Princess Cruises’ 2,000-guest Sun Princess yesterday became the first cruise ship to return to Kangaroo Island in Australia as a show of support for the local community since the recent bushfire disaster.
Guests came ashore on tender vessels and fanned out on a range of tours by local operators while many others visited market stalls established by the local community on the nearby Penneshaw Oval.
Princess Cruises’ senior vice president Asia Pacific Stuart Allison said that the visit signals to the world that Kangaroo Island is on the path to recovery.
“It is our hope that this visit by Sun Princess and her guests will serve to boost morale and send a message to the community that their lives are getting back to normal,” Allison added.
Sun Princess’ captain Diego Perra added: “Understandably, some local tours won’t be available as a result of the impact of the fires. We have encouraged our guests to support the local tourism operators who have worked so hard to ensure there is a good selection of experiences from which to choose.”
Sun Princess is currently on a 13-night cruise from its current homeport of Fremantle with the majority of guests onboard residents of Western Australia. An earlier cruise to Kangaroo Island had been diverted to Port Lincoln at the height of the bushfire emergency.
