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By the Editor in Chief of Cruise Passenger and Cruise&Travel Magazine

 

 

Happy New Year to all of you – and thanks for your continued support over the past 12 months. And what a year it’s been – with cruise roaring back in Australia and around the world!

Ok, there have been a few hiccups. But overall, the extraordinary operation to get hundreds of ships back on the water, crewed and passenger ready, has been a task of epic proportions which cruise lines and the industry has managed with amazing efficiency.

On a personal note, the year and the return has allowed me to tick off a couple of bucket list personal wishes – in November, I visited Antarctica courtesy of Viking and the line’s newest expedition ship Polaris.

You can catch our initial reports here – and see our video here.

There will be more in Cruise&Travel magazine in March.

And I sailed French Polynesia with Ponant’s newest acquisition – Paul Gauguin, the Grand Dame of the islands with a mighty reputation for small ship luxury cruising.  She’s been sailing the islands almost unrivalled for 25 years, and we’ll be showing you around with videos and reports in the New Year.

You can start by watching me feed the stingrays..and even giving one a kiss! Apparently, for Polynesians it’s quite the thing.

Meanwhile, here are your personal favourite stories by numbers – the ones with the most hits on our website, cruisepassenger.com.au.

You chose to read about the problems with travel insurance, and how the Media treated our favourite holidays most.

And our very own Readers’ Choice awards – the first since 2020 – won a big round of applause from almost 30,000 of you.

Read our own roundup of the most significant stories of 2022 – a very significant year for cruise – here.

Enjoy – and see you all in 2023.

 

1 News Retired Army veteran and his wife left $25,000 out of pocket after travel agent refuses refund 1-Jul 83,557 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/retired-army-veteran-and-his-wife-left-25000-out-of-pocket-after-travel-agent-refuses-refund/
2 News You can live on a cruise ship for $120 a day for two – here’s how 22-Apr 73,118 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/you-can-live-on-a-cruise-ship-for-120-a-day-for-two-heres-how/
3 Covid False media covid reports continue to plague cruise industry as Sydney hits record passenger numbers 9-Dec 45,303 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/false-media-covid-reports-continue-to-plague-cruise-industry/
4 Covid Ovation of the Seas docks in Sydney tomorrow with covid cases on board – but will anyone care? 28-Oct 31,519 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/ovation-of-the-seas-docks-in-sydney-tomorrow-covid-cases-but-will-anyone-care/
5 Awards Readers’ Choice Awards 2022 17-Nov 28,798 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/best-cruise-lines-2022/
6 News “I’d rather be here than at home” – A pandemic passenger’s story from the Coral Princess 27-Oct 25,469 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/id-rather-be-here-than-at-home-a-pandemic-passengers-story-from-the-coral-princess/
7 Insurance How my credit card saved my cruise holiday in New Zealand 26-Aug 24,245 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/how-my-credit-card-saved-my-cruise-holiday-to-new-zealand/
8 News Cruisers hit back: ‘Shame on the media for causing people needless stress on board or at home!’ 4-Nov 22,004 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/cruisers-hit-back-shame-on-the-media-for-causing-people-needless-stress-on-board-or-at-home/
9 Insurance The cruiser who was quoted $10,000 for his travel insurance 26-May 15,260 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/the-cruiser-who-was-quoted-10000-for-his-travel-insurance/
10 Insurance Government urged to stop gouging as cruisers are charged over $100 a day in travel insurance 12-Aug 15,116 https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/government-urged-to-stop-gauging-as-cruisers-are-charged-over-100-a-day-in-travel-insurance/