Cunard abandoning Melbourne?

[MelbTone]

I'd love to be told that I'm being impatient or misreading the schedules, but is Cunard giving up on Melbourne? In past years Queen Elizabeth has been homeported here for most of the summer, offering a whole assortment of cruises. Now for 2024-25 I'm excited to get a new cruises just released email and all I'm seeing for Melbourne is the Oct 16th circumnavigation and Nov 5 5-nighter to Sydney. Of course what's offered is a reflection of perceived demand and it may be that Cunard think that other itineraries will be more profitable, but it would be sad to lose a flagship vessel just when the Spirit vacating Station Pier gives us scope for more.

[bazzaw]

Maybe Melbourne is problematic regarding its geographic position. I am sure that there plenty of Melbournites would love to cruise from Melbourne - but the fact is thatthe cruiselines don't largely do Melbourne - maybe there is a reason why? 

[NSWP]

5 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Maybe Melbourne is problematic regarding its geographic position. I am sure that there plenty of Melbournites would love to cruise from Melbourne - but the fact is thatthe cruiselines don't largely do Melbourne - maybe there is a reason why? 

Grand Princess is operating from there, Barry.

[bazzaw]

43 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Grand Princess is operating from there, Barry.

Yes - but that is just one ship from one cruiseline. Surely they would use more if it was profitable for them? 

 

[LittleFish1976]

6 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Maybe Melbourne is problematic regarding its geographic position. I am sure that there plenty of Melbournites would love to cruise from Melbourne - but the fact is thatthe cruiselines don't largely do Melbourne - maybe there is a reason why? 

 

Melbourne's port is on a sandy beach and a short tram ride away from the city centre. Easy access to freeways for the east and west coast. I think it's a good location despite not much parking which doesn't impact tourists anyway.

 

I live in Melbourne and LOVE cruising from my own city. Nothing annoys me more than getting off a ship in Sydney and having to go through the faff of getting to the airport, waiting for and paying for a flight which only takes a bit over an hour but takes a whole day to accomplish.

[LittleFish1976]

9 hours ago, MelbTone said:

I'd love to be told that I'm being impatient or misreading the schedules, but is Cunard giving up on Melbourne? In past years Queen Elizabeth has been homeported here for most of the summer, offering a whole assortment of cruises. Now for 2024-25 I'm excited to get a new cruises just released email and all I'm seeing for Melbourne is the Oct 16th circumnavigation and Nov 5 5-nighter to Sydney. Of course what's offered is a reflection of perceived demand and it may be that Cunard think that other itineraries will be more profitable, but it would be sad to lose a flagship vessel just when the Spirit vacating Station Pier gives us scope for more.

 

I'm finding it disappointing, too. You're not reading too much into the released schedules. Sydney is going to be more of a focus in future.

 

Also a member of the crew on QE told me recently, and I may have misunderstood due to different first language but I'm sure he was saying that from 2025 that Barcelona would be her home port. I thought Barcelona already was one of her home ports but he seemed to be saying that Melbourne was no longer considered one from 2025. Anyway, looking at the Port of Melbourne schedules versus Ports of Sydney schedules, it's as clear as day that she'll visit Sydney many more times than Melbourne and will be the starting point for most cruises from Australia.

 

So disappointing.

 

[gbenjo]

Cunard goes….Virgin arrives  🤔🤔🤔🤔

[clairebearinaus]

13 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Melbourne's port is on a sandy beach and a short tram ride away from the city centre. Easy access to freeways for the east and west coast. I think it's a good location despite not much parking which doesn't impact tourists anyway.

 

I live in Melbourne and LOVE cruising from my own city. Nothing annoys me more than getting off a ship in Sydney and having to go through the faff of getting to the airport, waiting for and paying for a flight which only takes a bit over an hour but takes a whole day to accomplish.

 

I assume the other poster meant Melbourne's position facing Bass Strait/Southern Ocean and being a long way from the tropics.  

 

As a fellow Melburnian within easy reach of Station Pier I agree there's nothing quite like being able to cruise from your home port.  But as a warm weather cruiser I can see how our position is limiting, and I also enjoy flying to Brisbane (for example) and having lovely weather out on the deck from day 1.

[LittleFish1976]

2 hours ago, clairebearinaus said:

 

I assume the other poster meant Melbourne's position facing Bass Strait/Southern Ocean and being a long way from the tropics.  

 

As a fellow Melburnian within easy reach of Station Pier I agree there's nothing quite like being able to cruise from your home port.  But as a warm weather cruiser I can see how our position is limiting, and I also enjoy flying to Brisbane (for example) and having lovely weather out on the deck from day 1.

 

Fair enough I hadn't thought of that interpretation.

 

I consider myself a warm weather holiday person however when I recently had an unexpected 13 day cruise to Cairns instead of the scheduled 8 day trip to New Zealand I quickly learnt that cruising to a hot location is not for me. I had thought that lazing by the pool would be great but I can't take much hot sun and I didn't find the ship's pool inviting! (not sure my knees were up to the challenge of climbing down into the water) It was too hot and muggy for me to even get off in Cairns so give me a cold weather cruise any day.

 

I haven't done much cruising compared to the keen beans here but I have done some wonderful cold weather cruising (Norway; Iceland and British Isles) and have just realised that's perfect for me.

 

Loved a hot weather cruise as a kid but not any more. The problem is that there's really not much action cruise-wise from Australia in the cooler months so you'd have to fly overseas which seems a big thing to do these days.

[LittleFish1976]

4 hours ago, gbenjo said:

Cunard goes….Virgin arrives  🤔🤔🤔🤔

 

I think I'd need ear plugs for Virgin.

[bazzaw]

21 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Melbourne's port is on a sandy beach and a short tram ride away from the city centre. Easy access to freeways for the east and west coast. I think it's a good location despite not much parking which doesn't impact tourists anyway.

 

I live in Melbourne and LOVE cruising from my own city. Nothing annoys me more than getting off a ship in Sydney and having to go through the faff of getting to the airport, waiting for and paying for a flight which only takes a bit over an hour but takes a whole day to accomplish.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating - where are all the cruise departures form Melbourne if it is such a wonderful place?? 

 

[bazzaw]

5 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Fair enough I hadn't thought of that interpretation.

 

I consider myself a warm weather holiday person however when I recently had an unexpected 13 day cruise to Cairns instead of the scheduled 8 day trip to New Zealand I quickly learnt that cruising to a hot location is not for me. I had thought that lazing by the pool would be great but I can't take much hot sun and I didn't find the ship's pool inviting! (not sure my knees were up to the challenge of climbing down into the water) It was too hot and muggy for me to even get off in Cairns so give me a cold weather cruise any day.

 

I haven't done much cruising compared to the keen beans here but I have done some wonderful cold weather cruising (Norway; Iceland and British Isles) and have just realised that's perfect for me.

 

Loved a hot weather cruise as a kid but not any more. The problem is that there's really not much action cruise-wise from Australia in the cooler months so you'd have to fly overseas which seems a big thing to do these days.

Rule Number 1 - never cruise north of Brisbane in Summer. Rule number 2 - never cruise south of Brisbane in Winter. 

[NSWP]

Tongue in cheek, perhaps the cruise lines prefer Sydney Harbour to Port Phillip Bay, lol. Standby for incoming from south of the border, lol.

 

[arxcards]

Cunard is known for mixing things up a bit. They could well return to Melbourne the following season. With adequate facilities in Brisbane now, they could even contemplate a mini season of cruises out to the islands from there too.

[arxcards]

9 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Rule Number 1 - never cruise north of Brisbane in Summer. Rule number 2 - never cruise south of Brisbane in Winter. 

I have broken rule 1 several times, and we have had some of our best holidays doing so.

[bazzaw]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

I have broken rule 1 several times, and we have had some of our best holidays doing so.

I have also crossed the road against the "Don't walk" sign many times - and never been run over. BUT......!!!

[arxcards]

16 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I have also crossed the road against the "Don't walk" sign many times - and never been run over. BUT......!!!

We have had a couple of bumpy crossings, and they were awesome.