A number of cruise lines have recently announced an extended Australian season as a result of having to redeploy ships from Asia amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz welcomed the additional cruise visits, telling CW they are “great news, especially at...
A number of cruise lines have recently announced an extended Australian season as a result of having to redeploy ships from Asia amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz welcomed the additional cruise visits, telling CW they are “great news, especially at a time when the tourism industry is focused on recovery”.
“The extra deployments cruise lines have announced in Australia will boost visitation and provide new economic opportunities for destinations around the country.
“This is especially welcome in many of our regional communities impacted by the summer bushfires, so it’s great to see destinations like Eden and Kangaroo Island included in some of these new cruises.”
One of those destinations is Geraldton in WA’s mid-west, with Mid West Ports revealing it may get thousands of extra tourists this year, thanks to a yet-to-be-confirmed visit by the Sapphire Princess, which will be its largest visiting cruise ship to-date, with a capacity of 2,670-pax.
“The cruise industry provides significant economic benefits…with the downturn of Chinese tourists this year, we welcome the opportunity to [boost] our local tourism industry,” said Mid West Ports CEO Dr Rochelle Macdonald.
Among the ships heading to, or remaining in, local waters are Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth (CW 20 Feb) and Queen Mary 2 (CW 11 Feb); Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas (CW 17 Feb); and Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess (CW 19 Feb).
Pictured: CMV’s Vasco da Gama at Geraldton Port in Jan.
