Cruise Ship Chaos

At the start of the pandemic cruise liners were acting as floating virus incubators and floating dispersion vectors. The Ruby Princess was one of the ways the Corona virus was first transmitted through Australia. It was also one of the first bones of contention between state and federal arms of government, and highlighted the need for clear, robust communication between different jurisdictions.  Still a work in progress?

In March 2020 Rottnest island was used as a quarantine site for Australian passengers disembarking from the Vasco de Gama. It highlighted international tensions arising from very different approaches to the emerging crisis. The balance between showing compassion for travellers and crew and the need to protect local populations and health infrastructure was precarious. 

The ship in this image is actually a former research vessel currently running cruises to Antarctica and not a corona carrier. The numbers on the bow were not planned, and only noticed as I prepared this blog post. I am however hopeful that they mark out that 2022 will bring better times.

The style of this image is intended to reference the vintage cruise line posters.

Smudge wears Kmart Kouture.