The Majestic Princess called into the Bay of Islands before departing for Sydney. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The Majestic Princess called into the Bay of Islands before departing for Sydney. Photo / Peter de Graaf
When the Majestic Princess left New Zealand's maritime border last week she was carrying 180 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
By the time she arrived in Australian Waters on 11 November, she reported 800 cases among passengers and crew. This would account for the disease having spread to one in five of those aboard the pleasure cruiser.
With most cases reported among passengers, epidemiologist Michael Baker called it a "major outbreak" this weekend.
Covid 19 is a notifiable disease in New Zealand with all cruises required to report case numbers to the Ministry of Health when calling into port.
"The last port visited in New Zealand was Auckland on 8 November when 180 cases on board were reported before the ship departed for Australia," said a Ministry spokesperson.
Despite some of the Majestic's 3300 passengers made a short call in the Bay of Islands on Wednesday 9 November, the day before departing for Australia, the case numbers were though to be stable.
Despite the visit of passengers to markets local Authorities didn't believe there was any reason for alarm.
Far North District Council deputy and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa councillor Mayor Kelly Stratford told the Herald that Covid was already endemic in the community. The cruise ship is unlikely to have much impact on the number of cases already in the community.
But how did cases almost quadruple over the two-day sailing from Northland to New South Wales?
While it did not have an newer case number for the Russell and Bay of Islands, the Ministry of Health says that it requires ships to update them while in New Zealand waters.
"There is a legal requirement on ships' captains to notify the public health service throughout their New Zealand journey of any suspected infectious diseases like COVID-19 on board, and show they are taking the necessary isolation and quarantine action," they said.
This includes not allowing any guest or crew member who is sick or who has tested positive to leave the ship for excursions.
The Ministry of Health was last informed of 180 Covid 19 cases aboard the Majestic Princess on 8 November, in Auckland. Photo / Alex Burton
Despite "robust protocols" in place for managing Covid 19 aboard ships, infections are thought to have spread while on her repositioning from New Zealand.
A spokesperson for the cruise line said that the majority of cruise passengers were able to disembark in Sydney, with only 220 passengers continuing on with the ship.
Passengers disembarking after testing positive were now isolating in private accommodation in New South Wales and Victoria, they said, as per the cruise's guidelines.
Marguerite Fitzgerald, president of Princess' parent company Carnival Australia, told the Herald that the increase in infections aboard the Majestic was due to increasing case numbers in the community, with the majority of the cruise line's 50 sailings uninterrupted since recommencing in May.
"The emergence of COVID in the community has meant we have seen a rise in positive cases on the last three voyages," she said.
"We take our responsibility to keep everyone safe very seriously. This extends to not only caring for our guests, but also for the wider community in which we operate and visit."
Earlier this weekend Fitzgerald rejected comparisons by the Guardian Australia to the outbreak on, sister ship, the Ruby Princess in 2020.
"That is nearly three years ago and, since then, we as a community have learned a lot, a lot more about Covid," she said.
The Ruby Princess which arrived in New South Wales in March 2020 was connected to over 600 Covid 19 infections and 28 deaths.
Despite being the largest cluster to arrive in Australia since the pandemic, there no reported serious cases among guests or crew.
With health screening measures and Covid vaccine exemptions granted to no more than 5 per cent of passengers, the cruise line argues that the new protocols have made a difference for the severity of outbreaks aboard the ships.
All guests were required to wear masks aboard the Majestic, since the start of the outbreak.
"These measures will remain in place for all voyages for the foreseeable future and are continually evaluated to effectively manage cases while limiting exposure to the wider community," said Fitzgerald.
