SA welcomes the return of cruising

THE inaugural Coral Expeditions season in South Australia kicks off next week, with authorities in the state saying the move is an “important step forward for the industry and the eventual safe return of cruise”.

Coral Adventurer will undertake a 10-day voyage along the remote South Australian coast, and is the first ship to cruise in the state’s waters for almost 12 months.

The South Australia itinerary follows a successful season by Coral out of Cairns last Oct (CW 28 Oct 2020), as well as the cruise line’s recent deployment in Tasmania (CW 26 Nov 2020).

Operated under stringent conditions, the South Australian trip also sees the state welcome its first small expedition ship in more than a decade, according to South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Executive Officer Rodney Harrex.

“These ships provide a unique experience to explore remote nature-based locations that the bigger traditional cruise ships aren’t able to,” he said.

Passengers and crew will be required to complete COVID-19 PCR testing within 72 hours prior to boarding, undertake a GP health screening seven days before cruising and also complete a health declaration.

Medical staff will conduct daily health & temperature checks of passengers and crew members, with all shore visits having strict protocols in place, and minimal on-shore interaction with communities due to the itinerary’s remote locations.

“With some of the most stringent health measures in place - over and above what’s required to get on a plane or attend an event - and 12 successful Australian cruises already under their belt, this is a wonderful opportunity to have Coral Expeditions expand its itinerary to include South Australian tours,” Harrex said.

“This is good news for locals wanting to see more of our state and good news for our broader visitor economy, not only so we can grow the expedition sector in SA but so we can get a blueprint for the safe return of cruise when the time is right,” he added.

Coral Commercial Director Jeff Gillies said he hoped that the SA itinerary could become a regular part of the cruise line’s annual sailing season going forward.

CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz said the deployment was another important step forward for cruise in Australia, and showed the industry’s strict health protocols can support a carefully managed cruising resumption.