Just 48 hours after the NSW Police chief was asked to review how the COVID-19 riddled Ruby Princess docked at Sydney, he decided multiple passenger deaths could be viewed as "suspicious".

The infected Ruby Princess was green-lighted to anchor at Sydney Harbour on March 19 and allowed 2700 passengers to disperse into a city of 5 million people.

On Sunday, NSW Police launched a criminal investigation which will pick apart how that disastrous decision was made, and by who.

The Ruby Princess, with 1040 crew only on board, docks at Port Kembla, Wollongong. A criminal investigation will be launched into how cruise line operator Carnival Australia was allowed to disembark Ruby Princess passengers in Sydney. (AAP)

This morning a 62-year-old South Australian woman who was a passenger on the cruise died in Royal Adelaide Hospital. At least 15 fatalities and more than 600 cases have been linked to Ruby Princess, a vessel owned by Carnival Cruises.

"These [Ruby Princess] deaths could be viewed as suspicious," NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller told reporters today.

Do you know more? Are you on the Ruby Princess? Email msaunoko@nine.com.au

Comm. Fuller said the sequence of events leading up to the ship's fateful docking was "worthy of a criminal investigation", a decision he reached just two days after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had requested his assistance.

Cruise ships intending to dock in NSW had a "high responsibility" to report any COVID-19 symptoms and alert health authorities about any concerns, he said.

"Did they or did they not do that?" Comm. Fuller asked.

There are also question marks over the roles NSW Health and other state and federal government apparatus played as the Ruby Princess was welcomed into Sydney with open arms.

A team of 30 NSW detectives from across State Crime, Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics and Marine Area Commands have been seconded to Strike Force Bast, who will be assisted by intelligence analysts and other specialist officers.

NSW Police have also opened discussions with counterparts in New Zealand.

They are trying to work out what happened across the Tasman, where the Ruby Princess made multiple stops at NZ ports in the North and South Islands before it sailed back to Sydney.

A cluster coronavirus outbreak has been triggered in Hawke's Bay, a coastal region in NZ's North Island.

The NZ Police investigation will form an "important part" of the NSW coronal investigation, which is running concurrently with the NSW Police inquiry.

Comm. Fuller said it was "way too early" to start talking about the kind of criminal charges that could follow.

NSW Police are working urgently to seize evidence on the ship before the hulking vessel, described as a floating Petri dish, is ordered out of Australian waters, in one week.

The Ruby Princess cruise ship has caused deaths and COVID-19 cases across Australia and internationally. (9News)

A fisherman wearing a face mask looks on as the Ruby Princess, with crew only onboard, docks at Port Kembla, Wollongong. (AAP)

The Ruby Princess was given a temporary 10 days' relief from mass Australian Border Force orders , which stipulated all 20 cruise ships anchored around Australia must leave.

Ms Berejiklian made assurances she would launch an inquiry into Carnival Cruises, and state and federal departments, if police found no grounds to lay criminal charges.

"I give absolute commitment to that," she said.