Tag Archives: Ruby Princess

Ruby Princess: Australian police to survey 5,000 passengers

Posted on by
Reply

Ruby Princess Cruise - Ship Review - Photos & Departure Ports on ...

Australian police are to survey more than 5,000 people via an online survey as part of the investigation into the coronavirus-hit Ruby Princess cruise ship.

New South Wales Police will be sending online questionnaires to thousands of passengers as part of the probe into the outbreak on the Princess Cruises vessel.

The 2,647 passengers who disembarked Ruby Princess in Sydney on March 19, as well as 2,995 passengers on the ship’s previous voyage that docked on March 8, will receive the survey.

It will ask them about what they saw and heard during the cruises, who they travelled with, medical treatment and cleaning on board, offshore tours and dining arrangements on board.

Police will then conduct interviews with those who give noteworthy responses by a team of 30 detectives, according to Australian newspaper The New Daily.

The ship is connected to 20 coronavirus deaths in Australia and hundreds of cases across the country. Authorities are investigating if criminal negligence took place, and last week seized the ship’s black box and interviewed crew.

NSW police minister David Elliott told reporters in Australian that the force would work alongside overseas counterparts in an investigation “like no other”.

He said: “There’s no rule book when it comes to these sorts of inquiries. It’s very unusual for something this large, across so many jurisdictions, to be put into the lap of one person.”

Australia launches criminal investigation into Ruby Princess

Posted on by
Reply
The Ruby Princess cruise ship sails off the coast of Sydney, Australia, 04 April 2020
The Ruby Princess remains off the coast of Sydney with 200 crew members showing symptoms of the virus

A criminal investigation has been launched in Australia into how cruise ship passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney despite some exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

More than 600 people on board the Ruby Princess later tested positive for coronavirus and 10 have since died.

The ship remains off the coast with nearly 200 sick crew members on board.

Police in New South Wales said they would look into whether national biosecurity laws had been broken.

Australia has so far reported 5,548 coronavirus cases and 30 deaths.

Those sickened on cruise ships account for nearly a tenth of all cases in Australia.

The country has imposed strict social distancing measures and clubs, cafes, parks and gyms have been closed in a bid to contain the outbreak

At a news conference, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said there were “many unanswered questions” about the incident.

He said that, by law, vessels were only allowed to dock and disembark passengers if the captain could assure the local authorities that their ship was free from contagious disease.

Mr Fuller said there were “discrepancies” involving the information provided by the ship’s owners, Carnival Australia, and the requirements of the law.

“The only way I can get to the bottom of whether our national biosecurity laws and our state laws were broken is through a criminal investigation,” he told reporters.

Mr Fuller said that the day before passengers disembarked in Sydney a worker made an emergency call about two people who needed medical assistance. He said police were assured by the operating company that the coronavirus was not an issue on the ship.

“From that perspective, there are many unanswered questions,” he added.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller. 27 March 2020

The New South Wales government has faced mounting criticism for allowing people off the ship but has insisted that the decision was based on expert advice.

Mr Fuller added that Carnival Australia had said it would fully co-operate with the inquiry. The company has not yet commented publicly on the criminal investigation.

The Ruby Princess with about 2,700 people on board arrived in Sydney last month after an 11-day cruise.

According to NSW Health, about a dozen passengers had reported feeling unwell and had swabs taken for Covid-19. One was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

But other passengers on board weren’t told of this. Instead, they streamed off the boat at Circular Quay – some of them coughing and spluttering, according to witnesses. The busy area leads directly into the city centre, with transit links to the airport and outer suburbs.

An empty Ruby Princess cruise ship heading past Sydney Opera House and out of Sydney Harbour on 19 March.

Elisa McCafferty, an Australian woman who flew home to London with her husband immediately after disembarking, told the BBC: “Nothing was said at any time about anyone being sick onboard. It was a distinct lack of information coming through from Princess [Princess Cruises which is owned by Carnival] the entire time.”

A day after the ship docked, officials revealed cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed in three people who had been on board, prompting a scramble to track down everyone who had been on the ship.

Ms McCafferty said she only learned of the danger when she checked her phone at Heathrow Airport.

“I was just absolutely petrified. We had just been on two full flights – what if we had infected someone?”

Seattle: Alaska Drives Demand

Posted on by
Reply

Seattle

Quantum of the Seas in Seattle.

 While moving ahead with plans to build a third terminal, the Port of Seattle set another record last year with 1,210,000 passengers on 211 calls and is forecasting a further increase this year to 1,380,000 passengers on 225 calls.

“We are also extending our season starting as early as April 1 with the Grand Princess and closing on Oct. 19 with the Ruby Princess,” said Michael McLaughlin, director of cruise and maritime operations. “Norwegian Cruise Line will also bring a third ship, the Norwegian Sun, joining the Bliss and the Encore at Pier 66. The Sun will sail 11-day Alaska cruises.

“Next year, the new Norwegian Encore will replace the Joy,” he continued. “It is a good example of how Norwegian is keeping their newest and best products in the market.

“Also in 2021, Carnival will replace the Spirit with the larger Freedom.”

Last year marked Seattle’s 20th year as a cruise port, during which it has seen nearly 14 million passengers.

“What stands out over those two decades,” said McLaughlin, “is that even during the recession we continued to grow our market share year-over-year. There was some flattening out in Alaska when that head tax was put into place, but it had less effect on Seattle in that we had entered into berthing agreements with the brands where they needed to meet their annual guarantees. So when they decided to pull ships out of the market as a result of the taxation in Alaska, it had less effect on Seattle.

“Over the long run, the growth trend has been really positive.”

Having released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new terminal last summer, the port has announced three groups that were shortlisted. They were the so-called Cruise Industry Leaders Group, with Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Carnival Corporation and SSA Marine, a Seattle-based stevedoring company; Global Ports Holding and Miami-based Civil & Building North America; and Ports America, teaming up with Jacobs Engineering Group, headquartered in Dallas.

With the goal of having the new terminal ready for the 2023 season, it means Seattle will have three cruise terminals and four berths: Terminal 46 with one berth; the Bell Street Terminal at Pier 66 with one berth, and the Smith Cove Terminal at Pier 91 with two berths.