| You have Scot to be kidding me

SCOTLAND has banned cruise ships again at the 11th hour.

The Scottish Government announced Tue – the day before the United Kingdom’s summer domestic cruise restart – it had decided to keep its ports closed to large ships, according to the BBC, despite progress in controlling coronavirus.

MSC Cruises’ MSC Virtuosa was scheduled to arrive in Greenock yesterday for a 10-hour stop, but while briefing the Scottish Parliament on the broader situation of coronavirus across the region, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there was still “a need for continued caution”, deciding domestic cruises would only be permitted to restart when all of Scotland reaches “level one” on its scale of zero to four.

Despite Greenock currently on level one, and Sturgeon adding the signs are “very positive”, the First Minister also described the situation as “still fragile”, with other parts of Scotland remaining at level two, referencing the risks “between both cruises and the wider travel context”.

Virtuosa, which has a normal capacity of 6,000 passengers, is currently sailing with approximately 900 due to the limitations imposed by the Government of the UK.

The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) said it understands three-quarters of the passengers, and the entirety of the crew, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

MSC also administers coronavirus testing for passengers and the crew, as well as a range of other precautions.

“Due to the latest Scottish Government COVID-19 restrictions and regulations…we are sorry to inform you that the port call of Greenock has been cancelled,” an MSC email to guests read.

“No guests are allowed to embark or disembark…this decision has been made by the Scottish Government and is out of our control”.

SPAA President Joanne Dooey said the situation means Scottish passengers who joined the cruise in Liverpool are barred from setting foot in their own country.

“This cruise route was a lifeline for Scottish travel agents,” she said.

“The SPAA has been asking for clarity on the situation for this particular cruise ship since last week, and all we have received so far is an indication that cruises may only restart when all of Scotland is in level one.

“The irony is that any of these passengers can get in a car and drive from Southampton to Inverclyde with no testing, border control or vaccinations.”