P&O and Princess extend Aussie cruise pause

Carnival-Corporation-owned lines P&O Cruises Australia and Princess Cruises have extended their local cruise pauses by three months.

Both lines said the extensions were a result of ongoing uncertainty around timing for the resumption of cruise holidays in the area.

The new resumption dates have been pushed to 17 December and 19 December for P&O and Princess respectively.

The cruise industry has been discussing a framework for the restart of domestic-only cruising with government and public health authorities since last October.

P&O Cruises Australia president Sture Myrmell said he was looking forward to the opportunity to agree on a pathway for starting cruises that carry Australian residents on Australian itineraries.

“This is about the livelihoods of the thousands of individuals and small businesses, many family-owned businesses, who rely on the cruise sector,” he said.

“These businesses cover a range of activities such as the supply of fresh food, entertainment, shore tours, coach operators and marine engineering services.

“They are like every business in Australia – they need certainty, and I am concerned they may find it increasingly difficult to hang on without a clear pathway forward.”

Agents and guests can track the progress of future cruise credit or make a refund request via the tracking tool found on P&O’s website.

Princess will move guests booked on affected cruises to an equivalent cruise in 2022. The rebooking process will have the added benefit of protecting the guests’ 2021 fare on their replacement cruise.