Carnival cuts, Heritage expands

CARNIVAL Australia is cutting back its local cruising presence, citing “more favourable market conditions elsewhere” and what it calls the uncertain regulatory environment in Australia and New Zealand.

Parent Carnival Cruise Line announced yesterday [26 February] that the Sydney-based Carnival Adventure will sail seasonally in Australia from April 2028 when it relocates to North America for the northern hemisphere summer.

While Carnival remains the only cruise line with a year-round commitment to this region, it has had to make this deployment decision given more favourable market conditions elsewhere and the uncertain regulatory environment in Australia and New Zealand, it says.

“We’re proud of our long-standing commitment to this market. It is business as usual with Carnival Cruise Line operating from more homeports across Australia and New Zealand in 2027/28 than ever before, so there are plenty of attractive itineraries for our guests,” Country Manager Peter Little said.

“Over the next two years, we look forward to welcoming onboard about 1.2 million fun-loving guests across about 400 voyages as we continue to sail year-round to amazing destinations.”

Carnival Adventure will relocate to North America in April 2028, after completing its published voyages.

Mr Little said Carnival was seeing stronger momentum and local governmental support in other major travel and tourism markets globally.

“In this context, Carnival is adjusting its deployment to better capture greater opportunities elsewhere, while continuing to champion a more competitive and certain operating environment – matters we’ve long emphasised,” Mr Little said.

“We look forward to continuing our strong commitment to a cruise sector that provides 22,000 jobs and more than $7 billion in economic benefit to thousands of travel agents, shore tour operators, fresh food producers and transport providers right across Australia.”

As the situation applies following this announcement, from April 2028 Carnival will have Pacific Encounter cruising year-round from Brisbane and Carnival Luminosa seasonally from the same port, while Carnival Splendor will be year-round from Sydney and Carnival Adventure seasonally from the same port.

In a contrasting development, family-owned, Christchurch-based Heritage Expeditions has announced the acquisition of a second deepsea cruise ship, to join the 140-pax flagship Heritage Adventurer.

The company has acquired the 130-pax Exploris One, which will be renamed Heritage Discoverer and is expected to begin sailing polar expedition voyages from May 2027.

Exploris One was previously Silversea Cruises’ Silver Explorer and was built in the same Finnish yard as Heritage Adventurer. French owner Exploris collapsed late last year and the ship was put up for auction last month.

Heritage say the seven-deck vessel reflects the company’s longstanding focus on authentic, small-ship adventure. Owners and directors Aaron and Nathan Russ said the ship’s track record and ice-strengthened capability align closely with their family company’s heritage.

“Heritage Discoverer combines decades of exploration, on expeditions from the Northwest Passage to navigating remote tropical waters, islands and atolls, and south to Antarctica, with a 1A ice class rating and wrapped in luxurious, spacious surrounds,” Aaron Russ said.

The addition signals a return to some of the world’s most remote polar regions for the operator.

“Heritage Discoverer allows Heritage Expeditions to resume our renowned, authentic high Arctic and Antarctic Peninsula adventures and the return of our unique, expedition-style of travel to these regions,” Nathan Russ said.

Heritage also has an expedition yacht, Heritage Explorer.