Mega cruise ship diverts to Cairns because of Cyclone Lola

Hundreds of cruise ship passengers who thought they were heading to Vanuatu got a message as they were loading their luggage that Cyclone Lola would make that impossible.

Pacific Encounter passenger Lynelle Abrahams at the Cruiseliner terminal on Friday. Picture Emily Barker

Hundreds of cruise ship passengers who thought they were heading to Vanuatu and New Caledonia from Brisbane got a message as they were loading their luggage that Cyclone Lola would make that impossible.

They were given two options – the first was a full refund, the second was to get a $100 voucher they could use on the Pacific Encounter to a new destination; Willis Island, Airlie Beach, and Cairns.

Almost all chose the second option.

This meant Cairns ended up with some 3500 visitors (including the crew on the Pacific Encounter) on Thursday and Friday.

Two of them were Port Macquarie parents Elenya Dixon and Nick McKechnie.

Pacific Encounter passengers Nick McKechnie and Elenya Dixon at the Cruiseliner terminal on Friday. Picture Emily Barker

“We were lining up for the boat and we found out five minutes before I got on. We were kid-free so we ultimately didn’t care we went,” Ms Dixon said.

“Cairns is a beautiful spot it’s great to visit,” Mr McKechnie said.

“I mean what else were they expected to do. Sail straight into the cyclone?”

Nathan Taylor with said that while he was disappointed when heard the news, “a holiday was a still a holiday.”

But another visitor said: “I’m not impressed at all. I only get one holiday a year and I found it was too late to book anything in Cairns”.

The Pacific Encounter is seen at the Cruiseliner terminal on Friday. Picture Emily Barker

Lynelle Abrahams said that she was happy to come to Cairns even if she did miss out on seeing Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

“I’m making the most of it. I’m a bird watcher and this is the place to be in Australia. I got up at 5.30 this morning.”

Residents in the north of Vanuatu are still picking up the pieces after Cyclone Lola ripped through the area on Wednesday, causing widespread damage to homes and crops.

The category five cyclone also meant the 2800-seat Carnival Luminosa which departed Brisbane on Sunday afternoon was diverted to Port Douglas.

The 2800-capacity Carnival Luminosa’s seven-night cruise at sea was able to go ahead as planned, but the remainder of the ship’s itinerary was changed to include Port Douglas.

Originally published as Mega cruise ship diverts to Cairns because of Cyclone Lola