Princess 2025/6 out of Melbourne/Adelaide

[RobinBancs]

We’re not cruising this summer but have headed for the Great Ocean Road instead for 2024. While paying more per night for Caravan Park cabins than our family of four would on a cruise ship with all the inclusions, I’m getting itchy for another big trip.

 

I can see there are lots of offerings from Princess out of Sydney with Crown being based there pretty much full time except when it’s doing world trips, but there seems to be a cut off for Melbourne/Adelaide itineraries next year.  I’m guessing that’s because they just haven’t announced itineraries for whatever ship is based in Melbourne yet, but was worried that they trimmed Melbourne from their schedules. That wouldn’t make sense though since it’s enormously popular. Do I just need to be patient or was there an announced reduction of a ship in Melbourne that I just haven’t seen?

[Cbtours]

Just now, RobinBancs said:

We’re not cruising this summer but have headed for the Great Ocean Road instead for 2024. While paying more per night for Caravan Park cabins than our family of four would on a cruise ship with all the inclusions, I’m getting itchy for another big trip.

 

I can see there are lots of offerings from Princess out of Sydney with Crown being based there pretty much full time except when it’s doing world trips, but there seems to be a cut off for Melbourne/Adelaide itineraries next year.  I’m guessing that’s because they just haven’t announced itineraries for whatever ship is based in Melbourne yet, but was worried that they trimmed Melbourne from their schedules. That wouldn’t make sense though since it’s enormously popular. Do I just need to be patient or was there an announced reduction of a ship in Melbourne that I just haven’t seen?

Melbourne have put the prices for port charges and Princess have stopped sailing from Melbourne I believe!

[RobinBancs]

Just now, Cbtours said:

Melbourne have put the prices for port charges and Princess have stopped sailing from Melbourne I believe!

Oh My!!  That’s not what I wanted to hear at all. Getting to Sydney is much harder for us from Adelaide.  

[Cbtours]

3 minutes ago, RobinBancs said:

Oh My!!  That’s not what I wanted to hear at all. Getting to Sydney is much harder for us from Adelaide.  

Were in Melbourne and have to fly to sydney

[Ozwoody]

There are some advantages in living in one of the top two cities in Australis.😜

[OzKiwiJJ]

32 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Melbourne have put the prices for port charges and Princess have stopped sailing from Melbourne I believe!

Cruise lines just pass the port charges onto the passengers so I doubt that is the reason.

 

I recall reading something somewhere a month or so ago about upgrades to the cruise terminal being delayed. I don't think there were details about what the upgrades entailed but if they were significant it may mean the port couldn't be used for embarkations and disembarkations due to the amount of space needed for those, but day visits would still be possible as long as passengers could get off Station Pier safely.

Edited January 12 by OzKiwiJJ

[Cbtours]

7 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Cruise lines just pass the port charges onto the passengers so I doubt that is the reason.

 

I recall reading something somewhere a month or so ago about upgrades to the cruise terminal being delayed. I don't think there were details about what the upgrades entailed but if they were significant it may mean the port couldn't be used for embarkations and disembarkations due to the amount of space needed for those, but day visits would still be possible as long as passengers could get off Station Pier safely.

Cunard and Princess will skip Melbourne calls because of port fee increase

By Andrea Zelinski 

 

|

Nov 29, 2023

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth in Melbourne in December 2022. Photo Credit: Dans Destinations/Shutterstock

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Princess Cruises and Cunard will boycott Melbourne, Australia, and visit other nearby ports in 2025 in reaction to the port authority's decision to hike the port fee next year.

The port will increase the fee to $32 per passenger, up from $28.50, according to the Australian Associated Press. The increased fee goes into effect on Jan. 1. 

"We cannot continue to plan voyages to Melbourne should unexpected and substantial increases be imposed by port operators. These sorts of steep price raises with very little notice are not something that any business can wear, let alone a business that is still at such a fragile point of recovery," said Teresa Lloyd, chief strategy officer for Carnival Australia. 

She said Princess and Cunard are open to working with Ports Victoria and the Victorian government to find a "long-term solution together," according to Sky News in Australia

[RobinBancs]

20 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Cruise lines just pass the port charges onto the passengers so I doubt that is the reason.

 

I recall reading something somewhere a month or so ago about upgrades to the cruise terminal being delayed. I don't think there were details about what the upgrades entailed but if they were significant it may mean the port couldn't be used for embarkations and disembarkations due to the amount of space needed for those, but day visits would still be possible as long as passengers could get off Station Pier safely.

I prefer that answer. The Melbourne market would be too big to just abandon IMHO. 

[Cbtours]

6 minutes ago, RobinBancs said:

I prefer that answer. The Melbourne market would be too big to just abandon IMHO. 

I only saw the item on the news when it was announced. I’ve been looking for Christmas cruise to anywhere for Christmas 2024 but didn’t find either

[OzKiwiJJ]

21 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Cunard and Princess will skip Melbourne calls because of port fee increase

By Andrea Zelinski 

 

|

Nov 29, 2023

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth in Melbourne in December 2022. Photo Credit: Dans Destinations/Shutterstock

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

Princess Cruises and Cunard will boycott Melbourne, Australia, and visit other nearby ports in 2025 in reaction to the port authority's decision to hike the port fee next year.

The port will increase the fee to $32 per passenger, up from $28.50, according to the Australian Associated Press. The increased fee goes into effect on Jan. 1. 

"We cannot continue to plan voyages to Melbourne should unexpected and substantial increases be imposed by port operators. These sorts of steep price raises with very little notice are not something that any business can wear, let alone a business that is still at such a fragile point of recovery," said Teresa Lloyd, chief strategy officer for Carnival Australia. 

She said Princess and Cunard are open to working with Ports Victoria and the Victorian government to find a "long-term solution together," according to Sky News in Australia

I'm not sure I'd trust a Sky News article. 🤣 That's really quite a trivial amount per person. I'm sure there are much higher port charges at many other ports around the world. However it would depend on how much notice Melbourne Ports gave the cruise lines. Too little notice would hit hard with cruise lines recovering from the pandemic shutdown. 

[RobinBancs]

Wow. Im prepared to have an additional $3.50 per person charge passed on.

[Cbtours]

17 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm not sure I'd trust a Sky News article. 🤣 That's really quite a trivial amount per person. I'm sure there are much higher port charges at many other ports around the world. However it would depend on how much notice Melbourne Ports gave the cruise lines. Too little notice would hit hard with cruise lines recovering from the pandemic shutdown. 

That’s the point that was being pushed I think

[woodscruise]

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2976685-carnival-says-goodbye-to-melbourne/page/1/#comment-66522734:~:text=goodbye to Melbourne-,Carnival says goodbye to Melbourne,-By bazzaw%2C

 

 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm not sure I'd trust a Sky News article. 🤣 That's really quite a trivial amount per person. I'm sure there are much higher port charges at many other ports around the world. However it would depend on how much notice Melbourne Ports gave the cruise lines. Too little notice would hit hard with cruise lines recovering from the pandemic shutdown. 

Correct. That is just the last straw of a series of issues. At a time when their margins were already being squeezed and Carnival Australia was looking for some of their charges to be spent on improvements, they just announced extra taxes instead.

 

Root cause is that they would like to put up their fares to cover the cost increases, but passengers are already reluctant to pay the existing fares. They were already having trouble with a low yield operating in Melbourne, and a tipping point was reached. They had already withdrawn Queen Elizabeth from Melbourne well before those port charges were announced. Virgin had already cancelled some of their cruises out of Melbourne before those charges were announced. No profits, no ships.

 

2025/26 was announced a couple of months back, and no Melbourne. You get Grand for some cruises this year, and Diamond for some next year. Apart from that, you will have Pacific Explorer and Resilient Lady. Also worth taking a look at Norwegian, as they will be trying out Melbourne next summer. If successful, they might be back in 25/26.

[icat2000]

Port fees is the reason. I asked the Future Cruise Consultant onboard Royal Princess about the Melbourne situation. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

So none of the Carnival Corp ships will be homeporting there? 

[Cbtours]

7 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

So none of the Carnival Corp ships will be homeporting there? 

That was my understanding but I’ve not done a thorough investigation yet.

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

That was my understanding but I’ve not done a thorough investigation yet.

It doesn't look like any ships will be using Station Pier in 2025/6. 

 

That's very strange.

[Cbtours]

Just now, OzKiwiJJ said:

It doesn't look like any ships will be using Station Pier in 2025/6. 

 

That's very strange.

It was what we heard on ch 9 news

[OzKiwiJJ]

There has to be more to it than that! 🤔

 

BTW Sydney port fees are $40.65 plus GST.

[Cbtours]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

There has to be more to it than that! 🤔

 

BTW Sydney port fees are $40.65 plus GST.

Station pier is a pretty antiquated facility. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Station pier is a pretty antiquated facility. 

True but isn't it heritage listed?

 

It does need some refurbishment, especially now the Tassie ferry no longer operates from there. 

 

What really annoys me about Station Pier is:

a) the long walk from the carpark. Most of it is undercover, just, but on a freezing cold day with howling winds that cover is next to useless.

b) you get to the terminal, go up the escalators, then have to walk all the way through the terminal to the exit onto the upper side, then walk all the way back to the gangway which is just outside where the escalators come up. And on one cruise we had an aft cabin that was directly across from the exit doors so we had to walk to midships then back to the exit doors. That was the time we were stuck there for three days due to bad weather! 

[Relaxing Robbies]

I really think Princess are just using the increase in port fees as an excuse. Apparently they hadn’t increased for 3 years or so, so the increase was not much compared to inflation over that time. I’m sure Princess wouldn’t freeze their charges for 3 years!  If that was the real reason, then Princess could increase the port charges they oncharge to cruisers. I would much rather pay an extra $3.50 than the cost of flights and overnight accommodation in Sydney. It really adds to the cost and makes short cruises uneconomic for Melbourne residents.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

So none of the Carnival Corp ships will be homeporting there? 

Pacific Explorer is spending summer there for 2025/26. Don't believe your sensational headlines people. Pacific Explorer will be copping those same port charges. Princess & Cunard can make more money in other ports, Pacific Explorer can't be so fussy. The spokespeople (they are between bosses ATM) at Carnival Australia have been quoted that the port charges were one of many causes. For your shareholders, it is easier to blame the government, rather than telling them you aren't capable of turning a profit there.

 

At this stage, Disney is the only other turnaround booking for Melbourne in 2025/26

[Cbtours]

8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

True but isn't it heritage listed?

 

It does need some refurbishment, especially now the Tassie ferry no longer operates from there. 

 

What really annoys me about Station Pier is:

a) the long walk from the carpark. Most of it is undercover, just, but on a freezing cold day with howling winds that cover is next to useless.

b) you get to the terminal, go up the escalators, then have to walk all the way through the terminal to the exit onto the upper side, then walk all the way back to the gangway which is just outside where the escalators come up. And on one cruise we had an aft cabin that was directly across from the exit doors so we had to walk to midships then back to the exit doors. That was the time we were stuck there for three days due to bad weather! 

The news article did mention needing to upgrade but I’m not sure about the heritage listing. I agree it’s not the easiest port to go from and definitely not our favourite even though it’s our home port. I’d much rather go from Sydney! Sailing out of Sydney harbour is always spectacular!

our next cruise in March, we could have gone on Grand Mel to qld but the inside starting price of $2299 was way more than the $1880 balcony price we paid on majestic Syd to NZ. We use points for our flight so def came off best,