By J. Brock (FINN)
Cruise-liners Arcadia and Adonia will not dock in Argentina because of pressure with the country over the Falklands. P&O Cruises scrapped three Argentinian port destinations from two around-the-world cruises because the company cannot guarantee they will be able to dock.
Arcadia and Adonia will visit Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, on the cruises leaving Southampton next month.
Argentine port authorities have refused permission for cruise ships that have been to the Falklands to dock and passengers, due to embark on the 95-destination cruises, were informed of the decision last month.
"Over the past few months we have been working hard with both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our local agents to gain assurances from the Argentinian government that our ships will be allowed to call into Argentinian ports. Concerns have been raised that ships associated with Britain and flying the red ensign may not be permitted to call into Argentina or will be severely delayed, as has been the case on numerous occasions during 2012, A spokesman for the company said.
He went on to say that "Despite our best efforts, these assurances have not been received and the risk that we will be refused entry into these ports of call is too high and as a British cruise company we cannot allow ourselves to be the subject of any political dispute or put our customers and crew into any situation where their enjoyment may be compromised.
The spokesman concluded that P&O have had to take the difficult decision to remove all Argentinean ports of call from the itinerary and will now not dock in Buenos Aires, Puerto Madryn and Ushuaia.
