CARNIVAL Corporation’s P&O Cruises Australia and Princess Cruises brands have extended their cruising pause in the country until mid-December, as the first cabs off the cancellation rank last month.
P&O Australia cancelled its cruise holidays through to 17 December, and Princess through to 19 December, with both brands citing ongoing uncertainty around a pathway to resumption in the country.
Just a few days later they were joined by Aurora Expeditions, although the phrasing used by Chief Executive Officer Monique Ponfoort suggested an air of confidence her cruise line would be able to operate at some stage this season, with the move described as a “postponement”.
A day later, Celebrity Cruises cancelled Celebrity Eclipse’s sailings in Australia through to the end of the year, and more recently the line scrapped all of Eclipse’s sailings for the whole season, along with Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Solstice sailings due to take place Down Under this summer.
The cruise line joined the Carnival Corporation brands, suggesting the situation in the region remains too uncertain, due to an ongoing lack of clarity around the resumption of cruise.
Oceania Cruises has now withdrawn its sailings from Australian waters due to the country’s ongoing border closure policies, cancelling all the way through to February 2022, while Viking Cruises also canned its planed Australian season on board Viking Orion, perhaps dashing any confidence the local industry had of a cruise restart this year.
