History of P&O Cruises
The Company That Invented Cruising
Founded in 1837, the ships of P&O Cruises have been cruising the seas of the world for over 160 years, from those early days P&O undertook voyages described as ‘excursions,’ the forerunners of today’s cruising when passengers from England regularly travelled with the Royal Mails to ports on the Iberian Peninsular and the Mediterranean, returning home on other P&O mail voyages.
P&O’s sister company the Orient Line first introduced regular cruising from the United Kingdom in the 1880s with the CHIMBORAZO and GARRONE to Baltic and Northern ports, while P&O’s first dedicated cruise ship was the 1904 VECTIS of 5,500 tons, which carried 180 passengers. When P&O pioneered cruising from Australia in 1932 the new 23,000-ton mail steamer STRATHAIRD carried 1,100 passengers on the first cruise to Brisbane and Norfolk Island.
Today P&O Cruises is Australia and New Zealand’s leading cruise line offering cruises to the South Pacific, Queensland and Asia from Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Singapore which appeal to couples, friends and families of all ages. The local fleet currently consists of the 47,000 ton PACIFIC SUN carrying 1,900 passengers and the 35,000 ton PACIFIC STAR with 1,350 passengers. Australia’s first superliner; the 70,000 ton PACIFIC DAWN carrying 2,050 passengers will join the fleet in 2007 as the most modern and largest cruise ship ever to be based in Australia. Pacific Dawn will introduce ‘Your Choice Cruising’ with more choice in cabins including balcony cabins, more choice in entertainment and more choice in dining with five different evening venues.
Each summer sister company Princess Cruises bases two ships out of Australia. For the summer 2006-07 season the 116,000-ton SAPPHIRE PRINCESS sailing between Sydney and Auckland will be partnered by the 30,000-ton PACIFIC PRINCESS. In October 2007, the 77,000 ton SUN PRINCESS will become Australia’s premium cruise ship, offering round trip cruises tailored to Australians sailing Round Australia and to Tasmania, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.
More information on the history of cruising and P&O Cruises
| The Beginnings of P&O Cruises | (1815-1837) |
| Carrying The Royal Mails | (1837-1960’s) |
| Immigration | (1910-1950’s) |
| P&O invents Cruising | (1835-2006) |
