Guests setting sail on three upcoming sailings of Carnival Splendor will not be able to visit the ports of call they originally planned to see.
In the interest of safety, Carnival Cruise Line has had to change the September 18, October 13, and October 21 itineraries but has worked in new ports of call where available. All three sailings were have been South Pacific itineraries, but are now significantly changed.
Carnival Splendor is homeported from Sydney, Australia, and offers a diverse selection of Australia, Tasmania, Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, and South Pacific itineraries. Unfortunately, local difficulties continue to make it unwise for the ship to visit New Caledonia.
“As a result of continued civil unrest in New Caledonia, it is necessary to change our itinerary,” the email notification to booked guests read. “Ensuring Everyone’s safety is our priority, and we really have no choice other than to make these changes. We understand how much you were looking forward to the original itinerary and share your disappointment about this change.”
The September 18, 2024 departure was to have been a 9-night itinerary with three stops in New Caledonia – two visits to Noumea as well as a call to Lifou Island. Also on the cruise was a stop to Mystery Island, Vanuatu.
Now, that itinerary has dropped all three New Caledonia ports, and instead will visit Mystery Island on September 22 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Vila, Vanuatu on September 23, also from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The October 13, 2024 departure is an 8-night sailing that was to have visited Noumea twice as well as Lifou Island, with no other ports of call.
As those three stops in New Caledonia are no longer possible, Carnival Splendor will now be visiting Airlie Beach on October 16 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Cairns on October 17 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be a scenic cruising with the Willis Island Onboard Experience on October 18.
The October 21, 2024 departure is also adjusted to remove the same three New Caledonia port visits from the 10-night itinerary. Instead, the ship will visit three destinations in Vanuatu – Mystery Island on October 25, Vila on October 26, and Santo on October 27. All three days in port are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It should be noted that Mystery Island was already on the original itinerary for Carnival Splendor‘s October 21 sailing, but the date of the visit has been changed from October 26 to October 25.
With each of these cruises, any shore excursions booked through Carnival Cruise Line for the now-cancelled visits to New Caledonia will be automatically cancelled and refunded to guests.
Travelers will be able to book tours for their new destinations via the Carnival Hub app, online before sailing, or once onboard Carnival Splendor at the Carnival Adventures desk portside on Deck 3, in the Splendor Lobby.
The 113,573-gross-ton Carnival Splendor is homeported year-round from Sydney, Australia. She can welcome 3,012 guests aboard for each cruise, and is also home to approximately 1,150 international crew members.
Why the Changes?
The itinerary changes to these three Carnival Splendor sailings are a result of ongoing civil disturbances in New Caledonia. The French territory has been experiencing unrest for several months, following contested local election reform laws.
A number of cruises from both Carnival Cruise Line Australia as well as P&O Cruises Australia have been impacted with similar itinerary changes.
Protests and riots have been reported in New Caledonia, and Australia has issued a Level 3: Reconsider Your Need to Travel advisory for the destination. That advisory notes arson, carjacking, protests, damaged roads, and impacts on essential services as being disruptive at this time.
Cruise lines always consider guests’ safety and the desire for positive, welcoming port experiences when planning itineraries, and these types of adjustments are sometimes necessary.
Read Also: What to Expect When You Go on a Carnival Cruise
Following these three impacted cruises, Carnival Splendor‘s next South Pacific itineraries that may be similarly adjust are the November 14, December 19, December 30, and January 12 departures. Travelers booked on those sailings should stay in close contact with their travel agent or the cruise line directly in case of adjustments.
