‘Really rough’: Alfred causes cruise ship chaos

Those aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas were slated to reach Australian shores on Friday, after a week of cruising through the balmy South Pacific.

They instead found themselves back at Noumea in New Caledonia, hundreds of kilometres from their destination.

One Australian passenger travelling with her family told NewsWire they had enjoyed days of calm seas and blue skies through the first days of their holiday, though rumours that the looming then-Cyclone Alfred would extend their journey swirled throughout the trip.