The cruise trip from hell has finally ended, with the Pacific Dawn docking in Brisbane.
Three crew members fell ill with swine flu and the ship was quarantined.
Meanwhile, a Kiwi couple that was on the cruise over a week ago has been infected and is now in isolation in Sydney.
As she finally docked in Brisbane's harbour, the swine flu plagued Pacific Dawn was renamed by passengers ‘The Pacific Deceit’.
Their trip, they said, was not what they paid for – was not what they wanted.
Then the news - only 87 people were allowed to disembark. Just the locals, who were required to wear face masks and provide a swab test.
The thousands of remaining passengers, some believed to be Kiwis, were forced to remain on board - after the Queensland Government invoked tough quarantine powers to stop anyone who was not a Queenslander getting off.
But after protests and last minute meetings, authorities were forced to relent late this afternoon, allowing any passenger to leave if they wanted.
The three crew members who tested positive for swine flu have been treated.
The Pacific Dawn is due to dock here in Sydney again on Monday, and like the passengers who disembarked today - they will be asked to go into voluntary isolation for seven days.
A New Zealand couple who got off the cruise liner in Sydney a week ago have tested positive for the deadly virus, and were forced out of the Holiday Inn last night. The hotel did not want to risk infecting staff and other guests.
Spokesman Bruce McKenzie says the hotel did not believe it was appropriate to be used as a quarantine facility.
The number of people in Australia infected has reached 209 but is rising rapidly, while New Zealand has only nine confirmed cases - all have recovered. But the number of suspected cases this week rose from 23 to 30.
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