The entire P&O Cruises Australia fleet of three ships have returned home to resume cruising in Australia with the arrival of Pacific Adventure, which became one of the tallest ships to sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Pacific Adventure sailed through the Heads on Friday morning on its way to the Overseas Passenger Terminal, though celebrations surrounding its arrival were scaled back as a mark of respect following the death of The Queen.
A special marine engineering project has given Pacific Adventure the ‘head room’ necessary for the ship to sail under the bridge to the White Bay Cruise Terminal.
Pacific Adventure’s first commercial cruise will depart from Sydney on October 22 on a three-night comedy cruise.
“All of our ship arrivals since the cruise ban was lifted in mid-April have been emotional moments but it is particularly significant to now have all three P&O Cruises Australia ships back home,” said Marguerite Fitzgerald, president of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia.
“Pacific Adventure has also returned to Australia just as the South Pacific continues to reopen maritime borders to cruising with New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea open and Vanuatu hopefully soon to follow.
“P&O has a 90-year heritage of sailing to the Pacific and we look forward to re-establishing contact with island communities that for decades have welcomed our ships and our guests.”
Pacific Adventure’s arrival means P&O can expand its presence by sailing from a number of Australian ports and from Auckland in New Zealand.
Pacific Explorer, which is now based in Brisbane, will do cruise seasons from Adelaide, Melbourne, Fremantle and Cairns as well as an extended Auckland cruise season from June to November next year.
“Our thanks go to our guests who have returned to cruising with such a great sense of enthusiasm and also to our wonderful crew for rising to the occasion so professionally in delivering an exceptional cruise experience,” Fitzgerald said.
Pacific Adventure is P&O Cruises’ third ship to arrive back in Australia since the resumption of cruising, with her inaugural season being homeported in Sydney.
