A Disney cruise ship bound for Auckland will dock a day late after an hours-long search for a passenger who went overboard in the Tasman Sea.
A 73-year-old Melbourne man went into the water at around 4.30am on Saturday as the ship sailed towards Auckland, 7News reports.
The Disney Wonder ship turned around in the Tasman to try to find the man, but he could not be located.
Victoria Police said it was “understood the man died” after going into the sea.
Passenger Mitch Talbot said cruise guests were informed about the incident over the ship’s intercom.
“The captain came on and updated the boat and basically stated that there was someone, a passenger had fallen overboard… [but] that they were unable to find them,” he told 7News.
“It was quite sombre, and it was a bit eerie the rest of the day. A lot of the staff kind of took some time.”
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Disney Cruise Line announced earlier in the year it would not return to Australia and New Zealand next season.
“While Disney Wonder will not return to Australia and New Zealand for the 2026-27 season, we want to reassure you that sailings from this region remain a strong consideration for future itineraries,” Disney Cruise Line said in August.
“The response from guests during our local seasons has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are looking forward to a fantastic upcoming season starting on 19 October 2025.”
Launched in 1999, the 11-deck vessel first set sail to New Zealand in October last year.
