08/03/2023
The Murray Princess will be back cruising from Friday, 17 March, 2023.
After being moored in Mannum for the past four months, while SA experienced one of its biggest Murary River floods in history, this is a great step towards the river recovery for the region and the Murray Princess.
While our crew is eager to return to the water, we understand it contiunues to be a challenging time for affected communities and tourism operators along the Murray River, many of whom are facing a lengthy recovery period. We have the deepest sympathy for those impacted by this event. We believe an important part of the recovery is encouraging vistors back to experience the unique beauty of our mighty Murray, while supporting the local economy. Our cruise already partners with 30-plus local suppliers and on-shore tour operators who we’ve been working with.
We know high river flows are a natural event with many long-term environmental benefits, however, the recent floods have also caused much devastation. Our Murray Princess was lucky to have been spared, thanks to a huge team effort and preparation from our captains and crews, substantial improvements to the mooring at Mannum, support from the Mid Murray Council and the construction of its emergency levee.
The largest inland paddlewheeler in the Southern Hemisphere, the Murray Princess is an icon of river cruising. Its return to the water will allow visitors to see the impact of the floods, the start of the regeneration of the floodplains, and the majesty of the river’s stunning cliffs and tranquil hidden places.
Our crews have also been monitoring the cruising route and our regular moorning points to ensure everything is safe and ready for our return. Our Captains are urging the general public, visitors to the region, and especially those on board the Murray Princess, to not only come and be generous in their support to help the Murray River tourism industry recover, but to take in this moment in history.
While the magic of the Murray River still exists in scenes around every corner of a Murray Princess cruise, there will be parts of the floodplains in recovery that will take months and years to come back to life. The next year of cruising along the Murray River will be a time in history that many of us will never see again in our lifetime – and there’s no better place to experience it than from the deck of our Murray Princess.
To celebrate our return, additional departures have been scheduled for May, June and July 2023.
