Cruise Australia.com ~ Discover Cruising at its Very Best!

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Please Note: Cruise-Australia and related maritime sites are 100% non-commercial and privately owned sites. Please be assured that the author is NOT associated with any Cruise Company or Cruise-Travel Agency. The author has been in the Passenger Shipping and Cruise Industry since 1960, and although now long retired, but remain delighted to continue to share my vast knowledge with those who love to take their vacation by sea! Thus I continue to write on worthy Cruise Companies and their wonderful ships in order to better to inform cruise and ship enthusiasts to ensure that you, my wonderful readers will make the best-informed choice possible on which company or ship will be just perfect for your next cruise vacation, regardless which part of the world you wish to sail in!

Introduction:

Welcome to Cruise-Australia.com a website that has been in operation since the early 1990’s. Cruise-Australia has been designed especially for the Australian, New Zealand and the Asian cruise market and they also love heading overseas and joining ships far afield, having become worldwide cruise travellers and explores of countries far afield. Records have proven that Australia is the world’s fastest growing cruise market, and considering I have been in the Passenger Shipping Industry since 1960, and having worked up to a manager, then CEO, to owner of a Cruise Company, I certainly know a great deal about the industry which I love greatly! Although I semi-retired in the mid 1980s, I continued my passion as a non-profit Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer and as millions around the world now know, a well-known Maritime Historian. However be assured, whenever I take a cruise I always pay my full fares, for I do not believe in freebies! My only aim is to provide my knowledge to all who are seeking the right cruise ship for their needs, and thus to review the ships that are currently in operation here in Australia, New Zealand as well ships from around the world are there for you to choose from

The author is seen during a cruise- -

on the Diamond Princess in 2015 -

To date I have enjoyed well over 250 Cruises (and I stopped counting in 2015) & this includes around the world voyages of 106 days and a number of up to 56 nights line voyages from Australia to the U.K. with P&O UK, as well two with Classic International Cruises Line aboard the MV Athena, and they were simply excellent, but I have to be honest, there were also there were those that were just not that great. Therefore I feel very confident that I know what a good Cruise Company is, and what is not. It is my aim to provide informative information on what will provide you with the best possible cruise experience, one that will suit your needs!

In Closing:

To date my five main Cruise and Maritime Sites being: ssmaritime.com & .net, savetheclassicliners.com & cruise-australia.com & .net have received an amazing 521.7 million visits to date. Therefore, I wish to thank my countless readers and supporters from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and those from throughout the world, for your kind support, and the countless emails, for I receive up to 140 emails per day and many of us have become such good friends. I have been delighted to have been able to guide you and others regarding the ship that has proved to be the most suitable for your next cruise vacation. Thus, thank you for you responses as they have been most encouraging, and I am grateful for your ongoing support! PS; To date I have now received over 1,397 emails in response to my Pacific Aria reviews, thank you, and it seems that you have enjoyed them, and for past passengers, it seems you are 97.8% are in agreement!, the balance had some sort of difference, which seemed had mostly to do with alchohol prices, or packages. Not my problem, and to be honest, it is the same on every cruise line in the world today, for duty free drinks are long gone, sorry about that!

You may enter the Cruise Australia Index HERE - Or continue and read the Latest Cruise News below, then use the Main Index Bar at the bottom of the page for many of the ships that are listed on my two cruise sites; cruise-australia.com & cruise-australia.net.

Reuben Goossens.

Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer, Author & Lecturer.

Since 1990 I have written on well over 1,125 Passenger Liners & Cruise Ships!

Commenced in the Passenger/Cruise Shipping Industry in 1960.

Brisbane, Australia.

Latest Cruise News

September 2018

News Items found on this page:

NEW - Princess News Updates Page

Pacific Explorer features on $2 Australian Post Stamp at Norfolk Island

P&O Cruises Transforming its Fleet with Two Grand Class Ships!

Pacific Aria Refit and Make Over Completed

PS: Pacific Aria to leave Brisbane and head for New Zealand, then to Sydney

& Pacific Aria PNG Cruise Review

Carnival to Home Port one Ship in Brisbane & one in Sydney from 2020

Fourth Cunard Vista Class Ship Due in 2022

To Enter Click the Enchanted Princess Image below, or use this LINK

Pacific Explorer Features on an Australia Post Stamp

Celebrating Cruise Destination ~ Norfolk Island

P&O Cruises’ Pacific Explorer is featuring on a new Australia Post Norfolk Island commemorative stamp, celebrating one of the region’s most beautiful cruise destinations with deep historic connections to our Australian home-grown cruise line.

In addition to being the to the descendants of the HMS Bounty mutiny, Norfolk Island has a close connection with P&O as it was the very first cruise visitor in 1932.

P&O (UK) was indeed the very first major world shipping company to operate a pleasure cruise out of Australia, and the elegant 22,500 ton three funnelled *RMS Strathaird departed Sydney on Friday December 23, 1932, with some 1,100 passengers on board and she gently slipped past Sydney Heads heading for Norfolk Island for a five day Christmas cruise. Thus she became the very first large International liner to operate a pleasure cruise and thus, we could well say that the Strathaird began Australia’s love affair with cruising. Please Note: *RMS” stands for “Royal Mail Ship” as British liners would carry mail from the United Kingdom to Australia and New Zealand, etc.

RMS Strathaird is seen departing Sydney on December 23, 1932 for the first ever Australian cruise

The stamp issue happens to coincide with the cruise line’s 85th anniversary celebrations while depicting the contemporary face of cruising with Pacific Explorer, which is shown anchored off Norfolk Island, a greatly sought-after tourist destination.

It is the first time a P&O Cruises ship has graced an Australia Post postage stamp, to be used on hundreds of thousands of letters and packages set to ‘travel’ to ‘destinations’ in Australia and around the world.

Marking the cruise line’s place in Australia’s rich maritime philatelic heritage, Pacific Explorer sails in good company with other ships previously represented on Australian stamps, including the First Fleet and Australia II, the remarkable ‘winged keel’ winner of the 1983 America’s Cup yacht race series.

Pacific Explorer was chosen because of the cruise line’s longstanding connection to Norfolk Island dating back to the first-ever cruise from Australia, which gave birth to cruise tourism in this region.

The P&O Cruises Flagship the Pacific Explorer

Norfolk Island, with its pristine environment in the South Pacific Ocean, has captured the imagination of generations of Australia travellers. Tourism is vital to the local economy and cruise ship visits are very much a part of this.

P&O Cruises President Sture Myrmell said it was a great honour for Pacific Explorer, as the Flagship of Australia’s home brand cruise line, to be portrayed on an Australia Post Norfolk Island stamp.

“It is a perfect combination of Pacific Explorer, a ship that Australian cruise guests have taken to their hearts, and Norfolk Island, a destination that is so welcoming to visitors with tourism a mainstay of the island economy,” Mr. Myrmell said.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said cruise ships were a popular theme for stamp collectors.

“We have been issuing Norfolk Island stamps for the last few years and are thrilled to feature cruise ship tourism in our latest issue. Based on real photographs, the beautiful artwork will no doubt appeal to both cruise enthusiasts and stamp collectors,” Mr. Zsolt said.

The $2 stamp was designed by Jamie and Leanne Tufrey and is available from today at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps, while stocks last.

Pacific Explorer cruises include a 16-night Bounty Adventure to Norfolk Island departing Sydney on 18 October, 2018. Fares start from $1,498.72* per person quad share.

For further information visit pocruises.com.au, call 13 24 94, or see a licensed cruise/travel agent.

P&O Cruises Australia Continues to Transform its Fleet

Welcoming a Second Grand Class Ship

Whilst Bidding Farewell to a Much Loved Favourite

P&O Cruises Australia News Update August 22, 2018:

It was officially announced today that a second Grand Class ship will join the P&O family as they will be bidding farewell to one of its “jewels” all being part of P&O’s commitment to refresh their fleet over time.

The new ship will accommodate more than 3,100 guests with a crew of 1,200, and the magnificent ‘Star Princess’ will join her equally superb sister ship, the ‘Golden Princess’, in the P&O Cruises Australia fleet at the end of 2021.

The 109.000 Gross Registered Ton Star Princess will join the P&O fleet in 2021

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

The Star Princess will replace the considerably smaller but much loved ‘Pacific Jewel’, and she will leave P&O fleet in March next year, by which time she will have served the P&O brand for almost 10 years.

President of P&O Cruises and Carnival Australia, Mr. Sture Myrmell, said welcoming two Grand Class ships, the Star Princess and Golden Princess was part of the evolution of the P&O Cruises fleet.

When P&O originally announced that there would be a new ship due in 2020, even though it was not the ship

they first anticipated, but I named the new ship that we would finally have in Australia the “Pacific Navigator”

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

In September last year, P&O Cruises announced its plan to refresh its fleet over time, continuing to evolve the guest experience and creating economies of scale necessary to compete effectively in today’s environment.

“Pacific Jewel has been a jewel by name and by nature. I feel sentimental farewelling a much-loved ship but excited for the future because the addition of two bigger ships is a game-changer for P&O Cruises and its guests,” Mr. Myrmell said.

Although Pacific Jewel has received a comprehensive makeover, she will leave the fleet next year!

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

“P&O Cruises is all about offering a great value cruise holiday that celebrates modern Australia across food, entertainment, activities and service delivered in a contemporary setting. We are ensuring P&O Cruises has the right ships for a contemporary brand operating in a competitive market.”

Mr. Myrmell said P&O Cruises would continue to base ships year-round in its key homeports of Sydney and Brisbane as well as offering seasonal sailings from other Australian states and New Zealand.

A fully transformed Golden Princess will join the P&O Cruises fleet in October 2020 while her sister ship, Star Princess, will join P&O Cruises at the end of 2021.

A fine aerial photograph of the grandiose Star Princess

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

The New 2018/2020 P&O Brochure is now available from www.pocruises.com.au

Or visit your friendly licensed Cruise - Travel Agency

Pacific Aria has Received a Make Over

P&O Cruises Pacific Aria has now completed her 12-day dry dock in Singapore and you will now discover a good range of new features and furnishings. In addition the ships bow now fall’s inline with the other four ships in the fleet and has that stunning Southern Cross draped over her bow.

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

The ever popular “Dome” located forward and topside up on Deck 12 therefore, but it offers wonderful ocean views and it has now been fully tranformed and it has taken on a brand new contemporary nautical theme with dark blue and white hues, as well as new drapes and soft lighting. By day, the Dome is an attractive venue for board games, trivia, dance classes as well as a favourite place for passengers to relax on the lounges with a coffee or read a book. In the evening the Dome transforms into a fashionable dance-spot.

For further details and many more photographs of the new look ship, visit the: Pacific Aria Refurbishment page.

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

News Update: P&O has decided to move their most popular and highest rated ship the Pacific Aria from Brisbane and relocated her first to Auckland New Zealand and then to Sydney. Considering I have made this ship one of the most poplar, due to my cruise reviews, it seems that P&O decided that she is just too good for Queensland and use her in areas where she could possible earn more for the company. In the meantime, Brisbane will have the Pacific Dawn and the Jewel, a ship that does not have a single suite, and not even a single mini suite that has a bathroom suitable for those who have special needs, such as myself. I have sailed on the Pacific Aria many times, and as my readers will know I have always occupied Suite 10058, with has disabled facilities, as I now have problems. The Pacific Dawn does have one suitable suite, but she is far from my favourable ship and the same applies to the Jewel!

I am due to sail on the Aria in November, and it may well be my final cruise with P&O, for although I had booked the June 14, 2019, 14 night “Bounty Adventure” Cruise on her and had my regular suite, I was told that I would be transferred to the Pacific Dawn’s suite 11116, being the disabled suite, and that I would hear on Monday, it is quite some time later now and still nothing has been heard, wake up P&O/Carnival Sydney!

Enter the Pacific Aria PNG Review and the multi-page “Papua New Guinea Experience”

New 2020 Carnival Cruises Now Available from Brisbane & Sydney

MV Carnival Spirit & Carnival Splendor

Carnival Cruise Line’s brand new 2020 cruise program has been released and is now on sale. It offers Australian holidaymakers opportunities to have more fun at sea than ever before according to Carnival Cruises, and it offers a record number of 75 departures from Australia to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.

Special News for Brisbane: Carnival Spirit will become the first-ever Carnival ship to be home ported in Brisbane therefore Queenslanders can start to book their next cruise vacation right from their doorstep as from today, with cruises available from October 2020. Queenslanders will benefit from itineraries including 7-day cruises to the tropical wonderlands of Espiritu Santo, Mystery Island and Noumea.

The carnival Spirit is seen at anchor at one of the Tropical Islands of Vanuatu

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

There is also News for Sydney: As from today, Australians can book Carnival Splendor’s sailings between January and June 2020. Then Carnival Splendor will become the newest and largest ship, to be home-ported year round in Australia.

The Carnival Splendor to be based in Sydney is seen at sea

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

Please see below an overview of Australian based example fares and itineraries:

Fares on the 7-night cruise to the South Pacific on Carnival Spirit, sailing from Brisbane on 29 November 2020 start from $1,099 per person, interior twin share.

Fares on the 8-night cruise to the South Pacific on Carnival Splendor, sailing from Sydney on 11 March 2020 start from $1,049 per person, interior twin share.

In addition, there is an opportunity to join one of the legs of the Trans-Pacific cruises to and from Honolulu on the Carnival Spirit in 2020.

No matter which cruise you choose, you will get to experience all that Carnival has to offer, with over 45 daily activities, from themed nights, live Broadway-style entertainment, and the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss with Seuss at Sea™ to the thrilling Green Thunder waterslide.

Regarding Carnival Cruises:

Please Note: Regardless what is said, this cruise company is fine for the younger generation and families with children. Also Carnival ships are known for their over the top décor, but most of all being mostly a floating theme park and just hotel. These vessels are really not suitable for anyone who loves a more traditional style of cruise, for this style of ship tends to be very noisy, as children, young louts and drunks tend to run amok at all hours, and more often then not they will destroy a genuine cruise lover’s vacation. I know, the emails received tell me so!

Thus, if you love a good and a leisurely cruise, stay far away from Carnival and book on Princess or better still during the summer months Holland America Line, which is one of the very best.

Royal Caribbean is not too bad, but once aboard there tends to be far too much oversell, you are attacked from every corner by staff trying to sell you one package or another, or for you to dine somewhere else at an extra cost. What ever happened to traditional cruising? Celebrity Cruises is also highly recommended.

Brisbane will see the Carnival Spirit arrive in 2010!

For further information and to book visit your specialised cruise / travel agent, carnival.com.au or call 13 31 94. Terms & conditions apply.

Fourth Cunard Ship due in 2022

This as yet Unnamed Ship will be a “New Generation Ship”

It is a Sad, Sad Day for Cunard Line!

This new ship seems to be a far cry from the wonderful traditions of the Cunard day’, she will be a 133,500 gross tons

What do I think? This is a weird, or even a hideous looking ship for Cunard, and it is just another Carnival style ship!

September 25, 2017: Luxury cruise brand Cunard today announced it is adding a fourth ship to its fleet. This investment is part of the company’s ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally.

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company and parent of the Cunard brand, has signed a memorandum of agreement with Fincantieri S.p.A., Italy, to build a new ship that will join the Cunard fleet in 2022.

The as yet unnamed ship will join Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth as the fourth member of the Cunard fleet, the first time since 1998 that the luxury cruise brand will have four ships in simultaneous service.-

The iconic and unparalleled luxury cruise brand is going from strength to strength, having seen crowds of more than one million people gather in 2015 to celebrate the company’s 175th anniversary. Cunard has subsequently invested over £120 million refurbishing the flagship Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria.

Alongside an array of exciting new itineraries featuring new destinations and special event voyages for 2018 and 2019, Cunard has also continued to evolve the guest experience to meet the needs of the luxury consumer by introducing new bar and dining signatures, entertainment offerings and brand partner across the fleet.

Simon Palethorpe Senior Vice President, Cunard said: “We have only recently marked the 50th anniversary of one of Cunard's much loved ocean liners, the legendary QE2. What better way to celebrate her important role in Cunard's past than by announcing our commitment to Cunard's future with the commissioning of a new ship. Cunard offers unrivalled luxury ocean experiences and the new ship firmly underpins our plans to continue our growth across international markets.”

Cunard will be revealing “exciting details about the new ship during the course of 2018, and right through to the ship’s launch”.

Statistics:

• The new 113,000 GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) ship will carry 3,000 guests and she will be launched in 2022.

• This will be 249th.ship to fly the Cunard flag.

• This will be Cunard’s first new ship in 12 years, since the launch of Queen Elizabeth in 2010.

Contact your Cruise – Travel Agency for further information or Bookings

Reuben Goossens.

Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer, Author & Lecturer.

Commenced in the Passenger/Cruise Shipping Industry in 1960.

Brisbane, Australia.

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Photographs on cruise-australia.com & .net are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and their Publicity Companies as well as by private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided without details regarding the photographer concerned., therefore I hereby invite if owners of those images to be so kind and make them-selves known to me, in order that due credit may be given!!

This notice covers all pages, although, I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displayed on each page, that is, when a page is updated!