The Bon Voyages have gone Bye Bye for P&O Cruises This Season in New Zealand.

Company says, "P&O Cruises looks forward to returning to New Zealand next year for an Auckland cruise season beginning in June 2023".

Making what must have been a difficult and expensive decision, P&O cruises have voluntarily canceled its 2022 season sailing from Aukland, New Zealand.

P&O Cruises and sister brands also remain hopeful of being able to cruise to New Zealand from Australia later this year. In a statement, the company said, "P&O Cruises looks forward to returning to New Zealand next year for an Auckland cruise season beginning in June 2023. It acknowledges the understandable disappointment of guests whose cruises have been canceled and apologizes for the disruption to their holiday plans."

According to sources, P&O said, while it has had useful discussions with New Zealand officials and expects to have further contact, the absence of an agreed restart plan for cruising and uncertainty remains as to when cruising is likely to resume there. The lack of a plan made it difficult to sustain the 2022 Auckland cruise season.

The cancellation affects 21 cruises that were scheduled to depart from Auckland from July 5, 2022 to November 27, 2022, and is in line with P&O Cruises’ pause in operations that began in March 2020.

The cruise line said it recognizes the disappointment of its New Zealand travel agent partners and cruise suppliers who are looking forward to the restart of cruising and the economic opportunities it represents.

Guests whose bookings are affected by the cancellation of the 2022 Auckland season will be notified of the options available either directly via P&O or their appointed travel agent.