Australian holidaymakers devastated as their luxury cruise is CANCELLED over coronavirus fears

Holidaymakers devastated as their luxury cruise from Singapore to Sydney is CANCELLED at the last minute over coronavirus fears

P&O have cancelled their Indonesian Explorer cruise due to depart February 28
The 14-day cruise was to begin in Singapore next week and finish in Sydney
Passengers were told on Thursday cruise was scrapped amid coronavirus fears

By Zoe Zaczek For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 14:22 GMT, 21 February 2020 | Updated: 14:26 GMT, 21 February 2020

Holidaymakers have been left devastated after their cruise from Singapore to Australia was cancelled over coronavirus fears.

The P&O Indonesian Explorer cruise was due to depart Singapore on February 28 and arrive in Sydney 14 days later.

But the tourists were on Thursday advised their trip had been scrapped due to travel restrictions imposed by coronavirus.

Australian vacationers had booked one-way flights for the beginning of the cruise and some have been left stranded by the short notice announcement.

Holidaymakers have been left devastated after their P&O cruise from Singapore to Australia was cancelled over coronavirus fears (stock image)

The P&O Indonesian Explorer cruise was due to depart Singapore on February 28 and arrive in Sydney 14 days later. But the tourists were on Thursday advised their trip had been scrapped due to travel restrictions imposed by coronavirus

‘Operating uncertainty in Asia, with travel restrictions, port closures and potential for more with the regional response to coronavirus, is increasing,’ an email to passengers said.

‘In view of the ongoing uncertainty, we have made the difficult decision to cancel your Pacific Explorer cruise.

‘While no travel restrictions currently apply to Singapore or other destinations on the itinerary, operational uncertainty has reached an unacceptable level.’

The email said travellers would be provided with a full refund and receive a future cruise credit to the value of 50 per cent of the original cruise fare.

‘We are very sorry for any disappointment these unavoidable and unexpected changes may have, but we hope you appreciate they have been made to protect your health, safety and wellbeing,’ the email concluded.

It comes as four Australians who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan were confirmed to have contracted the virus.

In an email to holidaymakers, P&O said they made the ‘difficult decision’ to cancel the cruise following uncertainty in Asia amid coronavirus

On Friday night two Queensland women, aged 54 and 55, tested positive for COVID-19 and will be flown to Brisbane for further treatment.

Earlier on Friday, a 78-year-old man from Western Australia was transferred to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth.

The other patient is a 24-year-old woman from South Australia, who will be transferred to Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Some 170 Australians, most aged in their 60s and 70s, will be quarantined for two weeks after leaving the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama.

Marie Ferri, who was scheduled to fly from Sydney to Singapore on Tuesday morning, said she was ‘feeling devastated’ about the cancellation of the P&O Indonesian Explorer cruise.

It comes as four Australians who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan were confirmed to have contracted the virus. Pictured: Japan Self-Defence Forces officers use canvas sheets to cover the walkway from the cruise ship Diamond Princess

‘Because we booked November last year and have been looking forward to it and it was so close to going,’ she said.

‘Also all the leave has been booked through work and now trying to find an alternative holiday at such short notice.’

The mum-of-two wish they had been warned about the potential cancellation.

Ms Ferri said her daughter Mia had received her room confirmation only two days earlier.

‘More notice would have been great because it would have allowed us to make alternate arrangements,’ she said.

‘I feel sorry for the passengers who are already in Singapore and have to make alternative arrangements to get home.’

The family have now cancelled their pre-cruise accommodation and flights.

‘Our hotel was not refundable, not sure about the flights. We will send receipts to P&O and hope for the best,’ she said.

AUSTRALIANS WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

NEW SOUTH WALES: 4

January 25

Three men aged 43, 53, and 35 who had recently travelled to China are confirmed to have contracted the disease.
Two flew in from Wuhan while the other arrived in Sydney from Shenzhen, south China.
They are being treated in isolation at Westmead Hospital and are in stable condition.

January 27

A 21-year-old woman is identified as the fourth person to test positive for the illness in NSW.
The woman, a student at UNSW, flew into Sydney International Airport on flight MU749 on January 23 and presented to the emergency department 24 hours later after developing flu-like symptoms.
She is being treated in isolation at Westmead Hospital.

VICTORIA: 4

January 25

A Chinese national aged in his 50s becomes the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Australia.
The man flew to Melbourne on China Southern flight CZ321 from Wuhan via Guangzhou on January 19.
He is now in quarantined isolation at Monash Hospital in Clayton in Melbourne’s east.

January 29

A Victorian man in his 60s is diagnosed with the coronavirus.
He became unwell on January 23 – two days after returning from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.
The man was confirmed as positive on January 29 and was subsequently seen by doctors at the Monash Medical Centre. He was assessed as being well enough to stay at home.

January 30

A woman in her 40s is found to have coronavirus.
She was visiting from China and mostly spent time with her family.
She is being treated at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

February 1

A woman in her 20s in Melbourne is found to have the virus

QUEENSLAND: 5

January 29

Queensland confirms its first case after a 44-year-old Chinese national wass diagnosed with the virus.
He is being treated at Gold Coast University Hospital.

January 30

A 42-year-old Chinese woman who was travelling in the same Wuhan tour group as the 44-year-old man tests positive. She is in Gold Coast University Hospital in stable condition.

February 4

An eight-year-old boy has been diagnosed coronavirus. He is also from the tour group where the other Queensland cases came from

February 5

The case was found in a 37-year-old man, who was a member of a group of nine Chinese tourists in quarantine on the Gold Coast

February 6

A 37-year-old woman has been diagnosed with coronavirus from the same travel group that flew to Queensland from Melbourne on January 27

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 2

February 1

A Chinese couple in their 60s who arrived in Adelaide from Wuhan to visit relatives are confirmed to have coronavirus.

CHINA: 2

January 30

Two Australians have been confirmed as having the virus in Wuhan itself. Australia has raised the travel alert level to ‘do not travel’ for the city of Wuhan – the epicentre of the outbreak – and for the entire Hubei province.
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says unless people have contact with someone who is unwell and has come from that part of China, there is no need for current concern.

JAPAN: 15

As of February 15, 47 Australians are among 219 confirmed cases of the coronavirus contracted on board Diamond Princess cruise ship at Yokohama.
Two more Australians who were on board tested positive after they were evacuated to Darwin on February 22

QUEENSLAND: 4

Four Australians test positive for coronavirus after being evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship
Two Queensland women, aged 54 and 55, tested positive for COVID-19 and will be flown to Brisbane for further treatment.
Earlier a 78-year-old man from Western Australia was transferred to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth . His wife will travel with him but then be isolated at home for two weeks.

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