HONG KONG - The devastating impact of the coronavirus on travel continues to be felt across Hong Kong’s borders and increasingly in her skies and on her seas too.
Genting Cruise Lines has been further refining it passenger guidelines
based upon regional government travel restrictions policies as they have
been implemented including prohibiting all People’s Republic of China
passport holders and guests, regardless of nationality, with recent
travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days, from boarding
our vessels in Singapore and Australia.
Cathay Pacific is urging its 27,000 employees to voluntarily take three weeks of unpaid leave.
“I am appealing to each and every one of you to help,” said Cathay Pacific CEO Augustus Tang Kin-wing in a taped video, where he emphasised the need to preserve cash to protect the business.
He added, this year’s Chinese New Year was “one of the most difficult… we have ever had.”
While flights have been cut by 90% to mainland China, Cathay has unveiled a 30% cut to flights worldwide for two months.
On the seas, Dream Cruises’ World Dream arrived back at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal yesterday (February 5) to health screening protocols by the Department of Health.
The ship will temporarily move her homeport to Keelung in Taiwan, suspending operations in Hong Kong and Guangzhou with cancellations of all sailings between February 9 and March 22.
In addition, a statement from the cruise line has said, “Genting Cruise Lines has been further refining its passenger guidelines based upon regional government travel restrictions policies as they have been implemented including prohibiting all People’s Republic of China passport holders and guests, regardless of nationality, with recent travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days, from boarding our vessels in Singapore and Australia.”
Hong Kong will place all visitors arriving from mainland China from Saturday (Feb 8) under a mandatory 14-day quarantine, the city’s leader Carrie Lam announced this week.
The city’s two cruise terminals will also be closed once the new quarantine measures kick in.