Photo: Getty ImagesWith the announcement of the transtasman travel bubble, cruise ship operators want to run local trips, and sail to New Zealand, before extending their operations into the Pacific. "Governments around Australia have been very nervous about getting cruise ships going again, because of the Ruby Princess," Dr Beirman told AAP. That same month, the entire global cruise ship industry decided to suspend its operations. "But you don't have a cruise ship called 'the hate boat' or the 'I won't talk to you boat'." The cruise ship industry contributed more than $154 billion to the global economy in 2019.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 09, 2021 21:00 UTC