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quote:Princess To Base Two Ships In AustraliaMarch 22, 2007Growing demand for premium cruising has prompted Princess Cruises to base two superliners in Sydney and Melbourne to offer a range of voyages to Tahiti, Asia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and around Australia.The 77,000-ton Dawn Princess will sail from Melbourne over summer 2008-09 - the first superliner to be deployed from the Victorian capital for a season, while its twin, Sun Princess, returns for a second season cruising from Sydney.Dean Brown, Acting Managing Director of Carnival Australia, which represents Princess Cruises in Australia, said both superliners would be tailored for Australians, featuring Australian dollars and Australian entertainment."Over the past few years demand for our product has grown significantly. We've decided to meet this growth by offering Australians the choice of two superliners next year and creating a new homeport in Victoria, where interest in premium cruising is very strong," Mr Brown said.The Princesses will start their summer season with two memorable Discovery Voyages: a new 28-night sojourn to Tahiti, Noumea, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and American Samoa on Dawn Princess departing Sydney on October 21, 2008, and a 28-night circumnavigation of Australia on Sun Princess, visiting 13 ports and departing Sydney on October 26, 2008.The two ships each carry 1,950 passengers and have 975 staterooms - almost half with private balconies - including 38 suites and mini-suites.Mr Brown said the dual visits of Sun Princess and Dawn Princess represented a six-fold increase in capacity since Princess Cruises launched premium cruising in Australia with the debut of the 680-passenger Pacific Princess in 2002.MG Media Communications
Growing demand for premium cruising has prompted Princess Cruises to base two superliners in Sydney and Melbourne to offer a range of voyages to Tahiti, Asia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and around Australia.
The 77,000-ton Dawn Princess will sail from Melbourne over summer 2008-09 - the first superliner to be deployed from the Victorian capital for a season, while its twin, Sun Princess, returns for a second season cruising from Sydney.
Dean Brown, Acting Managing Director of Carnival Australia, which represents Princess Cruises in Australia, said both superliners would be tailored for Australians, featuring Australian dollars and Australian entertainment.
"Over the past few years demand for our product has grown significantly. We've decided to meet this growth by offering Australians the choice of two superliners next year and creating a new homeport in Victoria, where interest in premium cruising is very strong," Mr Brown said.
The Princesses will start their summer season with two memorable Discovery Voyages: a new 28-night sojourn to Tahiti, Noumea, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and American Samoa on Dawn Princess departing Sydney on October 21, 2008, and a 28-night circumnavigation of Australia on Sun Princess, visiting 13 ports and departing Sydney on October 26, 2008.
The two ships each carry 1,950 passengers and have 975 staterooms - almost half with private balconies - including 38 suites and mini-suites.
Mr Brown said the dual visits of Sun Princess and Dawn Princess represented a six-fold increase in capacity since Princess Cruises launched premium cruising in Australia with the debut of the 680-passenger Pacific Princess in 2002.
MG Media Communications
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Cheers
Wonderful ships, perfect size, great service, just outstanding for our friends down under! Enjoy!
quote:Originally posted by Noordam:Is Oceana returning to Princess as the Ocean Princess? I guess it makes sense with the Ventura entering service. I always thought that those ships didn't make much sense for P&O, but it almost seems like that company is ready for a five ship fleet!
P&O plan to keep the Oceana and operate five ships. They are also getting a sister to Ventura in 2010 I think and will operate six ships.
We're making some progress, which is welcome news! Next we can hope for Coral Princess!
quote: Absolutely fantastic news!!! Although Melbourne was a bit of a surprise,
I think it is great news as well,although the Melbourne base is suprising.It will be interesting to see the itineraries.I would have thought it made more sense to base the ships in Sydney for ease of servicing and supply.
Dawn Princess' proposed schedule 2008-2009
21 Oct 08 - Sydney/Sydney South Pacific - Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands 28 nights
18 Nov 08 - Sydney to Melbourne 2 nights 20 Nov 08 - Round Australia - Melbourne..Adelaide..Fremantle...etc (clockwise) 28 nights 18 Dec 08 - South Pacific 12 nights 30 Dec 08 - New Zealand 13 nights 12 Jan 09 - South Pacific 12 nights 24 Jan 09 - New Zealand 13 nights 06 Feb09 - South Pacific 12 nights 18 Feb09 - New Zealand 13 nights 3 Mar 09 - Melbourne to Sydney 2 nights 5 Mar 09 - Round Australia Sydney Hobart.....etc (clockwise) 28 nights
Melbourne (4M) is a much bigger city than Brisbane (2.5M) and will also attract travellers from cities such as Adelaide and Perth so basing a premium ship in Melbourne makes sense.
Dawn and Sun are effectively leased from Princess to its Australian sibling Carnival Australia (formerly P&O Australia) during their Australian seasons. Whilst marketted as a premium product compared with standard P&O Aust offerings (not hard!!), these ships are largely targetted towards and Australian/NZ audience with onbaord prices denominated in AUD and principle cruise staff sourced from P&O Aust rather than US. Pacific Princess has just completed its 5th & final season under this same arrangement and the success of PP has led to the growth to Sun in 07/08 and 2 Sun class ships in 08/09.
I believe the Princess, which already has a good reputation in Aus/N.Z. will be the premium fixture for Carnvial Corp and P&O Aus. will be the mass market product. Similar to Carnival and Princess in North American. The markets are amazingly similar.
quote:Originally posted by sunviking82:I believe the Princess, which already has a good reputation in Aus/N.Z. will be the premium fixture for Carnvial Corp and P&O Aus. will be the mass market product. Similar to Carnival and Princess in North American. The markets are amazingly similar.
I agree, you only have to look what Carnival did to Pacific Sun (massively increase the number of 4 berth cabins on the ship) before transferring to P&O Aust.
Pity the difference in price between P&O Aust and Princess doesnt really reflect this difference in class and the poor unsuspecting Australian not knowing much about the cruising industry just booking onto a P&O Aust cruise because they think its all the same.
We (North American's) know the difference between "fun ship" aka drink and party and "escape completely" spa and fine dining and I believe most of people (espcially those I have met on cruises) frrom down under do too.
It's media hype and that 5% who are uninformed.
I have been working too many long hours the last few months so may have missed something.
quote:Princess to base ship year-round in AustraliaCarnival Australia’s acting md, Dean Brown, made the surprise announcement today that Princess Cruises will base the 1,950- passenger Sun Princess in Australia year-round.Sun Princess was scheduled to replace the 660-passenger Pacific Princess for Princess Cruises’ sixth annual extended South Pacific programme from November 2007 to March 2008.Brown said the 77,000gt ship will now stay in Australia, operating cruises from Melbourne and Fremantle, as well as Sydney.
Carnival Australia’s acting md, Dean Brown, made the surprise announcement today that Princess Cruises will base the 1,950- passenger Sun Princess in Australia year-round.
Sun Princess was scheduled to replace the 660-passenger Pacific Princess for Princess Cruises’ sixth annual extended South Pacific programme from November 2007 to March 2008.
Brown said the 77,000gt ship will now stay in Australia, operating cruises from Melbourne and Fremantle, as well as Sydney.
full article here
obviously as a west ausssie im glad to see that sun may have a few cruises ex. fremantle!
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