Adrian The Cruise and Travel Guy
#1 AU/NZ
Australia Saved Its Cruise Industry… But There’s a 2 Year Catch
Australia's cruise ship exemption under the Coastal Trading Act has been extended to 31 December 2028 - with new crew requirements attached. In this video, I break down exactly what Transport Minister Catherine King announced on 2 October 2026, what the exemption does, and what it means if you're booking a cruise from Australian ports. The Coastal Trading Act exemption is the long-standing rule behind international cruise ships carrying passengers between Australian ports. The Government says this is intended to be the final cruise exemption, with broader reforms to the Act still being progressed - so what comes next? In this video: * What the updated cruise exemption says, and what changes on 1 January 2027 * Why the Coastal Trading Act matters to cruise passengers and port towns * The new collective bargaining requirement and the new crew complaint reporting requirement to AMSA * Whether the crew bargaining condition is genuinely new, or already covered by international labour obligations Australia ratified decades ago * How the Maritime Union of Australia and the industry have responded * What "final exemption" does and doesn't tell us about cruising after 2028 Whether you're planning an Australian coastal cruise, a Pacific voyage from Sydney or Brisbane, or you simply want reliable, researched cruise industry news before you book, this is the plain-English guide. Music by Master Planned Music - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛳️ My website hosts one of the world's most powerful cruise search engines where you can research and even book your next cruise or land holiday. Take a look here: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛒 Shop my Amazon Cruise Essentials here: https://www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au/cruise-essentials - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🤳🏼 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.com/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/adrianthecruiseandtravelguy 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Exemptions Extended 1:51 Minister King Was Wrong in 2024 2:35 What’s New For Cruise Lines 3:36 These Rights Already Existed in Law 4:24 AMSA Has Banned Ships Before 4:48 Australian Fair Work 5:41 Industry Response 6:18 Australian Pay? No. 7:03 What Comes in 2028?