Carnival cruise ships cancel Australian operations after continued cruise ban

The stalled cruise ship industry has copped another blow with international giant Carnival cancelling its operations in Australia.

Set to be based at Brisbane’s new $177 million International Cruise Terminal, Carnival Spirit will instead redeploy to Florida and start operating from March 7.

The ship’s Australian operations have been cancelled until October 2023.

The international cruise line has also decided to cancel Sydney-based Carnival Splendor’s operations until September 26.

Carnival announced the changes as the federal government continues to finalise a timeline for the return of international cruise ships to Australia.

Health Minister Greg Hunt had indicated that cruise ships would be banned from entering the country until at least February 17.

Australia has had a cruise ban since March 2020.

‘Carnival Cruise Line looks forward to resuming guest operations in Australia when government officials can provide clarity,’ a Carnival statement said.

The company attributed its decision to the ‘continued uncertainty of cruising in Australia with operations still on pause’.

 Health Minister Greg Hunt had indicated that cruise ships would be banned from entering the country until at least February 17

‘Details for a two-ship return to Australia will be announced when they are confirmed,’ it said.

Formerly Sydney-based, Carnival Spirit was set to be a major drawcard for Brisbane’s new cruise terminal that was completed in October 2020 but is yet to officially open.

Carnival Spirit has been cruising to the South Pacific, Fiji and New Zealand from Sydney since October 2012.

It was initially meant to be a temporary deployment but had remained in Australia due to demand.

Travel operator Dan Russell says the Carnival news is a ‘sickening’ blow to Australia’s cruising industry.

Travel operator Dan Russell says the recent Carnival news is a ‘sickening’ blow to Australia’s cruising industry

‘The Carnival Spirit’s deployment (to Florida) is particularly disappointing because it was to have been based full-time at the still-unused international cruise terminal,’ said Mr Russell, Brisbane-based Clean Cruising’s general manager.

‘Cruise lines are obviously getting frustrated with the lack of progress or clarity in Australia.’

Last week hundreds of travel agents demonstrated at MPs’ offices around the nation calling for travel and cruise bans to be lifted, saying it was crippling the industry.

‘Hundreds of travel agents around Australia depend on cruising in full or in part and it is very worrying to see opportunity sailing away because of government inaction here,’ Mr Russell said.