New Zealand cruises to return from November says Christchurch

Environment Canterbury says Akaroa will see smaller ships and a smaller cruise season. Photo / Bernard Spragg, Flickr CC

Christchurch has told Akaroa residents to expect cruise ships to return by November.

The ports of Lyttelton, Environment Canterbury and Christchurch City Council have told the Banks Peninsula to prepare for the first cruise passengers to return this summer.

Cruise ships are currently barred from entering New Zealand since the Maritime Border Order was established at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic.

There is still no official end date given, however Christchurch Council says they expect one "within the next few weeks".

The MBO 'cruise ban' is managed by the Ministry of Health, who told the Herald that it was currently undergoing an overall review. However an MOH spokesperson said "there is no timeframe yet as to when a decision will be announced."

Regional Harbourmaster Jim Dilley said that even if the border opens this summer, as expected, there would be a huge reduction in both ship and tourist arrivals.

In the 2019/20 season there were as many as 90 scheduled arrivals from cruise ships. There are currently just 19 ships tendering to arrive between November and March next year.

Dilley says that the smaller cruise season could be the new normal for Lyttelton and Akaroa.

"The community can compare this season with previous years and decide if this represents a good balance," he said.

There would be fewer than 2000 passengers a day expected to disembark in Akaroa.
During the pandemic lull the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment raised concerns over the number of ships visiting, safety and the potential damage to the seabed.

Environment Canterbury, says there will be new limits on the number of anchorages and size of ships in the Peninsula when cruising returns.

Although Christchurch expects an announcement soon there is still no official restart date which has led to many cruise lines cancelling scheduled arrivals and itineraries through New Zealand.

"So far we have lost 19% of our 22/23 season and this is rising daily," says The New Zealand Cruise Association's Chairperson, Debbie Summers.

"We are currently awaiting the announcement re the opening of Maritime Borders which we cautiously optimistic will be mid next week," she said.

The Banks Peninsula has been told to prepare for the return of Cruise ships. Photo / Supplied, CCC

While the cruise industry has restarted in 100 other countries, including Australia, there are still few details about the planned reopening in New Zealand.

NZCA hopes that there will be more clarity soon "with the fewest restrictions as is justified."

As a public health issue, the Ministry of Health is responsible for reviewing the maritime border order.

Although international visitors are already able to enter the country by air, a spokesperson for the ministry says arrival by ship still provides "a number of unique complexities".

"The New Zealand maritime border currently remains closed to all but New Zealand registered ships, foreign ships that only have New Zealand citizens onboard, ships that are arriving for cargo or fishing purposes, those that have diplomatic clearance, or ships have been granted an exemption by the Director-General of Health," she said.

Since first coming into force only three exemptions have been applied for by cruise ships, one of which was given to the Island Escape in 2021 for delivery to Auckland-based Island Escape Cruises. Two were made by Le Laperouse in 2020, the first of which was declined.

The ministry says no exemptions have been received for the purpose of "cruise operation".

However, some ships which have had tourism or cruise operations as a secondary purpose - such as the Russian-Flagged Spirit of Enderby/ Professor Khromov - have been allowed to enter the country.