After being banned from the port: the first cruise ship in more than two years docks in Australia

A cruise ship docked in Australia on Monday for the first time in more than two years.

The “Pacific Explorer” entered Sydney Harbor flanked by tugboats with water fountains, with a large banner on the bow saying “We are at home”.

Australia banned cruise ships from its waters in March 2020 because of a corona outbreak on a ship.

Since then, the government has repeatedly delayed the return of tourist ships due to the progression of the pandemic.

However, after she had recently gradually opened the borders to tourists again, the ocean liners are now allowed to land in Australia again.

The "Pacific Explorer" has completed a 18,000-kilometer journey from Cyprus, where the ship, together with two sister ships, had been waiting for the end of the cruise ban.

Before the pandemic, cruises were good business for Australia's tourism industry;

on an annual average, 350 ships with 600,000 passengers came on board.

The turnover generated was 5.2 million Australian dollars (3.5 billion euros).