With continued restrictions in Australia, Carnival Cruise Line now plans on resuming in the country in 2022 with domestic sailings. The two Carnival cruise ships that operate from the country will not be offering international itineraries.
Carnival Australia Domestic Sailings
Even though the cruise industry down under has not been given the green light to resume cruise operations, Carnival Cruise Line is still working on a plan to resume sailings safely once they get the go-ahead.
The two Carnival cruise ships that operate year-round from Australia, Carnival Spirit, and Carnival Splendor, are currently on hold as the country has banned cruising until February 17, 2022. Rather than waiting to resume international sailings, the cruise line will operate domestic itineraries through to June 2022, once cruises are allowed to restart.
Carnival said in a released statement, “Due to ongoing international travel restrictions, we will be converting our international itineraries to domestic sailings through to June 2022, providing more opportunities for guests to sail locally and support Australian tourism.”
Carnival Spirit cruises are currently cancelled through April 10, 2022, and Carnival Splendor cruises cancelled through April 8, 2022.
For Carnival Splendor, the cruise line offers five domestic cruises from April 16, 2022, to June 22, 2022. Each voyage will be slightly different and only includes ports in Australia such as Moreton Island, Willis Island, Port Douglas, Cairns, and Airlie Beach.
For Carnival Spirit, the ship will sail domestic cruises from May 1, 2021, with six sailings that will feature the same ports of call. The vessel will visit Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, and Willis Island. The final domestic voyage is scheduled for June 26, 2022.
The cruise line continued to say, “In these new itineraries you’ll visit one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the beautiful beaches of the Whitsundays and the vibrant rainforests of Tropical North Queensland.”
Guests booked on those sailing dates before they were converted to domestic itineraries are being asked to check their inbox regarding their options. There are flexible compensation options for those who don’t want to keep their booking on the new itineraries.
Also Read: New Carnival Cruise Line Itineraries Announced for Australia
It is essential to know that everything depends on when the Australian government provides a clear pathway for allowing cruise ships to return to service. Cruise lines that operate from the country have urged for the industry to be allowed to sail with health and safety protocols in place to make sure guests and crew remain protected, just like in other cruise markets that have already reopened.
Carnival Cruise Line said, “Carnival Cruise Line will resume cruising in Australia with enhanced health and safety measures developed in conjunction with government authorities, public health experts, local ports of call and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).”
At the moment, the two Carnival vessels remain on hold in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Just recently, the Carnival Spirit underwent a dry dock where she received some minor updates and the new red, white, and blue livery.
