Cunard Line announced a 60-day extension of the current Australian cruise season of its Queen Elizabeth. The iconic ship will sail local waters until May 9 strengthening regional and domestic tourism.
The extension of the liner’s Australia & New Zealand season is a result of the uncertainty because of port closures and travel restrictions in Asia and their effect on cruise operations, according to Katrina McAlpine, Commercial Director Cunard Australia & New Zealand. The extended Australia season will benefit local tourism via 29 visits to ports around the country during the additional 60-day deployment.
Highlights of the luxurious ship’s 6 new itineraries include Queen Elizabeth’s first-ever 27-night full circumnavigation of Australia and calls to destinations like Eden and Kangaroo Island, which have welcomed cruise visits as a timely contribution after the bushfire emergency.
On May 9, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to depart Sydney NSW on a 24-night Transpacific crossing to Vancouver BC Canada via New Caledonia, Honolulu, Maui, Los Angeles, and San Francisco before the ship commences Cunard's Alaska 2020 program.
Cunard Line has already contacted passengers booked on Queen Elizabeth’s Asia and Japan itineraries about the changes. The company is offering full refunds as well as special incentives to book a new cruise.
Highlights of Queen Elizabeth’s new schedule include:
- The ship’s first 27-night full circumnavigation of Australia with calls in Sydney, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Darwin, Cairns, Fremantle, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Melbourne between April 12-May 7
- Two 6-night Tasmania sailings ex Sydney to Eden, Port Arthur, Hobart, Burnie, Melbourne
- Two 11-night New Zealand sailings ex Sydney to Wellington, Tauranga, Auckland, the Bay of Islands
- 24-night Transpacific crossing from Sydney to Vancouver BC via New Caledonia, Hawaii (Honolulu, Maui), LA, and San Francisco.