High seas in the Tasman Sea have forced the cancellation of the visit of cruise ship Disney Wonder to Taranaki on Sunday.
“We were informed this morning that, unfortunately, because of up to six metre swells in the Tasman Sea, the vessel has made the difficult decision to cancel its voyage to New Plymouth and reroute north-east from Sydney towards the Pacific Islands,” Port Taranaki General Manager Commercial Ross Dingle said.
“Although it is extremely disappointing, safety is the key concern – safety of the vessel and her passengers – and we completely understand and support the decision made.”
At 294m long and accommodating up to 2,400 passengers, Disney Wonder was to be the equal largest cruise ship to ever visit Port Taranaki.
“We were very much looking forward to this visit, so it’s very disappointing for everyone involved – the port, tour operators, the retail and hospitality businesses in Taranaki, the city ambassador volunteers, and our organisational partners,” Mr Dingle said.
“However, shipping is dynamic and at the mercy of the weather and sea, and schedules can change quickly.”
Despite the cancellation, Mr Dingle said the vessel and the ship’s agent had been impressed with the proactive and thorough planning and organisation for Disney Wonder’s planned visit, and the interest and support of the community.
“We have a fantastic Taranaki team from a number of regional organisations and businesses that work together and plan and prepare for these cruise visits, so it’s great to know our approach is being noticed and acknowledged.
“We hope we have the opportunity to host Disney Wonder or another of the Disney fleet in the future, and her passengers are able to experience all the great things our region has to offer.”
Brylee Flutey, GM Destination of Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, echoed Mr Dingle’s comments.
“We acknowledge and want to thank the large number of stakeholders who have been involved in the planning in the lead up to the ship’s arrival. While it’s disappointing that Disney Wonder cannot berth this Sunday, we’ve started to build a positive relationship and hope to welcome the Disney Wonder to Taranaki again soon.”
The next cruise ship to visit Taranaki, is the 180m long, 680-passenger Azamara Pursuit on Saturday, 25 January.
