Sure looks different, but i am begginning to love this ship more and more, think it is just so great for the Australian market, such a step up in product... and all those BALCONIES wow....

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Originally posted by bulbousbow:
SydneyBoy, superb rendition of our future flagship. Homeport? Sydney is the most logical place, but I wouldn't discount the possibility of Auckland being a homeport for part of the season. Capacity? It would be a tragedy if they boosted it in my opinion, and wouldn't she be overcrowded?

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Cheers

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At a guess I would assume
- casino made a bit smaller probably replaced by a sports bar or similar
- more extensive kids' club facilities. Currently RP has a youth centre. P&O will want a Turtle Cove for littlies, Shark Shack for Kids and maybe continue the youth centre for teens.

How these past 5 years have been incredibly dramatic for the Australian cruise industry.

3 full time ships servicing 3 Australian ports, the arrival of annual Grand-Class cruising for roughly 3 months, the 6 monthly basing of Pacific Princess down under, and now this surge in berths and talk of sending a Dawn class for 6 months down under.

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pungpui wrote:
And oddly enough...its all P&O/Princess! (except a few bits of Star Cruises, RCCL here and there - both of which have left!).

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Now also include HAL's STATENDAM, but for how long?

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It is very interesting that P&O seems to have the market all to themselves. I suppose RCI and others simply don't have the preexisting infastructure in Australia/NZ like P&O does. They've been there, along with Sitmar, for many years.

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Fairsky wrote:
Perhaps this will be where some of NCL's older tonnage will end up?

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Would be nice, and if they do, they'll probably either base a ship in Fremantle (Perth) or on the East Coast of OZ.

Would be interesting though, if someone else rather than P&O did circumnavigations. Would like to see that.

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Carnival has started to develop the Ald coast with its 7 night cruises out of Brisbane and this is a positive development. NZ is only viable in Summer and even then the weather between Hobart and Milford Sound is often cold and rough.

Maybe developing Cairns or Darwin as cruise hubs would open up some new ports in places such as PNG, Timor etc.

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demand probably wouldn't be enough to justify a year-round base but a seasonal placement of one of Star's ships such as Gemini makes sense.

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reeves35 - I agree... I also think that a 7-10night cruise from Singapore to Perth would be good also. That way fly/cruises could be marketed to both Aussies (living in WA) aswell as encourage Singaporians to visit WA. I could handle a week in Singapore then a another cruising back home via Broome, Exmouth etc

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How come there arent any regular cruises from Northern Australia to Bali? I thought that could possibly be a viable destination?

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Originally posted by pungpui:
How come there arent any regular cruises from Northern Australia to Bali? I thought that could possibly be a viable destination?

Syd-Bali cruise wouldnt be, but if there ever was a Darwin-home port market, Bali could be a good place to start!

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Cruisincorey13 wrote:
Cant they do Tahiti cruises from Australia its 3,500 miles from Sydney. Or do 15 Night to Hawaii.

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Well, anything is possible, but I doubt the marketers at P&O Australia (Carnival Corp.) would not have already thought of these itineraries. My opinion? Better the itineraries close to Australia and New Zealand.

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[ 01-03-2006: Message edited by: Waynaro ]

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Originally posted by P&Ocruiser:
but we have to face facts P&O arnt going to have a 70 thousand tonne ship with 1590 passengers built in 1991 and have a 47 thousand tonne built in 1986 with 1900 passengers,

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claudio wrote:
...correct me if im wrong but there are some pretty mountainous seas out of perth and no offence phil but adelaide just hasnt got the numbers.

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You will also find mountainous seas out of Melbourne in Bass Strait. What numbers are you talking about regarding Adelaide?

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with regards to the quote below.... the majority of people who currently cruise would live on the east coast and wouldnt want to do a fly/cruise due to extra costs$$. If based in the west or adelaide then they would have to market the cruises to the local people.

I do wonder how sucessful the melbourne cruises were... i did see one or two heavily discounted (wonder if many/any of them sailed full?)

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ask most passengers on a p&o CRUISE IF they wantto go from perth / darwin and the answer would be no.

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[ 01-05-2006: Message edited by: phil_a ]