Passengers on the Pacific Adventure's current voyage faced challenges as the ship failed to meet New Zealand's stringent biohazard entry requirements. Due to a dirty hull, the vessel was denied entry, leading to extended periods at sea amidst rough weather conditions.
The 13-day roundtrip from Sydney to New Zealand ("Kiwi Adventure" itinerary/November 20 to December 3) had planned stops at multiple NZ ports. However, New Zealand's strict biosecurity laws necessitate a clean hull, and the scheduled cleaning in the Bay of Plenty was impeded by adverse diving conditions.
| Date / Time | Port |
|---|---|
| 20 Nov 16:00 | Departing from Sydney, NSW Australia |
| 23 Nov 09:00 - 18:00 | Russell/Bay of Islands |
| 24 Nov 07:00 - 17:30 | Auckland |
| 25 Nov 08:15 - 18:00 | Tauranga/Rotorua |
| 26 Nov 12:00 - 18:00 | Napier |
| 27 Nov 08:00 - 18:00 | Wellington |
| 28 Nov 08:00 - 17:00 | Lyttelton/Christchurch |
| 29 Nov 07:00 - 18:00 | Port Chalmers/Dunedin |
| 30 Nov 09:00 - 17:00 | Fiordland National Park |
| 03 Dec 06:30 | Arriving in Sydney |
As a result, the itinerary was drastically changed and the ship was redirected to Tasmania (Hobart and Port Arthur) and NSW (Eden). Passengers who had anticipated celebrating special occasions or events in New Zealand (birthdays, anniversaries, weddings) had to adjust their plans accordingly.
Initially, P&O Australia offered a 50% "future cruise credit" scheme, but this faced criticism from passengers. Consequently, the company has revised its compensation, now providing a refund along with a US$300 per person onboard credit.
You can track the cruise ship's current route at this link (based on Cruisemapper's satellite AIS data).