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Harri the galah stows away on luxury cruise ship

Escaped pet galah stows away on luxury cruise liner... and crew are stunned to find its owners also at sea on one of their ships.

‘Can I order room service?’ ... Harri the Galah chills out in his luxury suite on the Sea Princess. Photo: Supplied
‘Can I order room service?’ ... Harri the Galah chills out in his luxury suite on the Sea Princess. Photo: Supplied

A pet galah has carried out its own version of the Hollywood movie Home Alone 2.

Harri from Brisbane escaped its cage days before four-year-old owner Georgia Cozzi and her parents Michelle and Brett were due to board a cruise ship for a family holiday.

Seemingly aware, the bird flew to the Portside cruise ship terminal where the family was to set sail and boarded the Sea Princess bound for New Zealand.

Unbeknown to the galah, her family was actually sailing on sister line P&O’s Pacific Aria, which is visiting coastal stops off Queensland and arriving home in Brisbane tomorrow.

Island dreaming ... the Sea Princess on a New Zealand voyage. Photo: Supplied
Island dreaming ... the Sea Princess on a New Zealand voyage. Photo: Supplied

Sea Princess’s crew found Harri and — realising she was tame — had her scanned for a microchip when the ship arrived in New Zealand, which revealed her home address in Brisbane.

Staff at Carnival Australia, which owns both ships, were stunned when they realised Harri’s owners were also at sea on one of their ships.

Harri has been given her own cabin on board Sea Princess and a temporary bird cage to satisfy strict quarantine regulations on both sides of the Tasman.

The crew have also made her a laminated crew card.

“We thought there was no chance we would ever see Harri again especially after she had been gone for a few days,” Michelle said in a call from Pacific Aria.

“When we received the call that Harri was on board Sea Princess we were amazed, it was just the best news.”

Harri the Galah was confined to her room, so missed out on catching some rays near the Sea Princess’s pool. Photo Brad Crouch
Harri the Galah was confined to her room, so missed out on catching some rays near the Sea Princess’s pool. Photo Brad Crouch

Carnival Australia has been working closely with the Ministry of Primary Industries in NZ and the Australian Department of Agriculture to ensure all quarantine measures are met so that Harri can be returned to Georgia.

“They say every day in cruising is different but this is a truly unique situation. To have Harri the galah cruising as a stowaway on one of our ships, Sea Princess, while her family cruises on another of our ships, P&O’s Pacific Aria, is truly unique,” Carnival Australia spokesman David Jones said.

“It’s a classic feel good story with everyone in the two cruise lines and government authorities doing everything they can to achieve a great family reunion when Sea Princess arrives in Brisbane on Sunday while accounting for all biosecurity requirements.

“Needless to say the lines are running hot between Sea Princess and Pacific Aria to give the family regular updates on Harri’s progress.”

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/travel/on-board-cruising/harri-the-galah-stows-away-on-luxury-cruise-ship/news-story/8fc2e912bdf35adb711ccd19e183adc9