Carnival Cruise Line and P&O cancel Aussie sailings, as Costa Cruises readies for restart

Carnival Cruise Line and P&O cancel Aussie sailings, as Costa Cruises readies for restart

Two Carnival-Corporation-owned cruise lines have announced an extended pause in operations, while another has revealed it will restart sailings from next month.

Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled all Australian sailings departing from 15 March 2020 on board Carnival Splendor through to and including 28 June 2021, as well all Carnival Spirit sailings through to and including 12 September 2021.

The line is offering an ‘Enhanced Value Option’ (that is, future cruise credits) to affected customers, or a full refund.

“On behalf of all of us at Carnival Cruise Line, we extend our sincere apologies for the disruption to your holiday plans and trust you understand this decision was made with everyone’s best interest at heart,” it said in a statement.

P&O Cruises Australia has extended its current operational pause to departures on or before 18 June 2021.

Guests with bookings affected by the pause extension are being given as much notice as possible to provide them with greater certainty around their holiday plans, according to P&O Cruises Australia president Sture Myrmell.

“While we are becoming increasingly confident in the restart of cruising in Australia, we are continuing with the realistic and pragmatic approach we have adopted previously,” he said.

“We know from our contact with guests and through our social media channels that they, like us, can’t wait to be cruising again, and our crew can’t wait to again be delivering exceptional cruise holiday experiences.

“We once again thank our guests for their patience and understanding, and for their unwavering loyalty to Australia’s homegrown cruise line.”

P&O said it will contact affected customers either directly or via their appointed travel agent to let them know of the pause extension and the options available to them.

Meanwhile, Carnival’s Italian brand, Costa Cruises, is gearing up to set sail again, with flagship Costa Smeralda scheduled for departure on 27 March with an unchanged itinerary.

Costa Smeralda (image source: iStock/maudanros)

The ship will sail to several Italian locations including Savona, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina and Cagliari on 3- and 4-day mini-cruises, along with a seven-day cruise.

From 1 May, Costa Smeralda will return to sailing one-week cruises in the western Mediterranean, with visits to Italy (Savona, Civitavecchia and Palermo), France (Marseille) and Spain (Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca).

A second ship, Costa Luminosa, will also be back in service soon, departing from Trieste from 2 May, and the following day from Bari, confirming its program of one-week cruises in Greece and Croatia.

Latest News

  • Tourism

Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs

Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull is departing the agency with effect from Friday May 10. Over the past three years, Turnbull played an instrumental role in driving growth, with one of the agency’s most significant achievements being the increase in visitor spend. Under her leadership, Tourism WA achieved a record breaking $17.7 billion in […]

  • Travel Agents

DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign

DriveAway has launched its Brit-Euro Blitz: Explore the UK, Europe & Ireland campaign, designed to inspire travellers to uncover the beauty and diversity of those destinations during May and June. The campaign arrives amidst a surge in popularity for destinations across the UK, Europe and Ireland, with year-to-date increases averaging around 30%. Notably, cities such […]

  • Road & Rail

Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern

Great Southern’s Fly and Stay Free special offer will have travellers taking in the views along the east coast between Adelaide and Brisbane next summer. This bright orange locomotive chases the summer sun, sharing the incredible coastline with those who want to experience it by train. The journey reflects the best of Australia, from charming […]

  • Tourism

Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips

Gen Z travellers prefer to limit alcohol when overseas and have an increased reliance on TikTok when planning a trip, according to a report by StudentUniverse, the world’s largest online travel retailer for young people. The State of Student & Youth Travel Report for 2024 delved into the latest travel sentiments amongst those aged 18-25 […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]