The anticipated return of the first ocean liner to visit Mooloolaba in several COVID-disrupted years has been thwarted, this time by the weather.
The first of some 23 ocean liners expected to visit during the coming three seasons, the Viking Orion, was due to arrive on Monday, bringing up to 930 passengers into Mooloolaba and touring the Sunshine Coast for a day.
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Unfortunately, the swell off Mooloolaba was deemed too big to allow passengers to disembark safely onto the tenders that were scheduled to bring them to shore.
The captain decided to instead steam onto Newcastle.
Read the related story: Cruising windfall: high-end ships to make ‘unexpected’ detours to our shores
Similar weather concerns have impacted around one in six past disembarkations.
Authorities are hoping to better weather conditions for the next cruise liner, Oceania Cruises’ Regatta (675 passengers), due to arrive in Mooloolaba on December 15.
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