Teresa Ooi 
Travel agency CruiseAway has assured 40 retirees who had their cruise holidays in the US cancelled that they will get their full refunds by next week. “By this time next week, they will get all their money back,” CruiseAway director of operations, Ashkan Ghasemi in Brisbane told Cruise Passenger. “As a travel agency, we will … Read more
Once it was one of the most popular, highly sought-after itinerary – the grand world cruise which traversed the globe in more than 100 days. Today, with international borders still restricted, access to attractive ports limited and airline travel uncertain, major cruise lines including Cunard, Princess and Holland America Line have decided to pause their … Read more
Many Australian cruisers are so frustrated by numerous cancellations and rebooking holidays that they have decided to splurge instead on luxury cars or new carpets for their homes, Justine Sealey, managing director of Ramsgate Travel Service told Cruise Passenger this week. Others have spent their holiday funds repaying mortgages on behalf of their children, who … Read more
New Zealand is Australia’s best hope to kick start international tourism – and particularly cruise. After all, you could cruise to New Zealand, take in the glories of Milford Sound and back without meeting anyone – a real bubble. But with NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern starting her election campaign ahead of the September 19 … Read more
Viking Cruises has cancelled all cruises for this year through to December 31 when international travel will be less complicated, said chairman Torstein Hagen. “Recent events have shown us that the recovery from this pandemic will be sporadic and the ability to travel freely across borders remains some time away. As keen as we may … Read more
Spend Christmas Day on the high seas and New Year’s Eve on the Panama Canal with Viking’s new, one-off, 18-day itinerary which departs Fort Lauderdale on 24 December 2021. Your holiday on board the 930-passenger Viking Star will visit six countries and call at exotic destinations such as Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico, … Read more
One of the most compelling expedition cruising regions, with itineraries selling out a year in advance, is here in Australia. Straddling the far northwest of Australia across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the Kimberley is one of the world’s last wilderness frontiers. The Kimberley coast is spectacular with thundering waterfalls, plunging gorges, ancient Aboriginal … Read more
Tourism Restart Taskforce member John Hart maintains it is “totally unlikely that big international cruise ships with thousands of passengers” will be allowed to sail in Australian waters soon. But the Taskforce is hopeful small ship lines like Ponant, which carry some 260 passengers each, might be able to operate in the much-talked-about “bubble” of … Read more
Luxury French line, Ponant has restarted operations with eight ships sailing in France, Iceland and Tahiti for local cruisers as travel restrictions ease. “By Thursday this week, we will have eight ships resuming cruising in France including Le Lyrial sailing seven nights itinerary from Nice, L’Austral departing from Marseille, Le Bougainville departing Bordeaux and Le … Read more
She's the most specious ship yet from luxury line Oceania Cruises. James Sitters tells Rose Kelly and Peter Lynch what's on board the new class of ship, including restaurants, spas and suites.
