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

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Introduction:

Welcome to Cruise-Australia.com a website which has been online since the early 1990’s. Cruise-Australia has been designed especially for the Australian, New Zealand and the Asian cruise market and for all who love heading overseas and joining ships far afield, Therefore many have become worldwide cruise travellers and explores of destinations far-afield. Records have proven that Australia has become 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 of a major International around the world passenger Shipping Company, followed by a Cruise Company, I certainly know a great deal about the industry, an industry I love greatly! Although I am now technically retired, I have continued my passion as a non-profit Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer and as millions around the world well know, a well as a prolific Maritime Historian. However be assured, whenever I take a cruise I always pay my full fare, 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 here for you to read about.

-The author is seen at an Evening Meal, whilst on a Princess Cruise.-

To date I have enjoyed well over 259 Cruises (but I stopped counting in 2018) & 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 Princess, P&O UK, as well two with Classic International Cruises Line aboard the classic MV Athena, and they were all simply superb, but I have to be honest, there was also was one cruise that were just not that great, and believe me, it was certainly not the MV Athena. Therefore I feel very confident that I know what a good Cruise Company, or ship, and what is not. It is my aim to provide informative information regarding 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 532.1 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 1,746 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 alcohol 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 1,250 Passenger Liners & Cruise Ships!

Commenced in the Passenger/Cruise Shipping Industry in 1960.

Brisbane, Australia.

Latest Cruise News

May/June 2019

News Items found on this page:

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

1… “Pacific Adventure” with new images

2… Maiden Season with Voyages Announced from October 2020

3… Second Grand Class Ship the “Star Princess” to join P&O in 2021

Princess’ New Ship the “Enchanted Princess"

“Pacific Explorer” featured on $2 Australian Post Stamp at Norfolk Island

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

“Pacific Aria” Cruise Reviews

1 … 7 night “Barrier Reef Discovery” Review

2 … Reviews covering two Papua New Guinea cruises

Fourth Cunard Vista Class Ship Due in 2022

P&O Cruises Australia Continues to Transform its Fleet

Photograph provided by & © P&O Cruises Australia

P&O Cruises Australia News Update:

P&O officially has announced that the Golden Princess the first of the two Grand Class ships to join the P&O Cruises fleet has been named the “Pacific Adventure” and she will make her maiden voyage in October 2020. Whilst the second Grand Class ship will also join the fleet but P&O will then be bidding farewell to one of its “Jewels” as being part of P&O’s commitment to refresh their fleet over time.

A new look for the Golden Princess when she becomes the amazing “Pacific Adventure”

Photograph provided by & © P&O Cruises Australia

The new ship is the “Star Princess” and she will accommodate around 3,100 guests with a crew of 1,200, and she will join her sister ship, the ‘”Pacific Adventure”, 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 the much loved ‘Pacific Jewel’ left the P&O fleet in March 2019, by which time she served the P&O brand for almost 10 years. She has headed to India to become the MV Karnika and she is now based in Mumbai.

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 has left the fleet this 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.

Visit the Pacific Adventure News Update & Image Page, including the Star Princess

This page contains a number of brand new images of the” Pacific Adventure” interior’s and decks, etc

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

Or visit your friendly licensed Cruise - Travel Agency

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.

Enter the new Pacific Explorer page

Page Two has a pdf Deck Plan as well as the Accommodations

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

New 2020 Carnival Cruises Now Available from Brisbane & Sydney

MV Carnival Spirit & Carnival Splendor

Carnival News for Sydney: As from today, Australians can book Carnival Splendor’s sailings between January and June 2020. The 113,300 ton Carnival Splendor is due to arrive in Sydney in December 2019, and she will be the newest Carnival cruise ship to be based in Australia, and she has a capacity for 3,700 passengers on her 14 decks. It is said that she could be “a reward for the way Australia has taken the line to its heart.”

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

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

The Carnival Splendor is undergoing a refit and it new giant Water Park will cost $250,000 and it will be even more thunderous the one known as the “Green Thunder” on board the Carnival Spirit. And for all those who are Water Park fans, believe me this is big news indeed!

The New Water park towers a massive 50 metres above the waterline, being the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and it name will be “Green Lightning” and as you enter it will launch you with an impressive 11.3-metre free-fall drop as the capsule floor opens, followed by a slingshot curve, twisting and what will seem like never ending sliding twists and turns and then into a giant green swirling bowl.

Here we see the Green Lightning water slide trill-ride

Green Lightning will join its sister slide, the yellow 104 metre long “Twister Waterslide”™, in Carnival Splendor’s green and gold Water Works, alongside MiniRacer slides, splash toys and tipping buckets. The Splendor’s Green and Gold water park includes the green thrill slide that takes Green Thunder to the next level.

You will find much more information on her new page; See the link at the bottom of this page.

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.

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.

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

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 or Lightning waterslides.

Brisbane will see the Carnival Spirit arrive in 2010!

Photograph provided by & © Carnival Australia

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

Or visit the Carnival Splendor feature

Pacific Aria Reviews

I sailed on the Pacific Aria on November 9, 2018, and the 7 night “Barrier Reef Discovery” was a wonderful cruise, as were my previous five cruises on the Pacific Aria. Voyages on her have included an 18 day “Bounty Adventure” (which sadly have now been reduced to just 10 nights), 7 nights “Pacific Island Hopper” and a 14 Night “Papua New Guinea Encounter” cruise (which have now also have been reduced in duration). I am booked to do another 10 night PNG cruise departing in November 2019.

Although originally I had booked the June 14, 2019, 14 nights “Bounty Adventure” Cruise on Pacific Aria and had my regular suite, but sadly this cruise will now be undertaken by the refitted Pacific Dawn, departing Brisbane on June 15, 2019, and I managed to obtain suite 11116, being the disabled suite, which did please me greatly. Of course I will be writing a cruise review on this Pacific Dawn “Bounty Adventure” cruise (which sadly has been reduced to just 10 nights).

Pacific Aria Reviews

To enter the New Two-Page Cruise Review - Click Image above or ENTER HERE

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

Also View …

Enter the Five Page Pacific Aria PNG Review and the Photographic “Papua New Guinea Experience”

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!

Cunard Line has announced that they will be adding a fourth ship to their 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 (owner) of the Cunard, 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.-

This 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 during 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 2019, 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.

Enter the Main Index below, for all features on Cruise-Australia

Enter the Cruise-Australia - INDEX

Email the Author … Click Here

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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!