“Bring Princess back to Melbourne! It should be a campaign”

Cruise Passenger readers always have plenty to say about what’s going on in Australian cruise, and in the broader cruise community. In Your Say, Cruise Passenger looks at the issues our readers are writing to us about on our blogs, posts and newsletters.

Cruise Passenger reported that Crown Princess was Princess’s fastest selling ship, likely due to its more diverse itineraries and homeports than other Aussie ships this season.

But some of our readers are begging for Princess to homeport a ship from Melbourne. High port costs and charges have pushed away other lines, and now there are very limited options sailing out of the Victorian capital.

In particular, Princess fans want to see the return of a homeported ship.

A common theme from Princess cruisers is that they miss cruises out of Melbourne. Princess used to regularly homeport out of Melbourne, but now there are very limited options of Melbourne for Aussie Princess faithfuls.

Melinda Clark said: “Yes, bring princess back to Melbourne! It should be a campaign.”

Plenty of others were onboard.

Trevor Hand said: “I think bookings will fill very quickly from Melbourne, even with increased charges. Bringing back Melbourne will also allow for bookings from Adelaide to prosper!”

Sharlene Juerchott said: “We need cruises out of Melbourne please. We sailed with Princess and P&O many times out of Melbourne.”

Marilyn Bryce said she believes an overhaul to Station Pier in Melbourne can help bring ships back.

“Melbourne needs to overhaul Station Pier to justify the increase in port costs. Carnival are no longer sailing from Melbourne as a result.

Carnival is the biggest cruise line with multiple brands eg Cunard, Princess & Holland America as well as Carnival and P&O until recently.

“I love cruising and having the ability to depart from Melbourne is great. I’m going on my fourth cruise from Melbourne on Sunday.”

Davina Bowker reminisced on 2018, when three ships were homeporting out of Melbourne.

“Carnival Corporation love to tell people that the port costs went up in Melbourne and it’s no long viable but Sydney ports cost 35 per cent MORE than Melbourne.

“It was only 2018 when we had three ships porting from Melbourne. The Pacific Explorer, Carnival Legend and the Golden Princess and now we have zero.

“I know for a fact their are regular cruisers that have stopped cruising because they can’t get to Sydney or Brisbane for a cruise, it’s time to bring cruises back to Melbourne.”

Fiona Jeffs added to the conversation: “Very short-sighted to only cruise from Sydney and Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide were easy to get to on public transport with good facilities.

“Especially with the reluctance to fly to the US for cruises, I am sure they would fill their ships. Part of the fun of cruising is not having the stress of connecting flights.”

Elsewhere, on a related note, cruisers were delighted that Carnival announced sailings out of Adelaide, Auckland and Melbourne, but they’re definitely hoping its just the start of a larger roll-out of more regional sailings.

Ken Wallace said: “Better late than never at least we will be able to cruise out of Auckland.”

Wendy Koek said: “This is great for everyone outside of Sydney and Brisbane to get some cruising.”

Karen Strange said: “This is fantastic news for sure. Looking forward to doing some Adelaide cruises in the future woo woo!”

Brett Manning summed up the feelings of plenty, in hoping that longer itineraries will be on their way soon.

“P&O did these didn’t they? Good start, but longer cruises after these waters are tested be great.”

Marilyn Bryce hopes that we’ll see more longer sailings as well.

“Auckland has the best itineraries. How about giving Melbourne and Adelaide longer and more variety too?”

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