Pacific Pearl at White Bay April 15 2013. Photo Credit: Carnival Australia

Carnival Australia has committed to being ‘good neighbours’ with the transition from their cruise terminal at Barangaroo to White Bay complete.

The company that operates P&O Cruises, the line with the most ships to sail in and out of the terminal, will adhere to the following guidelines:

• No surprise visits unless an emergency  – Ship schedules are published up to two years ahead of time and can be viewed here.
• No planned late night arrivals – The vast majority of ships arrive between 6am and 7am, which means no late nights and a reduced impact on afternoon peak hour traffic.
• Quiet disembarkation – Carnival Australia is taking a number of steps to keep the inevitable noise of disembarkation to a minimum. Ships will refrain from making announcements while in port.
• Ship whistle minimised – The ship whistle will be used sparingly for evacuation drills or in case of an emergency.
• Lights down low – External ship lighting will be kept to a minimum when in port.
• Sail-away fun –The popular sailaway parties will be scaled down whilst in port, with Carnival Australia promising that music and announcements will be kept to a minimum until the ship has set sail.
• One day visit – Occasionally there will be circumstances that require the ships to stay overnight, for example extreme weather conditions or technical problems, however these are few and far between.
• Ongoing communication – Carnival Australia will update residents of any major changes to its operation via its website or direct mail.

Pacific Pearl was the first ship to berth at White Bay last Monday, with her sister, Pacific Jewel, following last Friday.