health ground
• This will remain in place until 30 June 2020.
• Effective from midnight Sunday 15 March 2020, all travellers, except for those coming from the Pacific islands, will have to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival to New Zealand.

Debbie Summers
Chairman

 Kevin O’Sullivan
Chief Executive Officer
New Zealand Cruise Association 

HE WAKA EKE NOA
We are all in this together