IS CRUISING COMING? Australia's 4 Phase Roadmap to Normality | Where does cruising fit in?

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Review the plan here: https://www.pm.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/national-plan-to-transition-australias-national-covid-19-response-july-2021.pdf CLIA Meet your MP tool kit: https://www.cruising.org.au/Regulatory/Meet-Your-MP-Toolkit Join my private Facebook group for cruise deals, tips and advice - the more members we have, the better we’ll get! www.facebook.com/groups/CTGdeals Head to my website for great cruise and travel deals: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.comn/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/thecruiseandtravelguy When the pandemic started, governments around the world had to quickly respond to the growing threat of COVID and the Australian government chose to take advantage of our country’s geography and effectively shut our international borders. At the beginning, I think it’s fair to say that most of us were on the same page. We didn’t know what the world was facing and hunkering down in our safe bubbles seemed like exactly the right thing to do. Fast forward to this year however, and the world is a very different place. Europe, Singapore, the US and the Caribbean are all enjoying the return of cruising. Sure, it’s being managed under strict health protocols, some include a vaccine mandate while others don’t, but overall, it’s progress. In Australia, despite repeated industry calls for a pathway to the resumption of domestic cruising, the government has so far failed to provide us with anything of the sort. The updated national COVID-19 response plan was released only days ago and I was excited to review it and see how it would impact the return of cruising and travel. The new plan includes four phases beginning with phase A, which is where we are now, and ending with phase D and I’ve summarised each phase’s effect on travel. If you want to review it yourself, I’ve included a link in the description box below. Phase A includes only one slight nod to travel, which states the following: trial and pilot the introduction of alternative quarantine options, including home quarantine for returning vaccinated travellers and the establishment of digital vaccination authentication at international borders. Phase B indicates that vaccinated Australian residents would not be subject to the same state border controls as unvaccinated Australian residents. So a domestic vaccine passport then. Phase C is the beginning of the end so to speak - as this step moves Australia into a position where COVID is treated like any other infectious disease. Which is what we’re seeing take place around the world in the US, UK and Singapore among others. The phase includes no lockdowns, no domestic travel restrictions for vaccinated Australians, no restrictions for outbound travel for vaccinated travellers, no caps on returning vaccinated travellers, and the extension of Australia’s travel bubble with countries like Singapore. Phase D the final stage, allows for uncapped inbound arrivals for all vaccinated travellers without quarantine, and uncapped arrivals of unvaccinated travellers subject to pre flight and on-arrival testing. Cruising doesn’t factor into the phases as a separate entity on any front - though we could surmise that domestic travel would potentially include domestic cruising, especially before the establishment of an expanded travel bubble. This could, theoretically fit within Phase B, where vaccinated travellers would be spared from the pain of state and city lockdowns, but more likely would fit in with Phase C, where it’s projected there will be no lockdowns whatsoever and no domestic travel restrictions for the vaccinated. However, the government has failed to provide any quantifiable numbers as to when Australians can expect to progress through each phase. The one thing it’s contingent on is the continued roll out of the vaccine program, and we all know how that’s going. My personal feeling about this roadmap is that it’s a bit of a farce - it looks like something any one of us could have drawn up and without numbers, we’re really just as in the dark as we were three months ago when it comes to getting out of this situation. Specific to cruising, well, once again, the government has left the entire industry and all of its stakeholders, hanging in the balance. I’m happy to report that CLIA, the Cruise Line International Association has further developed their Ready, Set, Sail campaign and provided a toolkit to assist anyone to meet with your MP. I’ve included a link in the description (above) where you can find more information about the new program. So if you’re so inclined, you can take the argument in person to your elected officials. Maybe some boots on the ground will eventually make a difference. Australia is one of the only cruising markets in the world to not have a plan in place to save the cruise industry. Not surprising when you consider we barely have a plan to escape continuing lockdowns. Thanks for watching.