After Le Lapérouse had sailed more than 3,600 nautical miles, Ponant was told the visa applications for the hotel staff had been denied
Ponant’s plans to operate a domestic cruise programme in New Zealand have been dashed by the country’s immigration authorities.
As previously reported, Asia Pacific Chairman Sarina Bratton has been in urgent negotiations after its small expedition ship Le Lapérouse was turned back when 61 crew members who were deemed ‘non-essential’ were denied visas. Only 29 officers and engineers were granted visas as ‘critical’ workers.
Immigration New Zealand said the ship should not have sailed from Jakarta for New Zealand before all the paperwork had been processed.