Cruise itineraries along Queensland Australia's coast are facing disruptions as Cyclone Jasper approaches, causing rough seas and storm surges.
CCL-Carnival Cruise Line has adjusted its itineraries, with Carnival Luminosa (departing Brisbane on December 10th) unable to visit Airlie Beach due to adverse weather conditions. The ship will now visit Sydney NSW on December 12, offering affected guests a choice between a US$100 OBC/onboard credit per cabin or a full refund. Guests have also been informed that pre-purchased shore excursions will be fully refunded automatically.
Cyclone Jasper is expected to make landfall early next week, potentially reaching Category 4 strength. Given its current path, it may impact the coast near Cooktown. It's still too early to predict the exact location and strength at landfall. If it reaches Category 4, it will be the earliest in the Australian region in 18 years, with the last being Severe Tropical Cyclone Bertie in late November 2005.
Earlier in the week, passengers on RCI-Royal Caribbean International’s ship Quantum of the Seas learned the day before embarkation that their 6-night Queensland itinerary had every call port canceled because of the approach of Cyclone Jasper then a Category 3.
The 169,000-GT-ton Quantum OTS, with capacity to carry ~4900 passengers, is now anchored in Athol Bay (Sydney) until 6 p.m. Saturday, with guests informed small tender boats would be used to ferry them ashore.
Two other vessels are already scheduled for Sydney’s OPT today - RCI’s Brilliance of the Seas and Seabourn’s Seabourn Odyssey.
On Saturday, Celebrity Cruises’ liner Celebrity Edge will be joining Quantum OTS. Ponant’s ship Le Soleal is also heading south toward Sydney.
Majestic Princess is due to arrive at OPT on Sunday morning while HAL-Holland America's ship ms Noordam arrives at White Bay Terminal on the same day.
Quantum of the Seas passengers were supposed to explore a variety of destinations, including Airlie Beach and Cairns with the ship also destined for South Pacific locales of Mystery Island and Port Vila Vanuatu and Noumea New Caledonia. After every scheduled port of call was canceled, Quantum OTS instead had a day at sea, an overnight visit in Sydney, and two additional days at sea before she returns to Brisbane.
The departure and arrival times in Brisbane are unchanged.
Another ship in the region is the 340-passenger Star Breeze, currently off Port Douglas.
Further south, Disney Wonder is in Port Brisbane.