P&O Australia’s Pacific Explorer will become the first cruise ship to return to New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands after the restart of the cruise industry, when it sets sail from Sydney on October 1, according to a press release.

The Pacific Explorer will make an overnight call to Noumea to honor the resumption of cruising, followed by a sailing to Lifou in the Loyalty Islands, according to the company.

“As our own return to service gathers pace the South Pacific is reconnecting with cruise tourism knowing how important its contribution is to island economies. With New Caledonia coming back online, P&O is once again widening its cruising horizons and we look forward to Vanuatu reopening its maritime borders to cruise ships before too long. Our positive relationships with these countries have been built up over decades and there is shared confidence and trust in what we do,” commented Marguerite Fitzgerald, president, P&O Cruises Australia.

The P&O’s flagship has already set a number of records, including becoming the first cruise ship to return to Sydney on April 18, the first to return to Brisbane, and, most recently, the first to return to New Zealand and Fiji.

The Pacific Explore will depart from Sydney and call at Noumea and Lifou but will not return to Vanuatu, therefore scheduled calls to Mystery Island and Port Vila will be canceled.

Itinerary:

Saturday, 1 October 2022: Depart Sydney
Sunday, 2 October 2022: At Sea
Monday, 3 October 2022: At Sea
Tuesday, 4 October 2022: Noumea
Wednesday, 5 October 2022: Noumea
Thursday, 6 October 2022: Lifou
Friday, 7 October 2022: At Sea
Saturday, 8 October 2022: At Sea
Sunday, 9 October 2022: At Sea
Monday, 10 October 2022: Arrive Sydney