P&O Cruises Australia and Vanuatu authorities will work together to resume cruising to the island paradise, stang with two P&O cruises from Australia in November to test protocols and procedures and shore up the safe rollout of cruising to Vanuatu.
The news comes as Vanuatu recently dropped pre-arrival testing for all international visitors arriving in Vanuatu by both air and sea.
Two P&O cruises in November will kick-start the staged reintroduction of cruise calls to Vanuatu.
Guests on Pacific Encounter, departing Brisbane on 5 November, will be the first to return to Vanuatu, followed by Pacific Adventure, departing from Sydney on 14 November.
Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia President Marguerite Fitzgerald said Vanuatu’s decision to reopen to cruise tourism follows New Zealand, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea, completing the cruise company’s South Pacific destination network.
“We are grateful to the government of Vanuatu for placing their confidence in P&O Cruises Australia to help pave the way for the broader reintroduction of cruising to their country,” she said.
”We respect the government’s decision to reintroduce cruising in such a careful and respectful way and reaffirm our commitment to Vanuatu’s island communities for whom cruising is such an important part of their economic life.
“It will be fantastic to reconnect with island communities in Vanuatu and we hope and expect that these initial P&O cruises will lead to Vanuatu’s reopening to ships from our other brands, including Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
To find out more, visit pocruises.com.au
