Revealed: the extraordinary fight to save Australia’s 2021 cruise season

Revealed: the extraordinary fight to save Australia's 2021 cruise season

Europe will see a flotilla of ships set sail next month from Britain and around the Med. Asia has been sailing since November. Even America is planning a July restart after health authorities approved new vaccine regulations. But Australia’s cruise executives and the Federal Government are still struggling to find a formula which will allow … Read more

Angry cruise lines quit America and start sailings to beat continued US ban

Angry cruise lines quit America and start sailings to beat continued US ban

Major cruise lines are moving some of their flagship vessels out of the United States after more than a year without passengers and are reconsidering new regions to resume sailing. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “conditional sailing order”, much like Australia’s cruise ban, is forcing major lines to rethink their summer season … Read more

Cruise lines that want you to be vaccinated – and one where Aussies don’t need the jab

Cruise lines that want you to be vaccinated - and one where Aussies don't need the jab

A number of cruise lines have come out saying that passengers will be required to be vaccinated before sailing. Cruise Passenger has provided the full list of lines. British based Saga Cruises was the first line in January 2021 to announce that they will require vaccinations for all passengers and crew on overseas voyages. And over … Read more

Guess which tiny state now has 1/3rd of the world’s cruisers

Guess which tiny state now has 1/3rd of the world's cruisers

Singapore is leading the way in cruise, now accounting for one-third of all global cruise travellers, as their extremely efficient management of coronavirus reaps its rewards.  Cruise operators Royal Caribbean and Dream Cruises are offering cruises to ‘nowhere’, without any port stops and the demand is extremely high.  Royal Caribbean announced it would be extending Quantum … Read more

Federal government needs to create national guidelines for Australian cruising

Flow Rider on Royal Caribbean

The chair of Cruise Lines International Association Australasia says the Northern Territory’s halt to a Kimberley season demonstrates the challenge while there are no federal government guidelines. Last weekend, the Territory health department revealed new rules which virtually grounded the plans of six small ship expedition lines to sail the Kimberley this season –  allowing … Read more

Aussies welcome to sail with Royal Caribbean once Singapore’s bubble is open, says boss

Amazing pictures: what life is like on the world's first Royal Caribbean cruise

Royal Caribbean’s Managing Director Asia Pacific, Angie Stephen, has told Cruise Passenger she will be working with the Singapore government to welcome Aussie sailors once a bubble is agreed between the countries. In an exclusive interview with Cruise Passenger Ms Stephen, who has led the highly successful sailings of Quantum of the Seas since November, added … Read more

Royal Caribbean, Princess announce sailings – for vaccinated passengers only

Sky Princess leaves Singapore

Cruise lines are announcing new sail dates – but only for passengers who have had vaccines against COVID-19.  The moves are a sign that it is likely most lines will insist on mandatory jabs for all except those in exempt categories because of ill health or other medical reasons. Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have … Read more

Royal Caribbean Announces “Blockbuster” Australian Cruise Season For 2022

Northstar, Quantum of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has announced a “blockbuster” Australian wave season for 2022/23, including two of its newest Quantum Class vessels, and Ovation of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas sailing out of Sydney. While the line hasn’t given up on 2021 – pressure is mounting on state and federal governments to approve a phased relaunch of cruising this year … Read more