Cruises banned to avoid repeat of repatriations

CRUISES face a government travel ban until at least October, a minister has warned, amid fears that reviving the industry now risks a repeat of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) having to repatriate sick passengers.

Caroline Dinenage, a culture minister, defended the Foreign Office’s new advice against all cruise travel as the industry attacked the “vague” guidance and warned of thousands of job losses. She said: “We have at the moment dissuaded people from going on cruises, probably until October.”

The Foreign Office had to repatriate 19,000 British travellers trapped on cruise liners at the start of the pandemic in more than 20 locations.

Between Feb 4 and June 8, more than 40 cruise ships globally had onboard infections, with the worst, the Ruby Princess, linked to 22 coronavirus deaths.

Most major countries including the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada advise against cruise travel. Several nations want the industry to show it has effective on-board quarantine after apparently struggling to cope with the level of medical need.

The edict will deter ships from visiting Britain, while making it difficult for travellers to find travel insurance.

Debbie Marshall, of Silver Travel Advisor, said: “The Government should have more confidence that the cruise industry knows what it is doing and it would be better if they worked on a collaborative basis with the industry rather than throwing carefully laid plans into disarray.”

Phil Evans, owner of Cruise Nation, said: “The update from the FCO is lacking in information and we need clarity.”