Kimberley cruise fares are
tipped to stabilise, with some
brochure prices already
reduced.
Australian companies are optimistic that
fairer pricing by the region’s only foreignowned
line will ease the strain on local
businesses as well as provide a better deal for
cruise travellers.
Tony Briggs, ceo of Coral Princess Cruises,
told Cruise Weekly that the past seven years
have been “a major challenge” competing
against Orion Expedition Cruises.
“Coral Princess is an Australian company, our
three ships are Australian-flagged and built in
Australia, we have Australian crew, we operate
under Australian rules, we pay Australian taxes
and we pay our crew high wages.
“A foreign-owned company has all foreign
workers, paid at a much lower rate, they don’t
pay Australian taxes and they don’t have to
follow our rules.”
These lower operating costs has allowed
Orion, whose ships are flagged in the tax-free
Bahamas, to offer large discounts, which Briggs
said local companies struggled to match.
The new management of Orion, now
owned by Lindblad Expeditions, recently
acknowledged the “crazy” situation.
Company founder Sven Lindblad said:
“Kimberley pricing is all over the place – 50%
off, two for one, it’s crazy.
“When people get onboard, everyone’s paid
different prices, which is not a good idea and
not sustainable.”
Lindblad said “tactical discounting” would
only be offered to past guests, while brochure
prices for 2014 have been reduced by 15% to
provide “more credible pricing”.
Briggs applauded the “end of false pricing”,
which enabled the inflated discounts, and said
local lines would now be able to compete on a
“level playing field”.
“I hope Australian cruisers continue to
support our ships, Coral Princess, Coral
Princess II and Oceanic Discoverer, as well as
other Australian ships, such as True North,
Kimberley Quest and The Great Escape.
“As these are Australian-flagged ships, they
don’t have to sail to an international port,
whereas a foreign ship has to go somewhere
like Timor, so that means you’re spending two
or three days at sea and you have to bring your
passport and clear Customs, which leaves only
seven days of a 10-day itinerary to see the
Kimberley.
“On our 10-day cruise between Darwin and
Broome, we spend all 10 days in the Kimberley
and do two or three landings a day.”
