Pacific Explorer barred from NZ Fjordlands

[Nang]

Just been advised by P&O that the Explorer will not be sailing into the NZ fjords next week. No real surprise although my hopes were raised when friends who have just completed an all at sea comedy cruise advised they had an unscheduled stop at Kangaroo Island for hull cleaning.

 

Getting $50 OBC per person as compensation.

[Over from NZ]

2 hours ago, Nang said:

Just been advised by P&O that the Explorer will not be sailing into the NZ fjords next week. No real surprise although my hopes were raised when friends who have just completed an all at sea comedy cruise advised they had an unscheduled stop at Kangaroo Island for hull cleaning.

 

Getting $50 OBC per person as compensation.

$50. That's pathetic. They really need to get their act together.  

[joejoe 59]

21 hours ago, Nang said:

Just been advised by P&O that the Explorer will not be sailing into the NZ fjords next week. No real surprise although my hopes were raised when friends who have just completed an all at sea comedy cruise advised they had an unscheduled stop at Kangaroo Island for hull cleaning.

 

Getting $50 OBC per person as compensation.

They've had plenty of time to get the hull cleaned  before the cruise,  it's not like they didn't know the itinerary. So if they don't go to the sounds is it OK to drag their dirty butt around New Zealand?

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, joejoe 59 said:

They've had plenty of time to get the hull cleaned  before the cruise,  it's not like they didn't know the itinerary. So if they don't go to the sounds is it OK to drag their dirty butt around New Zealand?

I don't think it's quite that simple. Ships don't hang around doing nothing until it's time for the next NZ itinerary. They're doing other itineraries so no easy way to free up time for hull cleaning unless it is deemed necessary. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all in favour of keeping NZ's pristine waterways free from nasty imported marine life but ...

 

Surely this isn't the first NZ itinerary that Pacific Explorer has done this season? Why now? Has NZ happily been letting her in without hull checks on other cruises? Or were her previous hull checks clean and this is something new - if so where has she been to develop a dirty hull?

 

Is it only Fiordland visits that trigger hull checks or is NZ worried about all ports? If it's the latter are merchant vessels subject to the same hull testing or is it only cruise ships that are being scrutinized? 

 

My curious mind wants to know more. 😊

[Ondine]

We skipped Fiordlands on Pacific Explorer in January (New Year cruise).  They told us it was "operational issues".  We were told a month in advance and given $50.  Kids were disappointed.  Not sure if she got there on her late January cruise.

[Nang]

Note that this has also occurred for Cunard, Viking, Azamara, Oceania, Princess and perhaps others. Also its not just a one off, Cunard ships have missed the fjords on multiple sailings.

 

[Chiliburn]

The marine growth is probably holding it together.

[arxcards]

5 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I don't think it's quite that simple. Ships don't hang around doing nothing until it's time for the next NZ itinerary. They're doing other itineraries so no easy way to free up time for hull cleaning unless it is deemed necessary. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all in favour of keeping NZ's pristine waterways free from nasty imported marine life but ...

 

Surely this isn't the first NZ itinerary that Pacific Explorer has done this season? Why now? Has NZ happily been letting her in without hull checks on other cruises? Or were her previous hull checks clean and this is something new - if so where has she been to develop a dirty hull?

 

Is it only Fiordland visits that trigger hull checks or is NZ worried about all ports? If it's the latter are merchant vessels subject to the same hull testing or is it only cruise ships that are being scrutinized? 

 

My curious mind wants to know more. 😊

Dirty bum ships have also been skipping Bay of Islands. The ports are less restrictive, as they are unlikely to prevent dirty cargo ships that link their trade with the world. Most ports are already contending with urban runoff and are hardly pristine.

[arxcards]

 

[joejoe 59]

15 hours ago, arxcards said:

Dirty bum ships have also been skipping Bay of Islands. The ports are less restrictive, as they are unlikely to prevent dirty cargo ships that link their trade with the world. Most ports are already contending with urban runoff and are hardly pristine.

We are supposed to enter Bay of Islands at the end of March on Quantum it will be interesting to see if we make it🤞

I bought a ship tour basically to get us of the ship in a timely manner, at least it will be refunded if we don't make it.

[Nang]

The bio hazard is apparently growing well on Explorer's hull ....

 

P&O have just advised via email that the hull needs a partial clean before we are allowed into NZ, anywhere in NZ it seems. The clean is hoped to occur during our transit from Adelaide to NZ, weather permitting. If it can't be done there will further changes to the itinerary. We may end up having an Aussie port only cruise or an all sea days cruise. We can, if we wish, cancel now and get 100% credit.

 

We will be embracing the uncertainty of this mystery cruise and not jumping off.

[aussielozzie18]

It’s not just cruise ships. Sydney kayaker Richard Barnes  paddled  his self built Sea Kayak “Blue Moon” from Tasmania to New Zealand solo unassisted.   Despite seeing a few sharks in the water a couple days prior, he was still required to  hop in the ocean and clean the barnacles off the hull of his kayak on approach to New Zealand.

 

 Richard left Hobart mid December and successfully arrived in Riverton on the bottom of the South Island of NZ mid February 2023 after kayaking 1636km.

 

Impressive effort but even more so cleaning those barnacles off in the depth of the ocean with not a soul nearby.

 

 

[icat2000]

Im on the Grand Princess now. Next stop is Fiordland for us. We are heading that way now. So looks like we good to go.

[cheznandy]

1 hour ago, icat2000 said:

Im on the Grand Princess now. Next stop is Fiordland for us. We are heading that way now. So looks like we good to go.

Have a great cruise Sarah🥰

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, icat2000 said:

Im on the Grand Princess now. Next stop is Fiordland for us. We are heading that way now. So looks like we good to go.

Enjoy ye olde Grand Princess.

[joejoe 59]

15 hours ago, Nang said:

The bio hazard is apparently growing well on Explorer's hull ....

 

P&O have just advised via email that the hull needs a partial clean before we are allowed into NZ, anywhere in NZ it seems. The clean is hoped to occur during our transit from Adelaide to NZ, weather permitting. If it can't be done there will further changes to the itinerary. We may end up having an Aussie port only cruise or an all sea days cruise. We can, if we wish, cancel now and get 100% credit.

 

We will be embracing the uncertainty of this mystery cruise and not jumping off.

Great attitude.  Good luck, enjoy your cruise wherever you go.

[LincolnLegend]

We were told it's an ongoing issue for all cruise lines. The hulls have to be cleaned within 28 days everytime they head for NZ now.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, LincolnLegend said:

We were told it's an ongoing issue for all cruise lines. The hulls have to be cleaned within 28 days everytime they head for NZ now.

One would hope with all the hull cleaning issues this cruise season, causing changed itineraries, missed ports etc, the cruise lines might have learned their lesson and next year things will go smoother.

[arxcards]

On 3/9/2023 at 10:07 PM, Nang said:

The bio hazard is apparently growing well on Explorer's hull ....

 

P&O have just advised via email that the hull needs a partial clean before we are allowed into NZ, anywhere in NZ it seems. The clean is hoped to occur during our transit from Adelaide to NZ, weather permitting. If it can't be done there will further changes to the itinerary. We may end up having an Aussie port only cruise or an all sea days cruise. We can, if we wish, cancel now and get 100% credit.

 

We will be embracing the uncertainty of this mystery cruise and not jumping off.

They are currently on a 3 night cruise to nowhere, and it makes much more sense to take care of it on an itinerary that doesn't have set ports to go to. They have been cruising slowly near Kangaroo Island, in a similar location that one of the other ships had their hull cleaned. If they aren't doing it today/tomorrow, it is really bad planning

[arxcards]

On 3/10/2023 at 10:36 AM, icat2000 said:

Im on the Grand Princess now. Next stop is Fiordland for us. We are heading that way now. So looks like we good to go.

You certainly are.

[Over from NZ]

20 hours ago, NSWP said:

One would hope with all the hull cleaning issues this cruise season, causing changed itineraries, missed ports etc, the cruise lines might have learned their lesson and next year things will go smoother.

Exactly. No excuse. 

[Nang]

7 hours ago, arxcards said:

They are currently on a 3 night cruise to nowhere, and it makes much more sense to take care of it on an itinerary that doesn't have set ports to go to. They have been cruising slowly near Kangaroo Island, in a similar location that one of the other ships had their hull cleaned. If they aren't doing it today/tomorrow, it is really bad planning

Good call arxcard, as it turns out the hull was cleaned this morning. We got a message this afternoon from P&O to say its all done and we are allowed into NZ ports, but still not the fjords.

 

[Wellou2]

On 3/8/2023 at 1:02 PM, joejoe 59 said:

We are supposed to enter Bay of Islands at the end of March on Quantum it will be interesting to see if we make it🤞

I bought a ship tour basically to get us of the ship in a timely manner, at least it will be refunded if we don't make it.

We were on Quantum of the Seas on a 3 night cruise (23-26 February) and spent two days off Bundaberg getting the hull cleaned so you should have no problems entering New Zealand on your March trip.

[arxcards]

On 3/11/2023 at 9:53 PM, Nang said:

Good call arxcard, as it turns out the hull was cleaned this morning. We got a message this afternoon from P&O to say its all done and we are allowed into NZ ports, but still not the fjords.

 

Well, that stinks. Clean hull and inspection report to the NZ authorities should mean a clean bill of health for the fiords.

[NSWP]

10 hours ago, arxcards said:

Well, that stinks. Clean hull and inspection report to the NZ authorities should mean a clean bill of health for the fiords.

One wonders if the NZ Government does not want cruise ships at all in the Fjords? Or is it Fiords?

Edited March 12, 2023 by NSWP