Cruise holidays: Where Australians could travel to next year; more sailings cancelled
Royal Caribbean, P&O, Carnival and Princess have axed more voyages amid ongoing travel difficulties, but next year might hold some pleasant surprises for travellers.
Major cruise operators have revealed more voyages have been cancelled, including some scheduled well into next year, but there is hope Australian travellers could set sail in 2021.
Well-known brands in the industry including P&O, Royal Caribbean International, and Carnival are forecasting that holidays makers may be able to cruise from next year.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Royal Caribbean International has bookings open for domestic cruises that visit destinations including Tasmania, Brisbane and Sydney among others, and international voyages through the South Pacific and to New Zealand.
A Royal Caribbean International spokesperson said the company was making preparations for the 2020/2021 Australian season “as best we can, with the information we have”.
The spokesperson added: “We recently released our 2021/2022 summer sailings, with smartship Quantum of the Seas sailing from Brisbane for the first time ever, and Ovation of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas sailing from Sydney.
“Bookings are already extremely strong - testament to our Australian guests’ enthusiasm for the ships to return.”
However, Royal Caribbean International has cancelled Australian sailings through to December 31, 2020.
Ovation of the Seas cruises departing from November to December have been suspended, as well as Voyager of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas trips across the same period.
Customers booked on cancelled cruises have the option of a 125 per cent credit, or a full refund.
P&O
P&O also have cruises available to book from next year where travellers can visit local hot spots including the Great Barrier Reef, Moreton Island, and Kangaroo Island, as well as local roundtrips from some capital cities.
International journeys featuring locations including the Isle of Pines, Noumea, Port Vila, Suva, are also on the cards. And from 2022, an Asia and Australia Explorer package visiting Lombok, Malacca, Penang, Langkawi, Phuket before disembarking in Singapore could be available.
P&O’s operations are currently suspended until January 8, 2021.
All Pacific Explorer departures up to December 29 have been cancelled, as well as Pacific Adventure sailings until April 30, 2021.
Journeys on the Pacific Dawn between December 17, 2020, and February 11, 2021 have also been suspended, and Pacific Aria departures between December 17, 2020, and April 15, 2021, have been cancelled too.
Those affected by P&O’s cancellations can find what compensation they are entitled to here.
CARNIVAL
Carnival is also offering domestic round trips from some Australian capital cities and to local tourist destinations next year, and overseas sailings through the South Pacific and to New Zealand.
But the cruise liner has axed all Australian sailings departing through to and including February 8, 2021, and all Carnival Spirit sailing until June, 2021.
Guests can request a full refund, or opt for a full credit plus $900 onboard credit per room if your cruise length was 6 nights or more, or $450 onboard credit if it was five nights or less.
Travellers have until May 31, 2021, to make a selection or they will receive a credit for the value of their booking.
PRINCESS
Princess recently released a statement explaining “uncertainty around when international travel restrictions might be lifted” had prompted it to cancel cruises departing from Australia and New Zealand through to May 31, 2021.
Affected cruises include those on the Majestic Princess with sail dates from December, 2020 to March 2021; Pacific Princess voyages in April, 2021; Regal Princess journeys from December, 2020 to March, 2021, and Sapphire Princess cruises with departure dates from December 2020, to May 2021.
Guests booked on the cancelled Princess cruises will receive a credit equivalent to their fare, plus a bonus credit equal to 25 per cent of their fare paid.
Alternatively, customers can request a refund, but must do so by November 30 or they will automatically receive a credit.
The operator earlier announced the cancellation of Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, and Sun Princess with departure dates from November to December.
The period to request a refund for these cruises has now lapsed, and customers who did not opt for one will receive a credit, according to Princess.
MORE NEWS
ANGRY DAD’S $180K LEGAL ROW WITH TAB
‘CRAZY MOMENT’: AMERICANS STOCK UP ON GUNS
FOODS YOU SHOULD EAT TO CONTROL DEADLY ALLERGIES
Originally published as Cruise holidays: Where Australians could travel to next year; more sailings cancelled
State’s big move on cutting-edge vaccines
One Aussie state has revealed its next move on a major vaccine development project – which promises to change the way it responds to future health challenges.
$1.1m plan to overhaul Long Covid, chronic fatigue care
Guidelines to treat the 750,000-plus Australians who have Long Covid and chronic fatigue syndrome are more than two decades old. See the plan to fix them.