With no clear path on the cruise industry reopening down under, P&O Cruises has cancelled sailings from three homeports. The seasons from Adelaide, Fremantle, and Cairns won’t take place until 2023. It comes following further suspensions in the country as cruise lines still don’t have a clear path on restarting from the Government.
Seasons Cancelled for 2022
P&O Australia has decided to cancel the seasons from three homeports during 2022 due to the uncertainty in resuming cruise operations in the country and those regions. The Carnival-owned cruise line has cancelled sailings from Adelaide from February 2022 to March 28, 2022. It means the season from there won’t restart until February 2023.
Cruises from Fremantle are cancelled from April 2, 2022, to April 25, 2022. The season is now scheduled to begin in April 2023. It also includes the cancellations of the Fremantle to Singapore voyage that was set to depart on April 25, 2022. The repositioning cruise from Singapore to Cairns will also no longer take place on May 18, 2022.
The season out of Cairns is also cancelled from June 2, 2022, to June 29, 2022. The season is now scheduled to begin in May 2023. These sailings were also to include calls to Papua New Guinea, which also remains closed to cruise ships.
“As the homegrown cruise line with about 90 years of history sailing in this region, P&O Cruises Australia has prided itself on being the cruise line that has ships based from all mainland cities,” P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell said.
Myrmell continued to say, “We are naturally disappointed our guests in Adelaide, Fremantle, and Cairns will be unable to cruise from their doorstep until 2023. However, they are all extremely popular ports of call for ships on coastal or around mainland Australia itineraries and will benefit from a resumption in cruising when approved by governments.”
No Pathway for Cruises in Australia
Cruises have already been allowed to restart in the United States, UK, Europe, South America, and Asia. However, Australia has still not reopened for cruise ships, and there is no pathway or date for when this can happen.
Myrmell has already called on the Government to provide a clear way forward for the return of cruising down under. He said, “With more than 80 per cent of Australia’s adult population fully vaccinated, society is rapidly reopening and travel is progressively resuming. There is a need for governments to engage with the cruise sector on a pathway for the staged resumption of domestic cruising.”
Also Read: Princess Cruises Cancels Cruises in Australia into Spring 2022
The Cruise Lines International Association Australasia has also called on the Government to work with the cruise industry to resume operations and that protocols are working, as proved by other cruise markets.
CLIA Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz said, “We need detailed discussions with Australian governments so we can break the cycle of inaction and agree upon a detailed framework for cruising’s resumption. The health protocols introduced overseas are working and we need an opportunity to introduce them in Australia so we can plan a careful and responsible recovery.”
P&O Australia has already extended its pause from Sydney and Brisbane until the middle of February 2022. Royal Caribbean has cancelled its entire 2022 season in the country, and Carnival Cruise Line has also cancelled cruises for two of its ships down under into February 2022.
