Australasia & South Pacific

Monday was a milestone for the Scenic Group, with Scenic Eclipse II its first ship to visit Newcastle, New South Wales, where the company was founded 38 years ago.

The godparents for expedition ship Seabourn Pursuit are the Wunambal Gaambera people, traditional owners of the far north Kimberley.

With 1.25m passengers, Australia was the world’s fourth largest cruise market in 2023, behind the United States (16.9m), Germany (2.5m) and the United Kingdom (2.2m).

Stacey Hill is Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ new business development manager for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania and Jane Perrett is taking on the role of sales coordinator for Australia and New Zealand.

Cunard’s 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth will make her farewell season in Australia from October until February 2025.

Carnival Luminosa sailed from the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal Monday on a 31-night repositioning voyage to Seattle after completing her second Australia season.

Pioneering Heritage Expeditions, founded by the Russ family in Christchurch in 1984, celebrated 40 years of exploring the country’s wildest and most remote destinations with the launch of its 2025 Kiwi cruise season.