Otago Daily Times

Cruise ship entry refusal angers $1 million investor

- LINCOLN TAN

AUCKLAND: A man whose company has invested more than $1 million booking two cruises on Le Laperouse for clients hosting 200 people has slammed the Government’s decision not to let the ship in.

The luxury expedition cruise ship, which would have visited Dunedin, has been ‘‘hovering’’ outside New Zealand waters and is held at the border because most of the crew were refused visas.

According to tour operators, the crew of Le Laperouse were given prior approval by the Ministry of Health to enter New Zealand.

Le Laperouse is a 264passeng­er ship operated by cruise company Ponant.

Immigratio­n Minister Kris Faafoi said if the ship came to New Zealand, 61 people would either be quarantine­d on the ship until they were sent home or ‘‘detained’’.

‘‘We have put five months of hard work into this and everything was ready, and dealing with a circus of a government has been a joke,’’ said the man who did not want to be named.

More than 60 of the crew had been declined visas because they were not considered essential for the purpose of the ship’s travel here. Staff included hairdresse­rs, bartenders and masseuses.

Helen Wilkins, from Queenstown, was upset with the news.

Ms Wilkins has booked a twoweek cruise departing Auckland on February 8 for the SubAntarct­ic Islands, disembarki­ng at Lyttelton on February 22.

‘‘Obviously, I am very concerned to hear on the news today that the ship is not permitted to enter New Zealand waters . . . all very disconcert­ing,’’ she said.

Wild Earth Travel director Aaron Russ chartered the ship from operator Ponant.

Seven expedition­s were planned around New Zealand, the first of which was due to start in Auckland on February 8.

The travel plans of up to 700 New Zealanders have now been thrown into disarray.

The New Zealand Cruise Associatio­n said it was ‘‘shocked and quite simply bewildered’’ to see that Immigratio­n NZ had prevented the ship from coming in at the last minute, despite having approval from the Ministry of Health.

‘‘NZCA believes that all the ship’s crew are essential to its operation and they cannot be replaced by New Zealanders in such a short time,’’ NZCA chief executive Kevin O’Sullivan said.

He said the ship had followed procedure and did everything that was requested by the Government in order to offer safe domestic cruising in New Zealand.

Le Laperouse was due in Auckland tomorrow for fuelling, maintenanc­e work and New Zealand Covid19 testing.

Tour operators said the ship was at present less than 300 miles away from Auckland, after sailing from Asia. — The New Zealand Herald

 ?? PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN ?? Le Laperouse
PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN Le Laperouse

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