A businessman from Hunter Valley is urging the climate activist group Rising Tide to compensate his business after the Viking Orion cruise ship canceled its scheduled visit to Newcastle. The cancellation is attributed to safety concerns related to an upcoming anti-coal protest planned by Rising Tide in the harbor later this month.

The Viking Orion was set to arrive on December 1 but will not dock due to worries that the planned protest activities could disrupt shore excursions and affect guests' experiences. Rising Tide has organized its annual People's Blockade event, which will take place over five days in November, specifically targeting coal ships on November 29 and 30. Despite this, Viking Cruises decided to cancel the visit "out of an abundance of caution." As a result, nearly 1,000 guests will spend an additional day exploring Sydney instead.

This marks the second cancellation of a Viking cruise ship due to the planned protest. Stewart Ford, cruise coordinator for the Newcastle Tourism Industry Group, stated that many businesses in the Lower Hunter region will feel the impact. "It's a loss of about $750,000 collectively to the regional area," he said. He noted that some tour operators have lost complete bookings for those dates.

Trevor Richards, who owns several businesses in Morpeth, including an antique store and a gallery that cater to cruise ship tourists, expressed concern over the cancellations. He told ABC Newcastle Breakfast's Paul Culliver that international tourists significantly contribute to local tourism revenue. Richards has reached out to Rising Tide, requesting compensation for the financial losses his business will incur due to the canceled cruise visits. In his letter, he stated, "I am seeking compensation for the demonstrable financial losses my business will suffer as a direct result of the cancelled cruise ship visits linked to your planned blockade." He requested a prompt response regarding how Rising Tide plans to address the issue.

In response, Rising Tide spokesperson Zack Schofield emphasized that the group does not intend to disrupt tourism in the Hunter region. "We are protesting the coal industry," he said. Schofield added that Rising Tide has consistently assured the public that it would not block non-coal shipping, particularly cruise liners. He mentioned that he visited Viking Cruises' office in Sydney to reassure them that the protest would not affect their ships.

Lucas Coleman, corporate affairs executive manager at the Port of Newcastle, stated that despite Rising Tide's assurances, the port could not guarantee that the protest would not impact the cruise's scheduled visit. He referred to a previous incident on October 30, when activists from Rising Tide vandalized a coal ship, spray painting the words "tax me" on its side.

Coleman noted that the port would not engage with Rising Tide, citing past failures to follow through on assurances. He explained that Viking Orion sought guarantees of safe passage from the Port Authority of NSW but canceled its visit when those assurances could not be provided.

Schofield argued that the Port Authority should have advocated more strongly for Viking Cruises to continue with their visit. He suggested that the Port Authority of NSW would be a more appropriate target for legal action, as they have the financial resources to address the situation.