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Ahoy mateys! Pacific Explorer to be first cruise ship back to New Caledonia

After a recent series of cruising revival firsts, P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Explorer will be the first ship back to the South Pacific ports of New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands after the island nation reopens its maritime borders to cruise tourism.

After a recent series of cruising revival firsts, P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Explorer will be the first ship back to the South Pacific ports of New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands after the island nation reopens its maritime borders to cruise tourism.

Passengers aboard the nine-night itinerary departing Sydney for Noumea on 1 October 2022 will be the first post-COVID cruise visitors to New Caledonia.

Pacific Explorer will make an overnight call to Noumea accompanied by local celebrations to mark the return of cruising followed by a call to Lifou in the Loyalty Islands. 

P&O’s flagship has already achieved a number of milestones as Pacific Explorer was the first cruise ship to return to Sydney on 18 April, the first cruise ship back to Brisbane and the first to return to New Zealand and Fiji. 

P&O Pacific Explorer
Pacific Explorer is heading back to New Caledonia.

P&O Cruises Australia President Marguerite Fitzgerald said: “With New Caledonia coming back online, P&O is once again widening its cruising horizons and we look forward to Vanuatu reopening its maritime borders to cruise ships.”

“Our positive relationships with these countries have been built up over decades and there is shared confidence and trust in what we do.”

New Caledonia requires cruise visitors must hold international travel insurance with cover for cruising and COVID-19 and may be subject to further testing before disembarking. 

New Caledonia dropped all COVID-19 entry requirements on 1 August for visitors arriving by air and international boats but not cruise ships.

For more info, visit pocruises.com.au