Passengers onboard a cruise ship battling a COVID-19 outbreak have been forced to pass a test before disembarking.
More than 100 people, largely crew members, have been infected on the Coral Princess as it sailed from Brisbane to New South Wales – the first COVID-19 outbreak since the local cruise industry restarted.
"With the cases that were on board on Sunday when they disembarked, I'm shocked that they boarded everyone again and have taken off to Sydney," Faithe Bulmer, a passenger, said.
"It's the Ruby Princess all over again."
READ MORE: Rainy months here to stay, Indian Ocean index predicts
The vessel's operator offered refunds to the more than 2000 passengers before it sailed from Brisbane to Sydney yesterday.
But it is understood most turned them down and remained aboard.
"There was no reason to cancel, you go to Coles you can get COVID-19, same difference," one passenger said.
The 800 passengers who disembarked in Eden, on the NSW South Coast, had to pass a COVID-19 test before stepping onto the shore while all the crew remained on the ship.
It comes after NSW Health deemed the ship only a moderate risk as the positive crew have been isolated and the four passengers with the virus likely caught it before they boarded the ship.
"COVID is here. We've got to live with COVID. People chose to go on cruises, there are many many places COVID is, cruises are just one of them," NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Jeremy McAnulty said.
READ MORE: Silica dust threatens Aussie workers with lung cancer, study reveals
The cruise ship is set to dock in Sydney tomorrow but McAnulty couldn't confirm whether passengers would be tested before getting off.
The Coral Princess is a sister ship to the Ruby Princess, which was linked to 28 deaths after passengers became infected with coronavirus in 2020.
Cruise commentator Honida Beram said it is "hypocritical" to call it a COVID-19 outbreak as other industries are also facing transmission.
"I think it's quite dangerous to call it an outbreak or that it ripped through the ship," Beram said.
"Up to 100 people tested positive, the majority being crew, which shows the testing protocols are working.
"It is quite hypocritical that other industries aren't held under the same scrutiny, on planes or sporting events, we don't hear about how many people are testing positive."
She said the cruise industry is undertaking extensive safety protocols to contain the spread.
EXPLAINED: Australians aged over 30 now eligible for a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose – everything you need to know
Queensland Health said COVID-19 protocols were in place on the Coral Princess before the outbreak started.
Some passengers decided to isolate at home or in alternative accommodation, while authorities are helping the company manage infected staff on board.
A spokesman for Princess Cruises said the coronavirus cases aboard the Coral Princess were largely crew members.
"Cases identified are overwhelmingly among crew who were isolated on board in line with the protocols that have effectively supported the resumption of cruising in Australia since May," the spokesman told 9news.com.au.
"Under the protocols, all crew must be fully vaccinated and we also regularly conduct surveillance testing of all crew.
"Some recorded positive tests in a recent full screening and were isolated and have no contact with guests. These crew members are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms."
READ MORE: COVID-19 reinfection period in NSW revised from 12 weeks down to just four
The cruise industry was shut down from March 2020 to April 2022 when the former federal government announced a ban on international cruise ships entering Australia.
Its restart came after the industry worked with federal and state governments to overhaul health and safety protocols aboard for passengers and staff.
READ MORE: Passenger says cruise should have been halted after COVID-19 outbreak
