Majestic Princess visited Tauranga on October 15, it's first of three New Zealand stops. Photo / Laura Smith
A cruise company that upped its Covid-19 rules as cases surged has reintroduced a mask mandate for passengers.
Carnival Cruises mid-November reintroduced the mask mandate for passengers on its Australia and New Zealand cruise lines following Australia’s fourth wave of Covid-19, which it has said was out of an abundance of caution.
Carnival is the parent company of Princess Cruises, which had the first vessel to visit regional New Zealand in Tauranga in October since the borders closed and then reopened.
The ship, Majestic Princess, visited as part of a 12-day cruise and about 800 guests tested positive for Covid-19 when it docked in Sydney.
Many guests visited Tauranga for the day it was here, and there were also busloads who visited Rotorua attractions.
During the journey, a Princess Cruises spokesperson said people were infected with mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
Now, a spokeswoman said it was encouraging all guests to wear masks on board.
“This goes above and beyond current guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our guests, crew and communities we visit.”
It expects the policy to be relaxed when the current wave of cases subsided.
Passengers on board its cruise ships will be required to wear a mask when embarking and disembarking, in public indoor spaces and in crowded outdoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible.
Its policy also included all crew must be vaccinated and 95 per cent of passengers over the age of 12 must be as well and both needed to return a negative Covid-19 test before they are allowed to board.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker says it is important cruise-ship companies report Covid-19 case numbers to host country health authorities, and said it was critical given the direct impact it could have on health services here.
Baker told the Bay of Plenty Times, he approved of pre-travel testing but said the way the policy was administered made all the difference.
”If someone is looking forward to their trip, they are all ready to go and have got their leave, how incentivised are they … to do that test?“
This enforcement of policy was important once onboard, he said, given the social environment on cruise ships.
Given the rate of about 1 per cent of Covid-19 cases in New Zealand needing hospital treatment, he also believed it was important cruise companies were open about case numbers with host countries it would impact.
“It is relevant to us how well the cruise companies manage their systems.”
He was aware cruise companies needed to obtain pratique, the go-ahead given to a ship to enter a port, for its first New Zealand port visit but said there should be maximum transparency.
A daily report of cases was “critical”, he said, given the direct impact it had on health services.
“I think they do have to tell us in quite a bit of detail what’s happening on board those ships while in New Zealand waters.”
Baker said the higher risk of transmission of infectious diseases on cruise ships had been known for decades and so companies had a greater responsibility to assess risk, manage risk and with transparency in reporting about it.
A Carnival Cruises spokeswoman said all its ships had medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, and medication for a range of illnesses to care for guests. This included anti-viral medication and oxygen.
“Finally, we have very sophisticated ventilation and air filtration systems onboard all of our ships.”
She also said it worked closely with all governments and respective health officials in all jurisdictions it visited.
“This includes informing them of cases and how are we caring for impacted guests.”
She said it communicated regularly with guests on board, advising of requirements, their obligation to adhere to protocols, and where required of elevated Covid-19 caseload.
“This takes place both prior to boarding and throughout their cruise with us.”
She said the fact it was seeing positive cases on board through testing was reflective the “vast majority” of guests were doing the right thing by themselves, other guests, and crew.
Baker also asked what happened if someone on board was critically sick and needed a hospital, or if there was a need for evacuation.
The answer was that guests who require hospital-level care beyond what can be provided on board are medically disembarked and transferred via ambulance to a hospital ashore.
This applied to any illness or injury experienced on board.
Among the questions NZME asked included what the daily case numbers were on board the Majestic Princess during its trip to New Zealand, but its response was that it did not release case numbers independently of health authorities.
A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said its approach taken at the maritime border was in keeping with the current outbreak context within New Zealand.
Border agencies met regularly with cruise operators to set expectations and outline requirements.
Maritime guidance had also been shared with cruise operators and the National Public Health Service, along with the Te Whatu Ora guiding principles for cruise ships travelling to New Zealand, and the vessel management framework, which outlined how to manage a vessel when a quarantinable disease is on board.
Cruise operators were adhering to New Zealand Covid-19 protocols and were also in daily communication with NPHS representatives when Covid-19 is on board.
Each subsequent port of call has access to these records to ensure that ongoing and consistent monitoring and risk assessment was undertaken.
The daily report covers case numbers and other points, such as any impact on their critical services.
“Cruise lines are well stocked with medical supplies and also have well-established supply chains on the off chance that additional items are needed.
“Medical teams are well staffed and essential staff, based internationally, can be flown in when replacement personnel are needed.”
A Te Whatu Ora spokeswoman said for the vast majority of cruises, Covid-19 cases have been managed on board with no issues. There had been one individual admitted to hospital with a broken leg, who also had Covid-19.
New Zealand Cruise Association chief executive Kevin O’Sullivan said the multi-agency group referred to met regularly with the industry for more than a year to work through issues and to continue the “robust planning” for the safe return of cruises.
He said Baker was not part of that group.
“To remedy this we would be delighted to facilitate a meeting for Dr Michael Baker with New Zealand health authorities, and cruise line representatives, so he can understand the extent of the cruise health facilities and have all his questions answered.”
A Port of Tauranga spokeswoman said its team members have very little close interaction with cruise ship passengers or crew, aside from officers at the security gate who wore face masks and are outdoors.