PREMIER Peter Gutwein says the Government is considering advice on the immediate future of cruise ships docking at Tasmanian ports in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

“Our first priority is protecting Tasmanians’ health and best interests, and I am actively taking advice from a range of sources on the options available to me in terms of cruise ships and mitigating the risk of COVID-19 in our state,’’ he said.

It comes after several cruise companies paused operations for 30 days due to the pandemic.

A cruise ship due to dock in Hobart on Sunday will change course after a company announced a halt on sailings.

The Pacific Aria was scheduled to arrive in the state capital on Sunday morning but will now return to Adelaide on Monday, cruise company P&O Cruises Australia said.

It comes after another company stopped passengers disembarking from a luxury cruise ship that had arrived in Hobart on Saturday.

media_camera The MSC Magnifica, right, as the Sea Princess prepares to dock. Passengers aboard the Magnifica were not allowed to disembark. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

The Magnifica, a Swiss ship, had travelled from New Zealand but those on board were warned against disembarking.

A TasPorts spokeswoman said the cruise company, MSC Cruises, made the decision to keep passengers on board “to ensure their health and safety” in response to the risk of COVID-19.

An MSC Cruises spokeswoman said passengers and crew were free to disembark, but if they did, they could not rejoin the ship.

But passengers on another cruise ship that was docked in Hobart on Saturday, the Sea Princess, were allowed to disembark and return.

Two other cruise ships expected in Hobart in coming days have not yet been cancelled.

The Viking Orion is due to dock on Sunday while the Coral Discoverer is expected to arrive on Monday.

Australian Medical Association state president John Burgess commended the cruise ship company for “making the difficult but necessary decision” to prevent passengers leaving and returning to the ship.

“I believe the decision by this company is in keeping with what many in the community expected and many in the medical profession have been wondering when it would happen,” he said.

P&O Cruises Australia said its decision to stop cruise operations for a month was made after advice from public officials that mass gatherings should be limited to no more than 500 people.

The 30-day pause took effect from Saturday, with P&O planning resumption of services on April 12.

EARLIER: PASSENGERS and crew on luxury cruise ship the MSC Magnifica have been prevented from leaving the vessel while it is docked in Hobart on Saturday, in the latest reaction to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Magnifica, a Swiss ship, which can carry up to 3000 passengers and almost 1000 staff and crew, is on a world cruise and arrived at the Port of Hobart this morning, after travelling from New Zealand.

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A TasPorts spokesman said the cruise ship company had elected to keep passengers on board to avoid the risk of contamination.

media_camera Picture: MATT THOMPSON

“The cruise company, MSC Cruises, has made the decision to keep passengers on board while in port, to ensure their health and safety, in response to potential risk of COVID-19,” TasPorts said.

Further, as part of TasPorts standard operating procedures, Mac 2 cruise terminal will be closed on Saturday.

The Mercury understands there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus on the ship.

This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety.

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