Celebrity Cruises will ship the Celebrity Edge to Australia and New Zealand for the 2023-24 winter season. It will be the first Edge-class ship to descend underground.

The ship will operate on six- to 15-day cruises from early December 2023 to April 2024 departing from Sydney and Auckland.

The ship will visit 22 ports in Australia, New Zealand and (on one itinerary) the South Pacific islands of New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Mystery Island. The Edge will stay overnight in Cairns, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; and Hobart, Tasmania.

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Themed itineraries will include “Sun and Beach Escapes”, https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/ “Food and Wine Classics” and “Five Star Getaways”, offering an immersion in the culture of the region through a improved on-board and ashore programming, Celebrity said.

“We have been waiting for his arrival in the region for a long time,” said Tim Jones, Celebrity vice president and general manager for Australia. “This is a real celebration time for Australian travelers and Celebrity Cruises.”

Australia cruise still pending

The news comes as cruise lines continue to cancel their Down Under seasons until 2022, after Australia extended its cruise ban earlier this month until December 17.

Princess Cruises announced this week that it will suspend cruise holidays to Australia and New Zealand until January 27 “due to uncertainty surrounding the return of cruises to the region.”

As a result, Coral Princess cruises are canceled until January 17 and the Royal Princess and Sapphire Princess seasons have been canceled until March.

The Carnival Splendor and Carnival Spirit are on hold until January 16.

P&O Cruises Australia has also extended its break in operations for cruises departing from Sydney and Brisbane through mid-January and from Melbourne entirely “to give customers greater confidence in planning their Christmas vacations and New Year’s Eve “.

“Unfortunately, we are not yet clear on the demands of governments and public health authorities for a gradual return to domestic cruising, but we remain hopeful that these conversations will gain momentum now that there is real momentum around. the reopening of the company, ”said P&O Cruises Australia President Sture. Myrmel.