The first cruise ship in two years has returned to Australian waters today and is a major milestone as the industry continues to push for a pandemic and resume operations. Australian media reports show that more than a thousand people stood on the beach and sat in small boats to watch P&O Cruises’ Pacific Explorer arrive and land in the shadow of the famous port opera house. Sydney.
The Australian ban on international cruise ships ended just two years after the Australian Border Commissioner ordered the cruise ships to leave after several cruise ships became involved in the spread of COVID-19. Australia has finally launched an investigation into its sister company P&O Cruises Princess Cruises after a bug in its cruise ship Ruby Princess contributed to more than 900 cases of the virus, including more than two dozen deaths in 2020. However, passengers can disembark. the presence of a virus that causes spread in the community. The Pacific Explorer, weighing 77,441 gross tonnes, returned ceremoniously to Sydney surrounded by small boats and tugs carrying water in the air as its horn responded to the salute. In front of the superstructure hangs a large banner with the inscription We are at home, while on the projection area of ​​the ship in the pool area is the inscription G’Day Sydney.
The Australian federal government has lifted the ban on cruise ships, making it one of the last major cruise markets, allowing ships to remain in service even when actual cruises depend on individual states. give permission if they consider that adequate health and safety protocols exist. Prior to the pandemic, Australia was one of the largest markets for cruises, with an estimated annual contribution to the economy of more than $ 5 billion. China remains the largest market still closed to international cruise ships. The first voyages to Australia are scheduled to begin in late April, when the French company Ponant cruises takes off aboard its smaller, reconnaissance cruise ships in the Australian Kimberly region. Le Laperouse, which will carry a maximum of 350 passengers, is scheduled to arrive in Darwin next week and begin cruising on April 28.
Pacific Explorer arrived in Sydney with only 250 crew members on board and, as in other major markets, the cruise line agreed to require that the entire crew and passengers be fully vaccinated to conduct operations. Over the next six weeks, P&O will complete replenishment of the cruise ship after its normal addition of 600 crew members in preparation for the first voyage with earnings on May 31. The ship will continue to sail from Sydney until October 2022, if P&O plans to replace it with a larger ship when it moves to Adelaide and Melbourne for cruises. In addition to signs of the return of large cruise ships, it was also the beginning of Carnival Corporation’s efforts to rebuild Australian operations. During the pandemic, the company sold three cruise ships from Australia. They were replaced by two large cruise ships that were transferred from Princess Cruises to the United States. P&O Australia has already refurbished ships such as the Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter, and 101,000 gross tons of ships will begin sailing from Australia in October and August.
Most large cruise ships are not expected to return to Australia until September and October during the Australian summer. Carnival Cruise Line which repositioned its two ships from Australia to the U.S. market said the first ship will return to Australia in October 2022. Other lines however as expected with much of Asia still closed to cruising to forego their return to Australia until at least 2023.
Today, the Pacific Explorer cruise ship was the first luxury liner to glide down #Sydney Harbour in more than two years.
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The spectacle left many overwhelmed, with crew members thrilled to be back, and passengers eager to set off. @tiffgenders #9News pic.twitter.com/qQAk1A7cJT
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) April 18, 2022
