P&O Australia’s flagship Pacific Explorer has already achieved a number of milestones as the first cruise ship to return to Port Sydney NSW (April 18), the first cruise ship to sail back to Brisbane, and the first to return to Fiji and New Zealand.
Passengers on the October 1 voyage have been given the good news about New Caledonia's Lifou (Loyalty Islands) and Noumea (Grande Terre Island) calls but also advised that Vanuatu is not ready to reopen to cruise ships.
President of P&O Cruises Australia, Marguerite Fitzgerald, said that as their own return to service gathered pace the South Pacific was "reconnecting with cruise tourism knowing how important its contribution is to island economies."
“With New Caledonia coming back online, P&O is once again widening its cruising horizons, and we look forward to Vanuatu reopening its maritime borders to cruise ships before too long."
Passengers sailing from Sydney on October 1 on a 9-night itinerary have been advised they will now make history as New Caledonia reopens maritime borders to cruising.
Having already recorded a series of ‘firsts’, P&O Cruises Australia’s flagship is set for another in becoming the first cruise liner to return to the Loyalty Islands and New Caledonia.
Pacific Explorer will overnight in Noumea accompanied by local celebrations in order to mark the return of cruising, followed by a visit to Lifou (Loyalty Islands).
The amended itinerary is as follows:
- Saturday, October 1: Depart Sydney
- Sunday, October 2: At Sea
- Monday, October 3: At Sea
- Tuesday, October 4: Noumea
- Wednesday, October 5: Noumea
- Thursday, October 6: Lifou
- Friday, October 7: At Sea
- Saturday, October 8: At Sea
- Sunday, October 9: At Sea
- Monday, October 10: Arrive in Sydney.
Passengers have also been advised of New Caledonia's requirements. All vacationers must hold international travel insurance with cover for cruising/COVID and the possibility of being subject to further COVID testing before disembarking.