Cyclones and itinerary changes

[MicCanberra]

1100 kms of qld coastline told to prepare just in case.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We've met some people on our Cunard cruise who are staying on for the next cruise which is a Queensland itinerary. They are waiting to hear what changes there will be. Back to Tassie? 

[arxcards]

8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We've met some people on our Cunard cruise who are staying on for the next cruise which is a Queensland itinerary. They are waiting to hear what changes there will be. Back to Tassie? 

Welcome back.

I Missed that one, as well as Crystal Serenity. You would think they would have made a decision on QE prior to embarkation day.

 

Seven Seas Explorer has made a decision to be faster than the cyclone and getting to Townsville early. It is possible that they have timed everything well enough to have minimal disruption if the cyclone stays well south of Cairns.

 

 

[arxcards]

The ex-Pacific Eden, Vasco de Gama, is also cruising down the coast. Cairns today, and Townsville the following day if 05U lets them.

Edited January 21 by arxcards

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

Welcome back.

I Missed that one, as well as Crystal Serenity. You would think they would have made a decision on QE prior to embarkation day.

 

Seven Seas Explorer has made a decision to be faster than the cyclone and getting to Townsville early. It is possible that they have timed everything well enough to have minimal disruption if the cyclone stays well south of Cairns.

 

 

It was too early to make changes last week for the next QE cruise that starts today. 

 

This morning a couple we sat next to for meals received a letter outlining an alternative itinerary to replace the current Queensland one. The ship may abandon Queensland altogether and visit Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Eden instead. At the time we disembarked the itinerary change hadn't been confirmed. Very disappointing for those who have come from overseas to see the GBR but weather related changes are just one of the risks when cruising.

[arxcards]

23 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It was too early to make changes last week for the next QE cruise that starts today. 

 

This morning a couple we sat next to for meals received a letter outlining an alternative itinerary to replace the current Queensland one. The ship may abandon Queensland altogether and visit Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Eden instead. At the time we disembarked the itinerary change hadn't been confirmed. Very disappointing for those who have come from overseas to see the GBR but weather related changes are just one of the risks when cruising.

Other lines would have made the call yesterday, giving the new passengers a choice of doing a fully changed itinerary or a credit. I get that it is really touch & go as to whether they go north or south though. Those coming from overseas are going to board anyway, but someone from Melbourne or Adelaide might like the option of getting a credit.

 

A missed port or a changed port is a risk of cruising. Replacing the whole itinerary is a different deal, as for a cruise that was meant to go to NZ going to Tassie instead. Maybe the expectations for Cunard are different to those for P&O who copped a bollocking over it.

[arxcards]

51 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It was too early to make changes last week for the next QE cruise that starts today. 

 

This morning a couple we sat next to for meals received a letter outlining an alternative itinerary to replace the current Queensland one. The ship may abandon Queensland altogether and visit Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Eden instead. At the time we disembarked the itinerary change hadn't been confirmed. Very disappointing for those who have come from overseas to see the GBR but weather related changes are just one of the risks when cruising.

PS - P&O did deserve a bollocking, as their itinerary swap was dirty hull related. Other recently swapped itineraries have had an option of a credit though.

[MicCanberra]

The cruise contract states that they only have to depart from and return to the stated ports, other than that the itinerary can be fluid. Of course, goodwill and reputation ensures changes to the itinerary are not taken lightly.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Other lines would have made the call yesterday, giving the new passengers a choice of doing a fully changed itinerary or a credit. I get that it is really touch & go as to whether they go north or south though. Those coming from overseas are going to board anyway, but someone from Melbourne or Adelaide might like the option of getting a credit.

 

A missed port or a changed port is a risk of cruising. Replacing the whole itinerary is a different deal, as for a cruise that was meant to go to NZ going to Tassie instead. Maybe the expectations for Cunard are different to those for P&O who copped a bollocking over it.

I got the impression that Cunard would be making a decision before the ship departs tonight and I think there would be options for those passengers who chose not to do the new itinerary. I didn't actually see the letter, we just got a quick summary of it from the couple who were staying onboard. I'm not sure if they got the letter late last night or early this morning.

 

One article I read this morning mentioned there was a possibility of the cyclone turning south after making landfall, or that it might turn south before that and run down the coast. It seems to be a bit unpredictable. Given that I think Cunard have done the best thing possible in putting together a decent alternate itinerary that keeps well away from the cyclone zone. 

[joejoe 59]

On 1/18/2024 at 5:53 PM, aussienellie said:

We are also on Coral to Tassie on 25 Jan.  Being cyclone season, we chose this destination because we figured heading south we would probably avoid cyclones.  I think I'll pack my raincoat.

☔

It looks like we are leaving the rain behind on Thursday 🤞 We live on the Cooloola coast & there is quite a bit of rain predicted...as if we haven't already had enough.

[JohnGc]

Latest is 

P&O has advised people booked on a Whitsundays cruise out of Brisbane on Tuesday they will stay closer to home due to the approaching cyclone.

Instead of heading north for a day trip to Airlie Beach, the company has advised Pacific Encounter guests that they will visit Tangalooma, on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), “where you will be able to experience all the attractions of an island resort”.

[NSWP]

QE turned right out of Sydney Harbour yesterday and headed south, in Eden today, then calling into Melbourne, Port Lincoln, Adelaide. Yes a few unhappy pax on board no doubt missing GBR. But the safest option.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I hope they get gorgeous weather for their port stops to make up for it. Sunny, not too hot, not too humid. 

[MicCanberra]

The cyclone is expected to possibly hit maybe around Townsville but it may further north or south or east or west they are guessing.

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

The cyclone is expected to possibly hit maybe around Townsville but it may further north or south or east or west they are guessing.

Sometimes cyclone tracks are very hard to predict from what I've read. I guess there are many different factors involved that could affect it's movement in one direction or another. I recall one a few years ago that did a 180 degree turn and headed off parallel to it's initial track.

[ceeceeDee]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

The cyclone is expected to possibly hit maybe around Townsville but it may further north or south or east or west they are guessing.

Cyclones are notoriously unpredictable. We lived in Cairns for 15 years and the number of times a cyclone was supposed to cross the coast near us and instead bolted south or stayed out to sea and crossed north of Cooktown, I couldn't count. We were always prepared for the worst, but it was often a case of 'expect it when you see it'. There was one memorable occasion when a cyclone went up and down the coast for days before finally deciding where it would cross.

Accordingly, I think the cruise companies have pulled the right rein in altering their itineraries. Pax may be disappointed, understandably, but that is the risk you take cruising the tropics in cyclone season. Better safe than sorry.

Edited January 23 by ceeceeDee

[OzKiwiJJ]

41 minutes ago, ceeceeDee said:

Cyclones are notoriously unpredictable. We lived in Cairns for 15 years and the number of times a cyclone was supposed to cross the coast near us and instead bolted south or stayed out to sea and crossed north of Cooktown, I couldn't count. We were always prepared for the worst, but it was often a case of 'expect it when you see it'. There was one memorable occasion when a cyclone went up and down the coast for days before finally deciding where it would cross.

Accordingly, I think the cruise companies have pulled the right rein in altering their itineraries. Pax may be disappointed, understandably, but that is the risk you take cruising the tropics in cyclone season. Better safe than sorry.

The sad thing is that overseas visitors and locals don't get much choice of cruising Queensland outside of the cyclone season. One Carnival ship (I think) and the P&O Australia ships. It was wonderful in 2022 when Coral Princess came out for the restart after the pandemic. We did three Queensland cruises and the Round Australia cruise that year. It was so nice to be up in warm Queensland instead of cool and wet Sydney.

[mr walker]

4 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

The cyclone is expected to possibly hit maybe around Townsville but it may further north or south or east or west they are guessing.

Maybe they need to calibrate their ouija board??

[lyndarra]

Every cruise I've done north of Brisbane has December or January. It may be a little warm for some but I've never had to worry too much about cyclones.

[joejoe 59]

22 hours ago, JohnGc said:

Latest is 

P&O has advised people booked on a Whitsundays cruise out of Brisbane on Tuesday they will stay closer to home due to the approaching cyclone.

Instead of heading north for a day trip to Airlie Beach, the company has advised Pacific Encounter guests that they will visit Tangalooma, on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), “where you will be able to experience all the attractions of an island resort”.

I know it's in the passage contract to change but there were a lot of disappointed passengers last night after finding out they were only going to Tangalooma. It's a 4 day cruise, so they might be doing circles in the bay.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Sometimes cyclone tracks are very hard to predict from what I've read. I guess there are many different factors involved that could affect it's movement in one direction or another. I recall one a few years ago that did a 180 degree turn and headed off parallel to it's initial track.

Yep, that is why I added all the caveats.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, ceeceeDee said:

Cyclones are notoriously unpredictable. We lived in Cairns for 15 years and the number of times a cyclone was supposed to cross the coast near us and instead bolted south or stayed out to sea and crossed north of Cooktown, I couldn't count. We were always prepared for the worst, but it was often a case of 'expect it when you see it'. There was one memorable occasion when a cyclone went up and down the coast for days before finally deciding where it would cross.

Accordingly, I think the cruise companies have pulled the right rein in altering their itineraries. Pax may be disappointed, understandably, but that is the risk you take cruising the tropics in cyclone season. Better safe than sorry.

Definitely, a cruise to somewhere with good weather is better than a cruise sticking to it's itinerary and getting horrible weather and endangering the ship and everyone on it.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, mr walker said:

Maybe they need to calibrate their ouija board??

Not sure they use, a ouija board and the crystal ball may be foggy.

[MicCanberra]

29 minutes ago, joejoe 59 said:

I know it's in the passage contract to change but there were a lot of disappointed passengers last night after finding out they were only going to Tangalooma. It's a 4 day cruise, so they might be doing circles in the bay.

Or up and down the river to the bridge and back.

[joejoe 59]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Or up and down the river to the bridge and back.

Well they're have to do something to fill in time 😁

Edited January 23 by joejoe 59