Travel company ‘devastated’ by luxury cruise ship Ponant aborting NZ season

A Christchurch travel company says they are lost for words after a luxury cruise liner cancelled its New Zealand summer season.

After 61 crew were refused work visas on route to Auckland, on Monday the ship Le Lapérouse was forced to sail 1800km to New Caledonia to refuel.

Now operator Ponant has decided to pull out from the planned New Zealand season, which it was given special Economic Exemption to operate last year.

Sarah Clarke from Christchurch travel company Holland Clarke Beatson said they are devastated.

“We are lost for words, and devastated for all of the travel agents and businesses, and ports, that were set to benefit so much from these cruises.

“We are extremely disappointed for the clients who were so looking forward to their holiday so much so they committed thousands of dollars upfront to book as were confident we would be successful in making this happen.”

On Friday Le Lapérouse was stopped outside of New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone, with visa applications being refused for 61 of its 90 crew on board.

A spokesperson for INZ Border told the Herald the rejected visa applications were for hotel staff, including a masseuse and a hairdresser.

These were refused on the grounds that the skills needed were “readily obtainable” in New Zealand, and that the company should have sought New Zealanders to fill these jobs before applying for “other critical worker” visas. This is something Ponant said it had considered but “lack of available people who have sufficient safety training certification” stopped the ship from hiring more Kiwis.

Clarke is slamming the Government over its decision.

“Ardern has to be answerable to somebody questioning what the motive is behind the cancellation of this cruise, because it is an absolute no-brainer why this cruise should have happened.

“This is very demotivating stuff. Who would dare show initiative in this country.”

The cruise line said it had contracted 16 New Zealanders to work for the two-month season, among other nationalities.

Following this impasse, and having sailed over 8500km and undergone isolation and testing in line with the Ministry of Health issued approval, the cruise company has announced its decision to cancel this summer’s season.

Over 650 New Zealanders were booked onto seven domestic-only itineraries.

In December, the Herald reported the luxury cruise ship with $75,000 cabins was set to pump millions of dollars into local businesses and the tourism sector.