P&O Cruises Australia
Encyclopedia
P&O Cruises Australia is a British
-American
owned cruise line
with corporate headquarters at Carnival House
in Southampton
, England
and operational headquarters in North Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. The sister company of P&O Cruises
in the United Kingdom
, it was previously a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company and has a direct link in history to the world's first passenger ships. As such, it is one of the oldest cruise lines in the world, and now forms part of the Carnival Corporation & PLC
, under the executive control of Carnival UK. It currently operates four ships, sailing from various ports in Australia
and New Zealand
.
P&O Cruises Australia originates from the passenger division of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
, a UK shipping company which operated the world's first passenger ships in the early 19th Century. P&O subsequently became the first company to operate passenger routes to Australia, with the first of these voyages occurring in 1932. These voyages eventually developed into the cruise holidays we recognise today and so P&O adopted the brand name P&O Cruises, with the specialist Australian service becoming known as P&O Cruises Australia.
In 2000, after various changes in the organisation of the P&O Group, the company de-merged all of its cruise ship operations. A new company was created, P&O Princess Cruises PLC
, which was independent of P&O and consisted of P&O Cruises
, P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises
, AIDA Cruises
and later A'Rosa Cruises
and Ocean Village
. Later in 2003, P&O Princess merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & plc
, the world's largest cruise company, with a portfolio of eleven cruise lines, including P&O Australia.
The Pacific Sky joined the P&O Australia fleet in 2001 and was sold to Pullmantur Cruises
in 2006, becoming their Sky Wonder
. In 2004 the Pacific Sun joined the fleet. It was followed by Pacific Star in 2005. In October 2007, the oldest ship of Princess Cruises
' fleet, the Regal Princess, was transferred to P&O Australia. After one month of refurbishment, she entered service as the Pacific Dawn. The Pacific Star was sold to Pullmantur Cruises in March 2008. She underwent refurbishment in Singapore
and has started sailing as Ocean Dream from 11 May 2008.
On 30 October 2008 Carnival Corporation & plc announced the closure of their United Kingdom
-based Ocean Village
brand. Coinciding with this both Ocean Village ships will be transferred to the fleet of P&O Cruises Australia. Ocean Village Two will join the P&O Australia fleet in December 2009 as Pacific Jewel. Ocean Village
will follow in late 2010 as "Pacific Pearl".
In October 2009, P&O Cruises offered assistance to the Red Cross in relief efforts for earthquake and tsunami victims in the South Pacific by donating 740 pillows with the promise of mattresses, more pillows and hundreds of light bulbs to be given a later date.
In December 2009, the Pacific Dawn was moved from Sydney to its new home port at Brisbane. This was done to allow the Pacific Jewel and after its acquisition the Pacific Pearl to be based in Sydney. The Pacific Sun will be moved to Fremantle for part of the year to carry out Asia cruises then the other parts of the year it will be based in Auckland, Brisbane, Newcastle
and Sydney for a few cruises.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
owned cruise line
Cruise line
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
with corporate headquarters at Carnival House
Carnival House
Carnival House is a landmark office building in the city of Southampton, Hampshire, England. It is a purpose-built headquarters for Carnival UK, the United Kingdom based holding company of the Carnival Group...
in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and operational headquarters in North Sydney
North Sydney, New South Wales
North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The sister company of P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, it was previously a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company and has a direct link in history to the world's first passenger ships. As such, it is one of the oldest cruise lines in the world, and now forms part of the Carnival Corporation & PLC
Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc , is a American-British Company, and the world's largest cruise ship operator. It is a dual listed company, with headquarters at Carnival Place in the Miami suburb of Doral, Florida, USA, and at Carnival House in Southampton, England, UK...
, under the executive control of Carnival UK. It currently operates four ships, sailing from various ports in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
History
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
, a UK shipping company which operated the world's first passenger ships in the early 19th Century. P&O subsequently became the first company to operate passenger routes to Australia, with the first of these voyages occurring in 1932. These voyages eventually developed into the cruise holidays we recognise today and so P&O adopted the brand name P&O Cruises, with the specialist Australian service becoming known as P&O Cruises Australia.
In 2000, after various changes in the organisation of the P&O Group, the company de-merged all of its cruise ship operations. A new company was created, P&O Princess Cruises PLC
P&O Princess Cruises PLC
P&O Princess Cruises plc was a shipping company that existed between 2000 and 2003, operating the P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, A'Rosa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Ocean Village branded cruise lines...
, which was independent of P&O and consisted of P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
, P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Santa Clarita, California in the United States. Previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC, the company is now one of ten cruise ship brands operated by Carnival Corporation & PLC and accounts for approximately 19% share...
, AIDA Cruises
AIDA Cruises
AIDA Cruises is a British-American owned German cruise line based in Rostock, Germany.Originally founded as Deutsche Seereederei with a ship called Völkerfreundschaft , the company entered the cruise industry in the 1960s and was later acquired by P&O Princess Cruises PLC in 2000...
and later A'Rosa Cruises
A'Rosa Cruises
-History:A'Rosa was established in 2001, as a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC. The company was created to serve the German cruise market, alongside the AIDA Cruises fleet, which had been acquired by P&O in 1999. A'Rosa was modelled loosely on the AIDA concept, and began life with three ships...
and Ocean Village
Ocean Village
Ocean Village was a British-American owned cruise line, based in Southampton, England. Designed to offer and alternative cruise experience, Ocean Village was founded by P&O Princess Cruises PLC, which later merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & PLC...
. Later in 2003, P&O Princess merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc , is a American-British Company, and the world's largest cruise ship operator. It is a dual listed company, with headquarters at Carnival Place in the Miami suburb of Doral, Florida, USA, and at Carnival House in Southampton, England, UK...
, the world's largest cruise company, with a portfolio of eleven cruise lines, including P&O Australia.
The Pacific Sky joined the P&O Australia fleet in 2001 and was sold to Pullmantur Cruises
Pullmantur Cruises
Pullmantur Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 2006.- Overview :Pullmantur Cruises is the...
in 2006, becoming their Sky Wonder
Sky Wonder
The Atlantic Star is a cruise ship built in 1984. As of May 2006, she operates in the Pullmantur Cruises fleet, Spain's biggest cruise and tour operator, owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.-History:The Atlantic Star was built in 1984 by Chantiers de Nord et de la Mediterranee of La Seyne-Sur Mer...
. In 2004 the Pacific Sun joined the fleet. It was followed by Pacific Star in 2005. In October 2007, the oldest ship of Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Santa Clarita, California in the United States. Previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC, the company is now one of ten cruise ship brands operated by Carnival Corporation & PLC and accounts for approximately 19% share...
' fleet, the Regal Princess, was transferred to P&O Australia. After one month of refurbishment, she entered service as the Pacific Dawn. The Pacific Star was sold to Pullmantur Cruises in March 2008. She underwent refurbishment in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and has started sailing as Ocean Dream from 11 May 2008.
On 30 October 2008 Carnival Corporation & plc announced the closure of their United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based Ocean Village
Ocean Village
Ocean Village was a British-American owned cruise line, based in Southampton, England. Designed to offer and alternative cruise experience, Ocean Village was founded by P&O Princess Cruises PLC, which later merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & PLC...
brand. Coinciding with this both Ocean Village ships will be transferred to the fleet of P&O Cruises Australia. Ocean Village Two will join the P&O Australia fleet in December 2009 as Pacific Jewel. Ocean Village
Ocean Village (ship)
For other ships with the same name, see Arcadia .Pacific Pearl is the sixth cruise ship of the P&O Cruises Australia brand. She was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, at their shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and launched in 1988 as Sitmar FairMajesty...
will follow in late 2010 as "Pacific Pearl".
In October 2009, P&O Cruises offered assistance to the Red Cross in relief efforts for earthquake and tsunami victims in the South Pacific by donating 740 pillows with the promise of mattresses, more pillows and hundreds of light bulbs to be given a later date.
In December 2009, the Pacific Dawn was moved from Sydney to its new home port at Brisbane. This was done to allow the Pacific Jewel and after its acquisition the Pacific Pearl to be based in Sydney. The Pacific Sun will be moved to Fremantle for part of the year to carry out Asia cruises then the other parts of the year it will be based in Auckland, Brisbane, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and Sydney for a few cruises.
Current fleet
| Ship | Built | Builder | Entered service for P&O Australia |
Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Flag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Dawn | Fincantieri | 2007Present | 70,285 tons |  United Kingdom |
Previously Regal Princess |
| Pacific Sun Pacific Sun (ship) MS Pacific Sun is a Holiday class cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises Australia. At 47,000 tons, Pacific Sun is a medium-sized ship, accommodating up to 1,900 passengers. She was built in 1986 by Kockums Varv, Malmö, Sweden, for Carnival Cruise Lines as MS Jubilee, along with near-sister ship... |
Kockums Varv Kockums Kockums AB is a shipyard in Malmö, Sweden owned by the German shipyard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in Kiel. HDW itself is a subsidiary of the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.... |
2004Present | 47,262 tons |  Malta |
Previously Jubilee |
| Pacific Jewel | Fincantieri | 2009Present | 69,845 tons | United Kingdom |
Previously Crown Princess, A'Rosa Blu, AIDAblu and Ocean Village Two |
| Pacific Pearl | Fincantieri | 2010Present | 63,500 tons | United Kingdom |
Previously Star Princess, Arcadia, and Ocean Village |
Former ships
| Ship | Built | Builder | Entered service for P&O Australia |
Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Flag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Sky | 1984 | La Seyne-Sur Mer | 20002006 | 46,087 tons | United Kingdom |
Previously FairSky, Sky Princess, Pacific Sky, Sky Wonder, Atlantic Star was recently sold to become the Mona Lisa II. |
| Pacific Star | 1982 | Aalborg Shipyard Aalborg Shipyard Aalborg Shipyard , was a shipyard located in the Danish town of Aalborg.Founded in 1912 by brothers Immanuel Stuhr and Peter Philip Stuhr, the shipyard was founded under the name Stuhr Engine and Ship Construction, a development of their father's business. From 1937 until the yard closed in 1988,... |
20052008 | 35,109 tons | United Kingdom |
Previously Tropicale, Costa Tropicale, and Pacific Star. Currently sailing as Ocean Dream for Pullmantur |