Cruise ship passengers faced unexpected days at sea after Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas was forced to reroute due to a dangerous cyclone threatening Australia’s coast. The weather disruption left hundreds stranded aboard the luxury liner during what was supposed to be the final days of their vacation.
At a glance:
- Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas was rerouted to Noumea, New Caledonia due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
- The ship was scheduled to return to Brisbane on Friday but was delayed until Monday, March 10
- Brisbane’s port closed as the cyclone approached, preventing the ship from docking as planned
- Royal Caribbean offered financial compensation: $200 for domestic and $400 for international flight changes
- Over 320,000 homes lost power in southeast Queensland and northern NSW due to the storm
Cruise Ship Diverted as Cyclone Approaches
The Quantum of the Seas left Brisbane on February 28 for what was planned as a week-long South Pacific cruise with an expected return on Friday. As ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred approached Australia’s coast, however, cruise officials were forced to make the difficult decision to keep passengers at sea for their safety.
Passengers aboard the massive Royal Caribbean vessel received unexpected news when the captain announced they would be changing course to avoid the dangerous weather system. The Port of Brisbane’s closure due to the approaching storm left cruise officials with no choice but to extend the voyage.
Passengers React to Extended Voyage
One Australian passenger recounted the events leading to their extended stay at sea.
“On Tuesday, the Captain made an announcement saying we were going to try and go over Noumea to avoid what we could of the cyclone, but told everyone to prepare for it to be really rough,” she reported.
The situation escalated the following day when officials announced the port closure would prevent their scheduled return.
“On Wednesday around lunchtime, the Captain made another announcement saying they had decided to extend the cruise as the Port of Brisbane was closed and there was no way of getting through the seas, let alone (docking) at Brisbane,” the passenger explained.
“Along with our Chief Meteorologist, we have been closely monitoring the progression of Cyclone Alfred,” a Royal Caribbean spokesman stated in response to the developing crisis.
Understanding the disruption to travel plans, Royal Caribbean offered financial assistance to affected passengers. The cruise line provided $200 for domestic flight changes and $400 for international flight alterations, along with complimentary internet access to help passengers arrange their new travel arrangements.
While passengers remained safely at sea, the cyclone caused significant damage on land throughout southeast Queensland. More than 320,000 homes lost power across southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, with Gold Coast areas suffering the most extensive outages.
Between this and the many reports of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships lately, it might be worth avoiding them for a little while…
