Following a decision to cancel a call to Noumea, New Caledonia for Disney Wonder‘s February 10, 2025 sailing, Disney Cruise Line has now chosen to reinstate the port visit.
This reinstatement of the port call is sure to please guests booked on the 14-night cruise, a repositioning itinerary between Sydney, Australia and Honolulu, Hawaii.
The cruise is the first step in moving Disney Wonder to San Diego for a short season to Mexico, and then, in May, on to Vancouver for the Alaska sailing season.
Civil unrest in New Caledonia has caused many cruise lines to revise their South Pacific or Australia itineraries to bypass the island. The tensions at the destination have limited shore experiences guests can enjoy, and a day at sea has been considered preferable to a potentially risky port visit.
In early January, Disney Cruise Line initially cancelled the New Caledonia call, citing “the limited availability of experiences as a result of the prior unrest” as reasoning for the change.
At the same time, the ship’s planned call to Suva, Fiji was adjusted to a longer visit to help compensate for the loss of a port.
Now, the port has been returned to the itinerary, and the call to Suva has been shortened once again.
“We are pleased to notify you that we are reinstating the original itinerary for your sailing,” the email notification read. “As originally planned, we will be visiting Noumea, New Caledonia on Thursday and arriving in Suva, Fiji on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and departing at 7:00 p.m.”
Limited Port Adventures are being offered for guests to explore ashore in Noumea. These will be available for booking online, through the Disney Cruise Line app, or once onboard at the Port Adventures desk on Deck 3, starboard side, across from the Guest Services desk.
Because pre-booked tours through Disney Cruise Line were automatically cancelled for guests at the time the port was initially cancelled, travelers may now need to rebook any tours if they still wish to enjoy them.
The 84,130-gross-ton Disney Wonder can welcome 2,400 guests aboard. She has been offering short 3- and 4-night getaways from Melbourne and Sydney, and will return to Australia in October after the Alaska sailing season ends.
Why Was the Cancellation Reversed?
The US Department of State travel advisory for New Caledonia has not been updated in recent days, and remains at a Level 3 – Reconsider Travel due to civil unrest and crime.
Disney Cruise Line does not explain the decision to reverse the itinerary change any further, though it is an unusual situation. Typically, once an itinerary is changed, that change remains in place.
Cruise Ship Visiting Noumea, New Caledonia (Photo Credit: EA Given)
Guest feedback about the initial change may have played a role in port reinstatement. Because the transpacific itinerary is a 14-night sailing that only included four ports of call, every destination is important to provide guests with a pleasant and enriching cruise experience.
The cruise line is sure to have thoroughly vetted the excursion offerings to ensure safety and a good experience for guests. A complimentary shuttle service will also be provided into town so guests can explore on their own if they wish.
Read Also: How Not to Get Harassed in Port During a Cruise
Guests also have the option of booking independent tours at the port destination, but should be cautious to work with only reputable operators and be clear about the ship’s all aboard time, so as not to miss the ship.
A $250 (USD) per stateroom, non-refundable onboard credit was to have been offered to guests at the time of the itinerary change, but it is not clear whether that credit will remain now that the original itinerary has been reinstated.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com