Two more very sad Aussie cruise restart pauses

While a large part of the world is already safely cruising, sadly, the cruise pause in Australia is continuing into 2022, with Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia announcing they are extending their cruise pauses.
Princess is extending its pause on March 14, 2022, because of uncertainty around the return of cruising in the region and because of the pause extension, four sailings on Coral Princess [pictured] will be cancelled.
For guests booked on a cancelled cruise, guests have the option to move to an equivalent cruise. The rebooking process will have the added benefit of protecting the guests’ fare on their replacement cruise. Alternatively, guests can choose a future cruise credit (FCC) equivalent to 100% of the cruise fare paid plus an additional non-refundable bonus FCC equal to 10% of the cruise fare paid (minimum A$25) or a full refund to the original form of payment.
November 17, 2021, must receive requests through this online form, or guests will automatically receive the FCC option. They can use fCCs on any cruise booked by December 31, 2022, and sailing by April 30, 2023.
Princess has said it will protect travel agent commissions on bookings that were paid in full in recognition of the critical role they play in the cruise line’s business and success.
The most current information and instructions for booked guests affected by these cancellations, and more information on FCCs and refunds, can be found online at Information on affected & Cancelled Cruises.
Another member of Carnival Corporation’s family in Australia, P&O Cruises Australia, has extended it cruising pause until mid-February 2022, describing the reasons being the continuing uncertainty about the resumption of cruising.
The pause applies to cruises scheduled to depart 15 January 2022 to 14 February 2022, with P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell, who is reported to have already started his new role running P&O Cruises UK, saying the voluntary pause had been extended because of the absence of a clear pathway for a return to cruising in Australia, adding, “We are naturally disappointed for our guests and our many suppliers to extend the pause in operations by a further month.”
He added, “With society rapidly reopening including social gathering and travel just weeks away, there is a vital need for a pathway for the staged resumption of domestic cruising”, and “Our guests have made it clear they want to cruise again and we look forward to welcoming them on board as soon as possible supported by comprehensive protocols based on the world’s best public health practice and standards.”
He also said, “We are also mindful of the many businesses who rely on cruising for their livelihoods across food and fresh produce, marine engineering and logistics, entertainment, and, of course, travel agents.”
P&O Cruises Australia has already announced its intention to resume domestic operations with cruises for fully vaccinated guests and crew.
We will notify guests whose bookings they have affected of the pause and options available either directly or via their appointed travel agent.
Guests can track the progress of their future cruise credit or refund requests via the tracking tool found on P&O’s website at www.pocruises.com.au.
John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor