woodscruise Posted March 7, 2010 #1 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Carnival Australia has just announced that Cunard's Queen Mary 2 will make Australia her "home away from home" in 2012 with a world first 'Royal Circumnavigation' to depart from Sydney on 14 Feb 2012. The voyage will see QM2 return to Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays, as well as making maiden calls at Cairns, Melbourne, Darwin and Brisbane. Fares for the voyage will be available ex Sydney, Fremantle and Adelaide, with Carnival Australia ceo Ann Sherry saying that it will deliver an "economic windfall" for Australia. More information in today's Travel Daily and tomorrow's Cruise Weekly. :) Breaking news 1047am Cruise Weekly. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melb06 Posted March 8, 2010 #2 Share Posted March 8, 2010 How great is that for melbourne i am looking forward to see here arrive in port melb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Australian family Posted March 8, 2010 #3 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I am surprised that she is visiting Brisbane as the last time Cunard had one of its ships (I think was QM2) in Brisbane it was raining and the passengers got wet disembarking at Fishermans Island - they had tents set up. Cunard said they wouldn't visit Brisbane again. I wonder if the Govt offered them some sort of sweetener to come again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melb06 Posted March 8, 2010 #4 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Just to let you know it was QV (queen victoria) not QM2 that was the last Cunard ship in Brisbane in 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessica3152 Posted March 8, 2010 #5 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Good to see QM2 finally coming to Melbourne. This is a direct product of the very controversial dredging of Port Phillip Bay including blasting at the Heads to enable vessels greater than 130K tonnes to pass through. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melb06 Posted March 8, 2010 #6 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Just a update it says in the herald sun that qm2 well be in melb next year.not 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Big_M Posted March 8, 2010 #7 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Just a update it says in the herald sun that qm2 well be in melb next year.not 2012 And you believe the Hun? I expect 2012 will be when it visits Melbourne. It has had its 2011 season open for some time, with some segments very well booked so I can't see them cancelling existing itineraries and bookings. OTOH 2012 matches their general release calendar and also means existing bookings aren't affected. Still, a simpler rule is when in doubt, trust News Ltd to get it wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Australian family Posted March 8, 2010 #8 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Just to let you know it was QV (queen victoria) not QM2 that was the last Cunard ship in Brisbane in 2008. Thank you for that, as I said I wasn't certain, but it was still a Cunard ship, and they did say they would never come back to Brisbane. It is a big windfall for Brisbane getting the QM2 even though they will have to dock at Fishermans Island. I hope Brisbane can learn from its mistakes of building a cruise terminal on the city side of the Gateway bridge, and prehaps look to build one the other side. As the way cruising is getting popular, Brisbane could prehaps attract one of the bigger ships to use Brisbane as a departure port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MMDown Under Posted March 8, 2010 #9 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Thank you for that, as I said I wasn't certain, but it was still a Cunard ship, and they did say they would never come back to Brisbane. It is a big windfall for Brisbane getting the QM2 even though they will have to dock at Fishermans Island. I hope Brisbane can learn from its mistakes of building a cruise terminal on the city side of the Gateway bridge, and prehaps look to build one the other side. As the way cruising is getting popular, Brisbane could prehaps attract one of the bigger ships to use Brisbane as a departure port. Compared to lots of ports of call overseas, Fishermans Island is not that far from Brisbane CBD, the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast (via the Gateway). Maybe all it needs is improved facilities there, or near there, for the larger passenger ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted March 8, 2010 #10 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Compared to lots of ports of call overseas, Fishermans Island is not that far from Brisbane CBD, the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast (via the Gateway). Maybe all it needs is improved facilities there, or near there, for the larger passenger ships. There is nothing wrong with the excellent facility at Fishermans Island now. The new terminal there would have to rank amongst one of the best I have seen anywhere in the world in relation for giving busses and passengers heaps of room to operate in. It may be a bit far out, but as MM says, compared to some in the world, no problem. All they need is an efficient shuttle system into Brisbane, which they do seem to have now, and has improved out of sight since the first time we called there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
am1984 Posted March 9, 2010 #11 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Just a update it says in the herald sun that qm2 well be in melb next year.not 2012 And you believe the Hun? I expect 2012 will be when it visits Melbourne. It has had its 2011 season open for some time, with some segments very well booked so I can't see them cancelling existing itineraries and bookings. OTOH 2012 matches their general release calendar and also means existing bookings aren't affected. Still, a simpler rule is when in doubt, trust News Ltd to get it wrong. Melbourne will however have a visit by the soon to be launched Queen Elizabeth on Friday 25th February 2011. The Queen Mary 2 will be back in Australia in 2011, but again she will bypass Melbourne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodscruise Posted March 9, 2010 Author #12 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Australia has been chosen as the Southern Hemispherehome for the Queen Mary 2,which will offer its first-evercruise around the country in2012. CUNARD LINE’S WORLD-FAMOUS QUEEN MARY 2 will grace Australian waters for a record 28 days in 2012 – the longest time spent in onecountry outside her home-ports in the UKand US.The ocean liner is extending her seasonhere with a ‘Royal Circumnavigation ofAustralia’, calling at eight ports, includingmaiden visits to Melbourne, Brisbane,Darwin and Cairns (Yorkey’s Knob). QM2 will also make two visits each to Fremantle, Adelaide and Sydney, allowingpassengers to board from any of these citiesfor the history-making voyage.With itinerary details yet to be finalised,the circumnavigation is expected to open forsale in mid-2010; however, registrations ofinterest will be accepted online from thisFriday (see website below).The big news was revealed yesterdayonboard the QM2, while docked in Sydney,by Ann Sherry, chief executive officer ofCarnival Australia, which represents Cunardlocally.“The world’s most famous ship, the QM2,in 2012 is calling Australia its home awayfrom home,” Sherry said.“She will spend 28 days in Australia – thelongest deployment outside the NorthernHemisphere, outside her homes ofSouthampton and New York.”This decision would generate $10 millionfor the economy, Sherry said. “The world’s most famous ship, the QM2, in 2012 is callingAustralia its home away fromhome” The three 2012 circumnavigation options, to be confirmed, are a 22-night voyagedeparting Sydney on 14 February; a 20-night voyage departing Fremantle on 08February; and a 21-night voyage departingAdelaide on 11 February – as well as a precircumnavigationcruise from Cape Town toAustralia, and a post-circumnavigationcruise from Sydney to Singapore.To express your interest, go to: www.queenmary2.com.au/register. Source Cruise Weekly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trove Posted March 27, 2010 #13 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Does anyone have a guess at estimated price as fare comes out later. :) Would love to go but think it will be high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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