Published on Mar. 6, 2025, 3:28 PM
It has been decades since a tropical cyclone has threatened this part of Australia
Tropical Cyclone Alfred, dubbed a 'rare' weather event by meteorologists due to its location near south-east Queensland, Australia, has forced Carnival and Royal Carribbean cruise ships to cancel cruises scheduled to set sail on Friday, March 7 due to the cyclone closing down the port.
"We have been monitoring the progression of Tropical Cyclone Alfred as it slowly moves toward Brisbane. Due to the development of the storm and the closure of the Port of Brisbane, the previous Quantum of the Seas sailing has been delayed returning to port. As a result, our 3-Night sailing has unfortunately been cancelled," reads part of an email sent to Royal Caribbean cruise patrons.
The earliest the port is expected to re-open is Saturday, March 8, but that depends on the weather conditions and the state of the port.
Passengers will receive a full refund for the cancelled cruises.
Alfred is expected to make landfall Friday near Brisbane as a Category 2 storm, with wind gusts up to 155 km/h.
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Ships stuck at sea until further notice
The incoming storm has left the Carnival Luminosa and Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas cruise ships stuck at sea until Brisbane port re-opens. The ships were scheduled to return to the port on March 6 and 7, respectively. In the meantim, Captains will maintain a safe distance from the storm.