Carnival PLC (LSE:CCL)’s P&O Cruises Australia subsidiary scrapped Christmas and New Year sailings and pushed back any possible resumption from Sydney and Brisbane until mid-January 2022.
The voluntary pause will apply to cruises scheduled to depart from 18 December 2021 through to 14 January 2022 (for Brisbane) and 18 January 2022 (for Sydney), the cruise operator said in a statement.
P&O Cruises Australia has also cancelled its Melbourne summer season.
"We recognise this is disappointing for our guests who were looking forward to cruising with friends and family over Christmas and New Year, however, we wanted to make this announcement as early as possible to ensure they could plan with certainty for the holiday period," P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell said.
P&O Cruises Australia had only recently announced its intention to resume domestic operations with cruises for fully vaccinated guests and crew.
"Unfortunately, we are not yet clear on the requirements from governments and public health authorities for a phased return of domestic cruising but we remain hopeful these conversations will gather pace now there is real momentum around society re-opening," Myrmell added.
Carnival has begun cruises again from most centres in Europe and the US but Australia has tightened COVID-19 restrictions recently due to the spread of the Delta variant of the virus, with even the upcoming Ashes cricket tour by England in doubt.