The Sydney Swans Member cruise on Crown Princess has a top chance of scoring a second season, if the success of the inaugural roundtrip cruise from Sydney to Hobart, which returned this morning, is any indication.
The general consensus of the 300 or so Swans stalwarts who signed up for the cruise in support of a repeat was reinforced by club staff, current AFLW players and former club champions who all agreed the four-night, five-day cruise was a convincing win, enjoyed by all.
Fans and Travel Weekly were greeted by current players Hayden McLean and Justin McInerney who hopped off before Crown Princess departed Circular Quay on the round trip to Hobart, last Saturday afternoon.
But remaining onboard were club Sydney Swans CEO Tom Harley, executive general manager of football, Leon Cameron, AFLW coach Scott Gowans, AFLW stars Chloe Molloy and Cynthia Hamilton, plus Swans past Premiership greats Josh Kennedy and Ted Richards.
“I loved it,” Gowans told Travel Weekly as the inaugural trip neared its end. “For example, this morning, we didn’t have any set breakfast, but we just went down to one of the restaurants and just saw some Swans people and sat with them and just had a chat and found out about their history.
“It’s things like that, just those conversations and connections that you don’t normally get to do pre-game and post-game, because everything’s so quick and you’ve got to go to do things, and so I like the relaxed atmosphere to integrate with fans and chat.”
In addition to the normal Crown Princess program, Swans fans were treated to a welcome cocktail function, a video wrap-up of the past season at Movie Under The Stars, plus a no-holds-barred Q&A session about the 2024 season which saw the Swans fall short in the Grand Final being overpowered by the Brisbane Lions, plus there was a look at the 2025 season ahead for both men’s and women’s squads. There was also a Swans Trivia evening, a team and members dinner at specialty restaurant Da Vinci and the chance for selfies and autographs.
“I’m no different anymore, I’m just a fan and excited to hear about the upcoming season and talk all things Swans. So it’s been really good,” said Kennedy, a Premiership player and multiple Bob Skilton Medallist.
“I know from speaking to the fans that they’ve absolutely loved it. They’ve been able to get some things off their chests and look forward to the upcoming season but get to know a lot of the current players, to know them more intimately and build those relationships, which I think inevitably makes them feel more connected to the club in the long term.”
A family affair
Most in the Swans team brought their families or plus ones, so everyone was able to enjoy all aspects of the facilities onboard Crown Princess which included an array of restaurants and bars, the buffets, plus kids’ clubs, adult-only areas and entertainment available to the remainder of the 3000 or so passengers.
The cruise also provided the opportunity for the Swans women to be on an equal footing to the men’s game following just their third season which saw record attendances.
“It’s a big opportunity for our program to mingle and actually get to know them (the fans), as I think a lot of the people are (already) invested in the men’s program,” Hamilton said. “I think them seeing us face to face and actually seeing that our program was just as important is really good. I think a lot of them have actually said to us on this trip that they’ll be at our games now.”
“Their loyalty runs deep,” added Molloy, “so they are invested in Sydney, in totality, but just to have Cynthia and I here, and even Scotty, you put it (the women’s game) in front of their face, and you build an emotional connection, and then that’s why people support football clubs.”
Let’s get physical
There were also several early-morning, well-attended group Pilates classes in which players joined in. Richards took part in one session prior to partaking in his other favourite cruise activity, the buffet!
“Maybe it’s easier for me now being retired,” said Richards, a Swans Premiership player of 16 years’ standing. “I don’t have to worry about putting pressure on my team. I’m here to have some fun. And I think most of the other guests are too, so I do my best to enjoy the journey.”
The light-hearted, easy-going nature of the offering, combined with the onboard facilities also gave the rest of the Swans team a chance to enjoy the journey.
“It’s almost like an instant community, as soon as you step on the ship,” Gowans said. “It’s almost that connection piece without, you know, being too fluffy about it, but it’s an instant community forming over four days, and you’ve got an amazing facility, and you can just all enjoy it.”
For Kennedy it was about such a variety of options being within easy reach.
“You almost feel like you’re in different places, whether you go to a different room, a different bar, a different pool, but being in the one place,” he said, adding it also offered freedom for families and his kids.
“They’ve been able to run around and have a have a level of freedom and independence. You know that they’re safe.”
Closed-session Q&As
For Swans boss Harley, it’s the multiple closed-session Q&As that have been a highlight, honest answers going unreported by the media.
“To have almost intimate conversations with members around how they’re feeling, about the years that have been and the years to come and then the camaraderie that’s come off the back of that,” he said. “So those closed sessions have been the highlights.”
Princess, which entered a two-year sponsorship deal with the Sydney Swans last year, is yet to make a decision on if a second cruise will be going head next year.
If it does, expect to see a few of the above faces to make a return to the Sydney Swans Member cruise.
Travel Weekly editor Grant Jones, a 26-year member of the Sydney Swans and an official ambassador of the club, was a guest of Princess.
Feature image: Swans AFLW player Cynthia Hamilton and Chloe Molloy with Crown Princess Captain Mario Consentino and Swans mascot Cyggy (front) and (rear) Swans CEO Tom Harley, Crown Princess Third Officer Raffaele Ferraro, Princess mascot Stanley and Josh Kennedy.
