A large cruise ship has docked at Darwin's Fort Hill Wharf despite a coronavirus-related ban on international cruise vessels docking in Australia, but passengers will be required to self-isolate.
The Silversea ship Silver Spirit docked this morning with around 650 passengers on board, including 447 Australians.
The ship's arrival in Darwin after a 10-day journey from the Malaysian port of Langkawi came despite a 30-day ban on international cruise liners docking in Australia.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) said exemptions were being granted for some vessels that were already at sea when the docking ban came into effect on March 15, to avoid people becoming stranded.
ABF Commissioner Michael Outram said no-one on the Silver Spirit had reported feeling unwell, so their journey time would count towards the 14-day self-isolation period.
The passengers will only need to isolate themselves for another four days, until midnight on March 22.
"We had about 14 cruise ships on the water when the announcement of the 30-day ban was made," he said.
"There is no report of any sickness on board any of those cruise ships, and we hope that doesn't change, but the Australians on board those ships will come ashore.
"They will be allowed to go home, where they will self-isolate, and international passengers will be allowed to go to the airport and get home.
"Passengers catching a domestic flight to another Australian destination will be required to self-isolate in their hotel or home until the end of the quarantine period."
According to marine tracking site data, the ship was on a one-way journey from Mumbai to Dubai.
An NT Government spokesperson said arrangements were being made to take passengers straight to the airport so they could be transferred home.
Passengers screened on arrival
NT Airports said disembarking passengers were screened for any flu-like symptoms by ABF biosecurity staff on arrival in Darwin before being taken on buses to Darwin International Airport.
Australian passenger Alan Aburn said he was glad to be back in Australia.
"We got banned from so many ports. We're very relieved we have managed to get back to Australia," he said.
The Brisbane man said he had enjoyed the cruise in spite of the restrictions, which included medical staff on board regularly taking the temperatures of passengers.
"It's not the destination, it's the journey. We had a ball," Mr Aburn said.
Any passengers remaining on the ship will be required to self-isolate on the Silver Spirit for the remaining four days but will be allowed to leave at any point if they book a departure flight.
American tourist Susan Buckley, who was part of the group of foreigners getting off the ship, said the feeling among passengers was positive.
"In retrospect it was like being in a cocoon because we couldn't get off, I have to say the crew were fantastic and overall it has been a pleasant experience. But the self-isolation will be hard," she said.
The Miami resident said she would be flying out of Brisbane back to the United States as soon as possible.
"We are really just trying to take it one step at a time," Ms Buckley said.
