The affected itineraries are:
- Circumnavigation of Tasmania, due to depart Hobart 1 January;
- Coastal Treks of Tasmania to depart Hobart 17 January;
- Outerknown Adventures on the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns on 4 and 11 January; and
- Across the Top of Australia, which was set to depart Cairns on 20 January
The line intends to operate all other voyages as planned with appropriate health risk mitigation steps.
All guests and trade partners impacted by the cancellations have reportedly been contacted by the company and offered the option of a 100% credit for a future cruise or a refund to the full value of their fare.
The line said: "The known characteristics of the Omicron variant create unique challenges for us and the travel industry in general.
"Our priority is of course to protect guest and crew health and the trust of our travel industry partners."
Coral Expeditions has extended the permitted window for pre-cruise testing to 90 hours to help facilitate timely results. Guests without a negative PCR test will not be allowed to board.
In response to the reduced incubation period of the Omicron variant and the reported pressures on GP networks, the line will also no longer require guests to undertake a GP screening seven to 10 days before departure.
