Sunday April 17 marked a big date in the calendar, the cruising calendar, as that was the date cruise ships and cruising finally returned to Australia after a 2 year absence, due to the covid-19 pandemic that swept the world.

The first cruise ship to be welcomed back to Australia? P&O’s The Pacific Explorer, or the former Princess Cruises Dawn Princess, for those who remember her.

I must confess that after seeing videos on Facebook from the cruise director currently on the Pacific Explorer, seeing her return home to Sydney on board the ship, even I teared up as she shared her excitement in her live Facebook videos.

I’ve never sailed with P&O before but I could feel her excitement as the ship sailed through Sydney Harbour as she shared what she was feeling and witnessing through the live videos.

The world is slowing returning to normal, or a new normal as we have to deal with protocols and procedures for keeping everyone safe from covid.

I’m sure that when it comes to my cruise in December 2023, that the possibility of all restrictions will not be a thing. No testing before a cruise, no face mask wearing, no covid regulations while cruising, that the process will be relaxed.

As someone who has cruised previously, for those who are reluctant to get on a cruise ship for their very first cruise, or who are reluctant to go back onto a “floating Petri dish” after the Ruby Princess incident, Princess Cruises did get a rap over their knuckles for not being open and transparent with the Australian authorities and the passengers on the ship at the time but I know that the Australian authorities would have received the hardest rap over the knuckles for not doing their jobs properly.

Any cruise ships visiting a port have to follow that country’s laws. They have to follow the health authorities rules, customs and immigration rules for a country and the port authorities rules, a cruise ship captain and the crew simply are unable to override those rules in place, set by that country they are currently visiting. The Australian authorities messed up big time over the Ruby Princess.

I for one, am looking forward to cruising again and I hope you are too.

Welcome home Pacific Explorer and to all the other cruise ships who have home ports here in Australia as you too come back home.

Happy sailing!

Until next time

Kaye