Coronavirus: Hong Kong to launch ‘cruises to nowhere’ as early as July, with strict Covid-19 rules in place
- Minister unveils details of scheme allowing Hongkongers to embark on stop-free sea voyages; conditions include full vaccination, compulsory testing and reduced capacity
- ‘Seacation’ plan allows residents to holiday outside Hong Kong without having to undergo quarantine
Hongkongers will be allowed to holiday at sea as early as July when the government launches so-called cruises to nowhere, with officials imposing strict health controls on operators, passengers and crew.
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah said on Wednesday that all passengers and crew would have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in advance of travel and must undergo testing, while ships could only operate at half capacity.
In the event of any suspected infections on board, vessels must immediately return to Hong Kong, he said.
If a case is identified, all passengers must undergo testing when back in the city, but whether and how they are quarantined will be based on the public health advice at the time.
“We had a history of an outbreak on board a cruise ship last year. Therefore, we need to strike a balance between pandemic control and leisure,” Yau said. “Having crew and passengers vaccinated is a trend widely adopted for this kind of tour.”