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?”
Then of course, cruisers have been paying their respects to deceased cruise passenger Suzanne Rees, who died on a shore excursion at Lizard Island.
Please keep those comments coming!
WE VALUE YOUR COMMENTS AND ENJOY READING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR STORIES. PLEASE KEEP THOSE COMMENTS COMING ON THE STORIES – AND WE’LL PICK OUT THE BEST EACH WEEK FOR THIS NEW COLUMN
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Definitely bring Princess back to Melbourne. We are doing a bucket list cruise around Oz next year on princess and as the ship stops in Melbourne anyway our whole group are skipping the first few days to avoid the added stress and costs of getting to Sydney for the start and simply boarding in Melbourne. Less money for them but better for us! If they came back to Melbourne with more cruises we would have been happier.
Please bring Princess Cruise ships back to Melbourne asap. We have cruised with Princess many times and it is a favourite of ours. But having to catch a flight to Sydney or Brisbane either side of cruising, is a joke, and takes away from the enjoyable time relaxing on the cruise ship.
Don’t make people continue to suffer because of the Government’s poor choice to increase the cruise tax from Melbourne!
Our family is one of many who want to be able to cruise with Princess again from Melbourne. Please do the right thing!
Please do
Please bring back Princess to Melbourne.Love cruising but hate having to go to Sydney to leave on ship
Not only are passengers being inconvenienced by needing to fly to either Sydney, Brisbane, Perth etc to board the cruise, and time of flights, have to leave odd hours to get there in time to catch flight, and then when you get to interstate dock, you may have to sit around for hours, as some docks you can not even get a coffee, whilst waiting to board ship, which also effects the weight restriction of 23kg of luggage you are able to take on board the plane, as leaving from ports where you leave in your home state allows extra weight, especially if you enjoy extra clothing, costumes for the events they have on board.
Victoria is flat broke, so port charges are far to high and does the state of Victoria forget that each time a large ship enters the dock, it brings in nearly one million in revenue for the state, in tour’s, food , shopping ect
We need to be able to leave and return from Melbourne
Yes, PLEASE bring Princess to Melbourne. It’s so hard to travel to other state to go on the cruise.
Can Melbourne lower the port charges, ???
Would love to hear that Princess & other ships will return to Melbourne. I love cruising and it was so convenient!!
We also need to bring back cruises from Adelaide, on more regulsr basis. We went on Explorer from Adelaide ( our homeport) several times.
It seems Adelaide and Melbourne miss out
I live in Melbourne with my wife and we did a Princess cruise from Melbourne to New Zealand and back in 2020. We wanted to do more cruises departing from Melbourne since then but we have not been on a cruise since because we don’t want to fly to Sydney or another State to board the ship from. The government should lower the fees to dock at Melbourne.
Im an Elite passenger with Princess Cruises and I want Cruising out of Melbourne, I really don’t like having to fly to Sydney to go Cruising, I loved being able to cruise from home. We need to keep trying to get our Melbourne Port Operating again!
I certainly will be thinking about my next election selection. Bring back cruising from Melbourne. Not only for the boarding passengers but the produce which rolls onto the ship before setting sail. I was absolutely amazed when I saw km.of produce on the dock waiting to be loaded. Fresh food producer would be missing out big time.
We definitely should be getting cruise ships back to Melbourne. The excuse of them stopping due to port fees is crazy. Ships pay about $45/person in Sydney and in Melbourne they have raised it to about $33/person. And apart from that most domestic cruises now cost in the order of $2,000.00 to $4,000.00 per person. There is no one living in Melbourne that is going to not take a cruise from Melbourne in lieu of Sydney or Brisbane to save $10 or $20 due to so called increased port fees
Please bring Princess Cruise ships back out of Melbourne. We miss them, having done many cruises from Station Pier. Fantastic and no airports! Philip and Helen Jackson
Yes please!
Peace & greetings! As a rural Victorian, Princess was easier embarking in Melbourne as otherwise we would have extra expenses to travel interstate which would prove problematic as hubby can’t fly & therefore would need to train it to Sydney but by the time we get there it would be too late & therefore would need to go day before & then stay overnight! Paying extra for Melbourne would still be cheaper & less stressful! It would also bring extra money into Melbourne & Victoria to have Princess dock in Melbourne! Please bring Princess back to Melbourne!❤️⛴️
ADD to those LONGED FOR port additions bringing The Spirit of Tasmania back to Melbourne!
Victorian government needs to lower the port tax so welcome cruise lines operating from Melbourne. This help to increase tax benefit and help the Victorian tourism and economy. Everyone wins. Lower tax means lower fares to encourage people spend money which helps business survive hence Government could take more tax and create more jobs.
Many Victorian people like to travel on the cruiseship. If they could depart from Melbourne, they could save money to buy the air fares and accommodation in Sydney or Brisbane. Not everyone could afford a holiday especially those budget families that have young children. Those are the ones that need support. These days when everything is so high. We need to support each other. Please bring the cruiship back to Melbourne.
Bring back Princess and others to Melbourne please.
Flying to Sydney and Brisbane return and taxis to ports and airports adds hundreds of dollars and a lot of inconvenience to cruising.
How mich are the port charges really?
Slight cruise charge would cover it.
After about 28 cruises ,our cruise days are over unless they home port ships back to Melbourne .Will not fly interstate to start a cruise.Station pier is not to bad .Small buses etc to take passengers to the end of pier would help and free tram to city on presentation of cruise card International and interstate passengers don’t have Myki cards.
Problem is noone wants to visit Melbourne so you inly get those wanting to escape
Princess, it’s homeport Melbourne or no cruising from me.
MS.
I want Princess back in Melb, so much easier to leave from here in Melbourne, we live in Melbourne. Having a disability I found it great, not having to travel to Sydney, also the cost of getting there.
I have done 3 cruises and have had a great time so please bring them back.
Why does Sydney need to be my accomodation pre cruise when I live in Melbourne and deserve to leave from Port Melbourne
We have been keen cruisers, but would do more if we could leave from Melbourne, again. Cruise companies can add the extra cost onto the fare, which would still be cheaper than flying to Sydney plus, plus, which we refuse to do. Please come back Melbourne.
the problem is the Allan state government, with no funds going into maintaining a updated and well-priced port cruise liners would be fools to dock in Melbourne. There was a time before Labor we were able to head down to Port Melbourne and enjoy a journey with Princess, terminal crew were friendly and helpful and the convenience of a home port was a plus. I would love to see this return, perhaps some may need to rethink their next election selections.