Cruise itinerary changes happen for a wide range of reasons, from mechanical problems to poor weather to port operations. Typically, however, those changes directly relate to the cruise that is being changed.
This isn’t the case for an upcoming sailing of Seabourn Pursuit, however, which is having a port of call dropped and other itinerary changes not because of that specific cruise, but to accommodate the vessel’s future sailings in the months ahead.
Guests booked on the September 27, 2024 departure of Seabourn Pursuit from Papeete, Tahiti have been notified of the itinerary adjustments that include their departure from French Polynesia as well as ports of call as they head for to San Antonio, Chile.
“We wish to advise you of some changes to our scheduled itinerary. In advance of Seabourn Pursuit’s Antarctica season, we must conduct underwater hull cleaning and dive work,” the email notification explained. “We will be completing this work by extending our visit to Papeete, French Polynesia for an additional day.”
While the ship remains in Papeete for an extra day for departure at 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, guests will be able to take advantage of one of two included “Expedition experiences” to explore Tahiti. Additional optional shore excursions are also available to book at an extra charge.
To be clear, embarkation for the cruise is not changed, and guests will still be boarding the 23,000-gross-ton vessel on Friday, September 27. Seabourn Pursuit can welcome 264 guests per sailing.
Because of the change in leaving Papeete, additional knock-on changes are necessary further along in the ship’s 20-night sailing across the Pacific Ocean.
“To accommodate this change, we will no longer call to Henderson Island, Pitcairn Islands on Friday, October 4, and remaining port calls through October 4 have been moved one day later than previously scheduled,” the email said.
Other than the cancellation of Henderson Island, the remaining ports of call – including Anaa Atoll, Fakarava Atoll, Pitcairn Island, Ducie Island, Easter Island, Alexander Selkirk Island, and Robinson Crusoe Island – are still part of the itinerary, just on different days than originally scheduled.
Furthermore, the ship’s arrival to San Antonio on Thursday, October 17 is not affected.
While some travelers are understandably upset at the degree of changes to the itinerary, it should be noted that cruise lines always have the right to adjust itineraries for any reason, at any time, even while the sailing is already underway, with no compensation required.
Seabourn outlines this in their Cruise Contract, section 9, explicitly noting the right “for any reason, without prior notice” to “deviate from the scheduled ports of call, route, and timetable.”
Only in the case of mechanical failures of the vessel are any refunds required, as is a standard clause in many cruise lines’ ticket contracts. Seabourn is part of the Carnival family under the Carnival Corporation & plc umbrella, and each line in the family has similar notations in their contracts.
Why Is Hull Cleaning Necessary?
While the essential work is being done to facilitate the expedition ship’s planned voyages to Antarctica, it must be noted that the cruise that is being adjusted is not going to Antarctica at all.
In fact, on the September 27 sailing, the closest Seabourn Pursuit will come to Antarctica is when she arrives in San Antonio for debarkation – 2,300 miles from Antarctica.
Seabourn Pursuit Christening
That is, however, the last sailing before the ship’s Antarctica season, and therefore the critical hull cleaning work must be completed in order for her to be able to voyage into such delicate and protected waters.
Read Also: Seabourn Adds Extra Antarctica Sailing for 2025-2026 Season
Many areas, including New Zealand, Australia, and Scandinavia, have strict regulations about ship hulls and the risk of importing unwanted algae or sea creatures that may cling to dirty hulls and could overwhelm native ecosystems.
Different cruise ships have often been delayed or denied entry to various ports because of similar restrictions.
It is not uncommon for environmental regulations to change after a cruise ship’s itinerary has been planned, particularly since itineraries are usually released 2-3 years prior to sailing. At such times, it is necessary to adjust an itinerary to accommodate new or stricter regulations.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
