Cruise ships diverted from Brisbane as Cyclone Alfred looms

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Pacific Encounter will be affected by Cyclone Alfred
  • Cruise ships have been diverted as Cyclone Alfred heads towards Queensland.
  • Carnival Luminosa‘s three-day voyage has been cancelled.
  • The cyclone is expected to make landfall on Thursday or Friday.

Cruise ships have been diverted away from Brisbane as Cyclone Alfred heads towards southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Carnival Cruise Line Australia has had to cancel a three-day sailing on the Carnival Luminosa as the ship has to remain in the South Pacific.

“We are continuing to closely monitor Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Given its current track, the storm is expected to directly impact the Brisbane area in the coming days and the port is now closed,” said the cruise line in a Facebook post.

“Regrettably, we have no option but to cancel Carnival Luminosa’s 3-day cruise departing tomorrow, 6 March. Guests will receive a full refund for their cruise fare and all pre-purchased items.

“As the safety of our guests and crew is the priority, Carnival Luminosa’s current voyage will be delayed coming back from the South Pacific until it is safe to return to Brisbane, the earliest being Saturday morning. The Captain is sailing a safe distance from the storm to minimise discomfort for our guests.

“We know this is disappointing and we thank guests for their understanding

The tropical cyclone is expected to make landfall by Thursday or Friday morning at the latest.

Queen Anne

The Queen Anne departed Sydney on March 1 and bypassed Brisbane and sailed directly to Airlie Beach.

She will call at Cairns on March 6 as scheduled and will have an extra day in Darwin.

She will overnight on March 10 before heading to Indonesia as part of her world cruise.

“Over the past few days, Queen Anne has been closely monitoring Cyclone Alfred, which has been causing strong winds and rough seas along the Queensland coast,” a spokesperson from operator Cunard told 9news.com.au.

“Following the closure of Port of Brisbane due to the adverse weather yesterday, Queen Anne sailed directly to Airlie Beach where she will arrive on Tuesday, March 4th. She will then call into Yorkey’s Knob on Thursday, March 6th.

“This adjustment of her itinerary allows the ship to arrive in Darwin one day earlier, on Monday, March 10th, for an overnight stay before she continues her maiden World Voyage as planned.”

Cunard cruiser, Janet Simpson said while she was disappointed not to visit Brisbane, the city where she grew up, she praised the staff and crew for outrunning the cyclone.

“So glad we did the extra leg as Sydney did not disappoint.  I was prepared for a repeat performance in Brisbane where I grew up but sadly after leaving Sydney, we went at great speed to outrun Cyclone Alfred.

“Queen Anne had no desire to greet an old relative and she succeeded as we are now in the calm waters of the Whitsundays.  With our awful night of very rough weather behind us the Queen is very happy not to have had a family reunion with Alfred.”  

Norwegian Sun

NCL’ Norwegian Sun was due to call at Brisbane today.

“Due to the forecasted impact of Cyclone Alfred in Brisbane during our scheduled call on March 5, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our stop and sail directly to Cairns,’ passengers were informed,” said the line in a statement.

“The revised itinerary includes an additional day at sea. We will now arrive in Cairns on March 6 for an overnight stay before continuing to Airlie Beach on March 8.” 

Pacific Encounter

Even though the port of Brisbane is closed, P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Encounter docked safely in Brisbane on Tuesday with a pilot onboard.

Carnival Luminosa

Passengers onboard the Carnival Luminosa, which is currently in Noumea have been told to disembark if they need to return to Brisbane urgently.

How do cruise ships respond to adverse weather conditions?

Weather can be unpredictable and guest safety is always the number one priority for cruise ships. As Queen Anne has demonstrated in its response to Cyclone Alfred, rerouting is the go-to backup plan in case of adverse weather.

Cruises will have alternative plans that may impact shore excursions and onboard activities, however adapting to the weather is nothing new, so you should not worry about your cruise being ruined. Sometimes, cruises reorder the original route, so that the intended ports will still be visited when the weather isn’t as turbulent. If this is not possible, a new port could be added to the route, or you might have one more day at sea. The crew will still strive to make the cruise as enjoyable as possible for guests.

Although cruise ships will reroute to avoid steering straight into a storm, there may still be rough conditions as the ship navigates the weather system’s perimeter. Pacific Encounter said in communication with guests:

“As you would be aware, the southern Queensland coast is currently being impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Our highest priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew, and although we will remain clear of this weather system, there may be some residual impact as we first depart.”

Should I still cruise in a cyclone?

Cruises have extremely sophisticated technology to keep passengers safe, including stabilisation systems, robust hull designs and incredible weather equipment.

Celebrity Cruises shares on its website: “Thanks to an incredible arsenal of weather equipment onboard the ship, including everything from weather maps and satellite images to computer-generated storm models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), your captain and crew are always on top of where a hurricane is headed and have the experience and means to stay out of its path.”

Passengers will always be updated on any notable predicted weather conditions, as well as any changes to the itinerary. Another example of the cruise line’s care and caution when considering adverse weather conditions is Royal Caribbean International’s employment of a Chief Meteorologist.

Another example of the cruise industry’s careful approach to adverse weather conditions is Royal Caribbean International’s hiring of a Chief Meteorologist. The Chief Meteorologist monitors weather patterns and keeps an eye on anything that might impact a ship’s route. The team will have close communication with its ships, and if a storm were to form, a plan to ensure the ships safety would be rapidly developed.

What if my cruise is cancelled because of a cyclone?

Although full cruise cancellations are rare, due to route adjustments that avoid bad weather, they can still happen.

Constant communication and updates from a cruise line will be given in the case of predicted turbulent weather conditions on your cruise route.

With more trips planned from Brisbane this week, Carnival’s current advice to passengers on upcoming cruises is “not to proceed to the port until they receive confirmation of their cruise details.”

Make sure to check your email and text messages constantly (including your spam) if you are concerned about weather impacting your next trip.

How do I get a refund for a cruise cancellation due to extreme weather?

A cruise line will offer compensation if your trip is cancelled. This will normally be in the form of a full refund of the cruise fare and potentially a bonus percentage of the fare paid, given in the form of a future cruise credit. For more advice, click here.

What if I am the one to cancel?

You can cancel your cruise at any time, however if it is still going ahead you will probably lose the full price you paid. In some instances, such as extremely turbulent weather, cruise lines may allow you to cancel free of consequence, but it is important that you have travel insurance that covers natural disaster events, just in case.

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2 thoughts on “Cruise ships diverted from Brisbane as Cyclone Alfred looms”

  1. The Pacific Encounter is currently sailing along the east coast of Australia, and will arrive at Airlie Beach on the 6th March. Back in Brisbane Port on the 8th March.

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