Holland Clarke & Beatson The Travel Agents director Sarah Clarke today said she had been informed the cruise company was cancelling its New Zealand season.
''We are lost for words, and devastated for all of the travel agents and businesses, and ports, that were set to benefit so much from these cruises,'' she said.
Cruise ship Le Laperouse had an economic exemption to come to New Zealand for the cruise season, but was last month refused entry after Immigration denied 61 of its 90 crew visas because they were not considered essential workers.
The Government said the ship left Jakarta before its paperwork was processed, but the boat's owner believed it and the crew were given the all clear to come.
''We are extremely disappointed for the clients who were so looking forward to their holiday – so much so they committed thousands of dollars up front.... to book as were confident we would be successful in making this happen – surely the only possibility of plans being derailed would be a community outbreak of Covid in New Zealand,'' Ms Clarke said.
''This didn’t happen.''
She believed the Government had rejected another application for the ship to enter, upon receiving evidence of no suitable staff in NZ able to operate the ship.
More to come.
Related Stories
Comments
It seems to me a case of the Health Ministry (who seem to have given the company the all clear to come here) not talking to the Ministry of Immigration people. Now that would be unusual wouldn't it!
As with the first article published earlier, showing up at the door without having confirmation is a mistake on behalf of the companies involved, not the NZ Government or any of its' agencies. It is incumbent upon the company's owner and the travel agency to dot the i and cross the t.