Carnival Cruise Line cancels shore tours for unusual reason

Carnival Cruise Line has sent out notifications to guests booked on select cruises booked by Bright carnival And carnival splendor that certain land tours offered in Noumea will not be available due to the recent shark attacks in the area.

No onboard credit or other compensation will be offered, and while ships continue to call at their ports of call, certain activities will be restricted for guest safety.

Shark attacks cancel shore excursions

A recent spate of shark attacks in the waters off New Caledonia has prompted local authorities to close beaches. This means many of the shore excursions offering beach breaks and other water sports will be affected Carnival Cruise Line alerts guests to the risk.

“While you prepare for our visit to Noumea, we have an important update. Unfortunately, due to the recent shark attacks, swimming is not allowed on any of the city’s beaches until further notice.” said the email.

“We know this is affecting your plans to enjoy the beach and we apologize for the disappointment. If you engage in other nautical activities, you do so at your own risk.”

Carnival Cruise Line offers a variety of off-beach shore tours in Noumea, including a chance to tour the Tjibaou Cultural Center, a scenic wine and cheese tasting cruise, trolley rides, a forest ropes course, and more.

No onboard credit or other compensation will be offered for affected shore excursions, but guests with upcoming departures may cancel or amend their excursion plans at their discretion.

Closed beaches in Noumea

Multiple shark attacks occurred in Noumea back in 2023, including a deadly incident that killed a 59-year-old Australian man off Château-Royal beach, less than three miles from the Port Noumea cruise terminal.

This attack was on Sunday February 19th and local beaches were immediately closed. Shark culling has also begun to reduce the risk of further attacks.

In the same area, a 49-year-old woman was injured by a bull shark in late January, and on February 4, a surfer was also attacked but not injured in the same area.

The Florida Museum of Natural History International Shark Attack File ranks New Caledonia 13th in the world for shark attack incidents. Australia is second and New Zealand fifth, indicating high numbers of sharks across the region.

On March 27, 2023, local authorities issued a decree banning all swimming from the beaches to a depth of 300 meters (985 feet) off the coast of Noumea until further notice. The full notice declares the ban to be in effect until December 31, 2023, but it could be adjusted if authorities believe the threat has passed or adequate mitigation measures have been put in place.

“Local authorities are working to install shark nets to prevent further attacks and this may take several months.” explained the email from Carnival.

The following Noumea beaches are now closed: Magenta, Sainte-Marie, Château Royal, Anse Vata, Baie des Citrons, Kuendu Beach, Île aux Canards and Îlot Maître. Other nautical activities such as surfing, kite surfing and paddle boarding may still take place but are at everyone’s own risk.

Cruise to Noumea

For now only Bright carnival And carnival splendor sail the South Pacific and both ships have routes calling at Noumea.

Bright carnival being brought home from Brisbane while carnival splendor is ported home from Sydney. Mid-April, Bright carnival will be relocating to Seattle during the summer Alaska sailing season carnival splendor will remain in Sydney all year round.

Other cruise lines that call at Noumea on occasion include P&O Cruises, Seabourn Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and celebrity cruises. Guests who have booked cruises on these lines should contact their cruise line for information on excursion changes, if necessary.