A Cruise Ship Was Denied Port Entry Over a ‘Dirty Hull,’ Banned Seashells: ‘The Sick Bags Are Quickly Disappearing’
A cruise that departed Sydney, Australia, was scheduled to make several stops in New Zealand but was turned away due to seashells stuck on the ship’s hull.
New Zealand’s entry requirements are strict, and the shells — one hydroid, also called a Lace Coral, and three juvenile mussels — are invasive species in the country. Although the cruise line scheduled a cleaning to remove the biohazard, the diving conditions were poor, and the cleaning was canceled.
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But missing out on visiting the country wasn’t the worst part for many of P&O Pacific Adventure cruise passengers — it was being stuck out at sea with 30-foot waves.