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 commenced in the early 1990’s. Cruise-Australia has been designed especially for the Australian and New Zealand cruise market who love cruising the Pacific, Asia, Grand Pacific Circles as well as heading further overseas and joining ships far afield, becoming worldwide cruise travellers. There is no doubt that official records show that Australia has been and remains the world’s fastest growing cruise market, and has the largest cruise industry per capita in the world. Considering I have been in the Passenger Shipping Industry since 1960, and having worked up to a manager, then CEO, and operator of a Cruise Company, I certainly know a great deal about the industry which I greatly love! Although I retired from the actual industry 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, as I refuse to take freebies! My only aim is to provide my knowledge to all who are seeking the right cruise ship for their needs, and therefore when I review a cruise, or a ship that are currently in operation here in Australia and New Zealand, Asia as well some selected ships sailing around our globe I do this without this without bias!

The author is seen, during a line voyage to the UK on the MV Athena in 2012-

To date I have enjoyed over 250 Cruises & this includes around the world voyages of 106 days and a number of up to 56 day “Line Voyages” to the U.K. with P&O UK, as well two with “Classic International “ Line aboard the MV Athena still sailing today as the 70 years old Astoria, and these voyages were simply wonderful. Yet I have to be honest, there were also some some cruises that I can only describe as a “cruise of suffering”, for they were simply of a poor quality in every possible respect, and I say so. Therefore I feel very confident that I know what a good Cruise Ship is, and what is not. It is my aim to provide informative information on what excellent cruise experiences and those that will suit your needs! Also, remember to contact me for further information to check on your individual needs, etc.

In more recent times I have enjoyed excellent cruises with Holland America Line (HAL), Princess Cruises and other luxury Cruise Companies. However, my most recent series of cruises out of Brisbane have been on P&O’s delightful MV Pacific Aria having now done a good number of cruises, an 18 days South Pacific Cruise, several Papua New Guinea cruises and a number of cruises to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, with our last cruise on her being on May 10, 2018. This ex Holland America Line ship the Ryndam, received a sensational refit and makeover, and I have rated Pacific Aria very highly. Officially she is the companies N°1 rated ship in all departments, thus their premier cruise ship, unlike her sister Pacific Eden, which was at the bottom of the fleet, but she has been sold, with the arrival of the New super ship the Golden princess, that will join the P&O fleet by 2010. Due to the massive success of Pacific Aria’s interior décor, the entire fleet has been upgraded to the Aria’s high standards!

Below, you can locate two of my Pacific Aria Cruise Reviews, 1. Vanuatu Cruise in May, 20218, 2. Papua New Guinea Cruise in November 2017. I shall be sailing on the Pacific Aria again in November 2018.

In Closing:

To date my two main sites being: ssmaritime.com & cruise-australia.com have received an amazing 520.9 million readers. Therefore, I wish to thank my countless readers/supporters from Australia, New Zealand, throughout Asia, and from all over the world, for your kind support and countless emails daily, for it is through the emails, 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!

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 listed on the site.

Reuben Goossens.

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

Commenced in the Passenger/Cruise Shipping Industry in 1960.

Brisbane, Australia.

Latest Cruise News

June/July 2018

News Items found on this page:

1. New P&O Cruise Ship due in 2019/20

2. Pacific Aria Two Updated Cruise Reviews

The first review is my May 2018 Vanuatu Cruise, and it is in a new style and with 98% brand new photographs

The second review is my November 2017 PNG Cruise, including the “Papua New Guinea Experience”.

A New P&O Cruise Ship due in 2019/20

This grand ship will become P&O Cruises New flagship in 2020

P&O Cruises have announced that the popular 108,865 tonne Golden Princess, which has regularly been cruising from our shores, will be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in 2019.

Before she will enter her new duties, she will be completely refurbished, in order to fall in line with the exciting new P&O interiors design that commenced with the arrival of the exciting Pacific Aria, which became the trend setter of the renewed P&O fleet! In addition, there will be the introduction of the much loved “the Pantry”, which has been a mammoth success since it was first introduced, where passengers do not touch the food, thus no contamination, or sickness occurring as occurs on ships of other companies. Here food is much fresher, delicious and hot. The Pantry is very much like a Food Court were there is a host a of International cuisines, as well Vegetarian and Vegan, Grills and Australian dishes including good old fashioned “Fish & Chips” placed on specially made newspaper in a basket.

The Golden Princess seen in Sydney

Although the Golden Princess has a host of amazing facilities, but after her refurbishments, believe me she will have more facilities than she has now. The truth is that this ship will be simply amazing as she will be the finest, most luxurious cruise ship ever to be permanently based in Australia.

The Australia’s cruising future looks extremely bright, and P&O has grown from being a just single ship company in the days of the FunShip TSS Fairstar and Fair Princess, then in 2000 the Pacific Sky arrived on the scene, but today in 2018 P&O Cruises Australia has five quality cruise ships, from 55,820-tons to 77,441-tons.

For interest, I have temporarily named the new P&O cruise ship Pacific Navigator, and it is my hope that P&O will take up this great name, as it fits the growing and a fine company!

Reuben Goossens,

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

Commenced in the Passenger/Cruise Shipping Industry in 1960.

Her huge Showroom, the “Princess Theatre”

I will advise Further news as it comes to hand

Pacific Aria Updated Cruise Reviews

Considering I live in Brisbane, I decided to undertake a number of cruises; the first being an 18-Night South Pacific cruise on MV Pacific Aria in August. This cruise was followed by another South Pacific cruise in December, which was followed by a 14-nights cruise to the PNG in February 2017. These three cruises were so much enjoyed that I decided to book another cruise. This being another cruise to the PNG for 10-nights Papua New Guinea Cruise departing November 14, 2017, and I am again going on another cruise in May 2018, and several others in the same year.

The Fist review relates to my Vanuatu Cruise which departed Brisbane on May 10, 2018, which visited, Noumea, Maré, Mystery Island and Port Vila. It was an excellent cruise with perfect weather, although it just being a short 8 nights cruise. Myself, and countless of you my readers are saying the very same thing regarding P&O scheduling far too many shorter cruises, the trend seems to be as follows;

“It is sad that P&O is putting the Booze trade before genuine cruise vacations, thus the shorter cruises Please give us at least a 14 night cruise occasionally!”

I have received well over 3.700 emails stating much the same sentiments of that which Deb and George wrote emailed me as per above above.

The Second Review is a fully an updated Two Page review covering the entire ship, and it includes an amazing three page “Papua New Guinea Experience.” There is no doubt that the PNG is a spectacular destination and is really worth visiting! Believe me, heading to the PNG on a cruise ship is in reality one of the best ways to see it, just look at the amazing Three Page PNG Feature with countless stunning Photographs that will have you wanting to rush to your cruise agency, to book a PNG cruise!

Based in Brisbane:

For those who live in Brisbane, around Queensland as well as Northern NSW, the Pacific Aria is perfect ship for those who prefer a locally based cruise ship and one that is not so over crowded, like those big boxy ships. The much loved Aria is a luxurious and an intimate ship, full of style and better still as I have already indicated, there are never more than 1,500 passengers onboard, but more often it will be between around 1,300 passengers! But believe me, I am certainly am looking forward to my next cruise in November 2018, for I have thoroughly enjoyed every single cruise on her to date. And in August she will be receiving an extensive refit in Singapore, with all cabins receiving a good makeover, as well as other sections of the ship receiving some updates!

To Enter the Two CRUISE REVIEWS - CLICK HERE

Or type the following address: www.cruise-australia.com/Pacific-Aria-Cruise-Reviews.htm

New 2018 to 2020 P&O Brochure is now available from your friendly licensed Cruise & Travel Agency

Blow my “Important Note” you will find they official LINK to the Cruise-Australia.com & .net Index, and there you will find countless ships from many companies. If you have a question in regard a ship, or which cruise company would suit you best, email me via link below.

Important Note: I highly recommend, should you wish to book a cruise that you go and see a Good and a Long Established fully Registered Cruise Agency, be it for information or a booking. Be assured that an agency is better equipped to offer the best advice and even the best possible fares. In addition they will provide a superior service until you depart and often even after you come home from your cruise!

Sadly, booking direct through a cruise company is never the best option, you will receive no actual service, you will have to do everything for yourself, including printing out your tickets, etc, and you may even pay a higher fare. You will also be speaking with a person somewhere overseas, who generally do not know the ship, or it’s lay out, as I once experienced. I was once told that my suite had an obstructed view, which was madness, as I had stayed in it a number of times.

Therefore, do yourself a huge favour, and go and see that good Cruise Agent (and I do not mean an online agency) who knows the cruise industry well, for they will look after your interest and make sure that you get the best service possible!

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!

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