Leading cruise companies adjust restart dates for Queensland

The world’s biggest cruise companies have delayed their plans to resume activities out of Queensland amid Covid-19 uncertainty.

The state’s billion-dollar cruise industry has been dealt another hammer blow, with some of the world’s biggest operators announcing major delays in their return to Queensland waters.

Cruising has been one of the biggest losers during the coronavirus pandemic, with fleets grounded around the world, but operators had initially been eyeing a return to Queensland expeditions for June, and then October.

But even that revised timeline has been blown out of the water.

Royal Caribbean International, the brand behind the biggest ships on the planet, has extended the pause on the Queensland season of Quantum of the Seas until next April, while Carnival Australia, P&O and Princess Cruises have also scaled back ambitions, with a revised resumption timeline of December.

Royal Caribbean International's hi-tech cruise ship Quantum of the Seas. Picture: Royal Caribbean International

With the much-maligned vaccine rollout quashing hopes of international travel, cruise companies had little choice but to delay restart dates, though there is a concerted push for the return of domestic-only itineraries later this year.

The cruise moves are the latest blow to the travel fantasies of Queenslanders dreaming of a long-overdue overseas holiday.

Qantas has tentatively earmarked the resumption of most international flights for December, but only for countries “in a similar position” to Australia in the fight against the virus, while Virgin has also revised their ambitions to a similar time frame.

Federal government biosecurity regulations prevent cruise ships from operating in Australian waters until at least September, with companies lobbying to give the industry some glimmer of hope.

Moreton Bay was to have been the first destination in Australia to welcome the return of cruise ships, but that has now been delayed three times while ports along the Queensland coast have also been starved of visitors.

Royal Caribbean has had to cancel more than 15,000 bookings for affected Quantum of the Seas Queensland voyages with customers offered credit to rebook a new cruise until April 2023.

Quantum of the Seas is one of the most spectacular ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Picture: Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International vice president and managing director of Australia and New Zealand Gavin Smith said the decision was not made lightly.

“We understand that this cancellation will be disappointing to our loyal guests who have supported Royal Caribbean over the years and since we suspended cruise operations in March 2020, and we share this disappointment with them,” he said.

“We have been working tirelessly to successfully bring back cruising to Brisbane for our summer 2021/2022 season, however sadly due to ongoing uncertainty, we are unable to operate the program.”

Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas. Picture: Roy Riley

President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia Sture Myrmell said the companies were pushing for a resumption based on stringent new Covid-safe plans including frequent testing of staff before and during any cruise voyages.

“We are supporting our industry’s efforts... for the resumption of cruising beginning with domestic itineraries adhering to comprehensive protocols to safeguard the health and wellbeing of guests and crew,” he said.

“The need for an agreed pathway is becoming increasingly urgent so the restart of cruising can support the many suppliers who benefit from its economic contribution and who are currently enduring a challenging period.”

The pandemic has cost the Queensland cruise industry over $1.5 billion since early last year.

The figure is expected to near $2 billion if cruising does not resume this year.