Princess Cruise Ship Cancels Port Calls Due to Severe Weather

Due to severe weather conditions, Majestic Princess has been forced to cancel two of its scheduled port calls in New Zealand. Steady winds of 35-40 miles per hour, with gusts up to 50-60 mph, are expected in the region. Cruise line officials informed guests of the changes via a letter from the ship’s captain.

The change is painful for Princess Cruises and the guests onboard, especially those on the 5-night seacation cruise from Sydney, as they will now have no port calls during their voyage.

High Winds and Swells Force Cancellations

Majestic Princess is currently on a five-night Australia Seacation cruise. This cruise can be combined into a 32-night crossing to Vancouver, Canada. The cruise sailed from Sydney, Australia, on April 4.

The original first section of the itinerary included stops at the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, on 7 April, Tauranga, New Zealand, on 8 April, and Auckland, New Zealand, on 9 April.

However, steady winds of 35-40 miles per hour, with gusts up to 50-60 mph, are expected in the region. Additionally, swells are forecasted to reach heights of 15 to 16 feet on April 7 and April 8.

It has led to the point where Princess Cruises has decided to prioritize the safety of its guests and crew. As a result, the cruise line decided to cancel the planned port calls to the Bay of Islands on April 7 and Tauranga on April 8.

The ship will now sail directly to Auckland, New Zealand, where it will anchor outside the port to avoid the worst of the weather system. While the vessel may still experience some rough seas, this change should provide guests with the most comfortable cruise possible.

Read Also: Rough Seas on a Cruise Ship – How They Handle it

Majestic Princess is expected to arrive in Auckland on 9 April at 8:30 AM as scheduled. With the recent cancellations, all port calls in New Zealand, except for homeport Auckland, have been cancelled.

Captain Tony Draper of the Majestic Princess expressed his regret for the necessary changes to the itinerary. 

Captain Draper wrote in the letter to guests: “We realize the cancellation of a port of call, regardless of the reason, is disappointing. When we create itineraries, we look forward to taking our guests to the destinations they expect to visit. When unexpected issues occur, and we must make the decision to change our itinerary, we share in your disappointment.”

Majestic Princess Summer 2023 Cruises

Following the call to Auckland on this current voyage, the ship will begin her Pacific Ocean crossing, including stops to Papeete, Tahiti; Lahaina, Honolulu, and Kailua Kona, Hawaii; Los Angeles, California; San Francisco, California; Victoria, British Columbia; and Vancouver, Canada.

The Pacific crossing means the beginning of the Alaska cruise season for Majestic Princess is nearing. Starting May 5, the ship will sail an eight-night Inside Passage cruise, including stops in Ketchikan, Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka, Alaska; and returning to her homeport Vancouver, Canada, on May 13. Majestic Princess is scheduled to sail in Alaska through October 3.

The 144,216 gross tons, 3,560-guest Majestic Princess, is a Royal-class cruise ship built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy. She is the third Royal-class ship in the fleet and made her debut in April 2017.

Majestic Princess was purpose-built for the Chinese market. Although she did sail in China for a short while, since the Chinese market collapsed following the cruise lock-down, the ship has been operational in Australia and on the US West Coast.