Sun to Shine Year Round in Australia -Princess Cruises Announces Dramatic Growth in Premium Cruising
Date: 25 May 2007
Princess Cruises today announced it will base its stylish superliner, Sun Princess, in Australia full time in a move which will see its capacity in the local market grow by almost 350 per cent.
The 77,000-ton Sun Princess will be the largest cruise ship ever to be based in Australia when she debuts in Sydney in November 2007, giving Australians their first-ever opportunity to enjoy premium cruising year-round.
Carrying 1950 passengers, Sun Princess will offer cruises from three homeports - Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle - throughout 2008, including the longest ever round-trip voyage from Australia - a 75-night “Grand Pacific World Cruise”.
Princess Cruises’ Acting Managing Director in Australia, Dean Brown, said Princess Cruises’ decision to base a ship full time in Australia was a first for the US-based cruise line, and followed strong demand from Australians for a premium cruising experience.
Sun Princess had originally been scheduled to sail from Australia for a five-month summer season only.
Mr Brown said Sun Princess would be joined over the 2008-09 summer by her sister ship, Dawn Princess, which will operate a season of cruises from Sydney, while Sun Princess sails from Melbourne.
The two ships’ deployment will see Princess Cruises’ capacity in Australia grow by almost 350 per cent between 2007 and 2008, he said.
“Sun Princess’ move Down Under is great news for Australian passengers, who’ll now be able to enjoy premium cruising year-round, with more than 30 different cruises on offer. It’s also fantastic news for Perth and Melbourne, with both cities set to welcome Sun Princess as the first superliner ever to be based in their ports,” Mr Brown said.
Sun Princess and Dawn Princess each offer 975 staterooms - almost half with private balconies - as well as eight restaurants and cafes, seven lounges, four pools and five whirlpool spas.
Both Princess Cruises ships will offer a premium cruise product tailored for Australians and feature Australian currency onboard as well as itineraries tailored for the Australian market.
Key features of the new program include:
• Sun Princess to homeport in Fremantle in May and June 2008, offering three round-trip cruises to Asia and two exciting 18-night voyages between Sydney and Fremantle, visiting Top End ports including The Kimberley region.
• Sun Princess to homeport in Melbourne from November 2008-March 2009, offering a season of eight cruises to New Zealand, around Australia and the South Pacific
• The launch of a 75-night “Grand Pacific World Cruise” on Sun Princess - the longest round trip cruise ever from Australia - cruising to a range of destinations including Tahiti, Canada, Alaska, Japan, Russia, China and Vietnam.
• Three exciting round-Australia cruises on Sun Princess and Dawn Princess - one departing from Melbourne and two from Sydney
• A 42-night cruise to Japan, China and the islands to the South Pacific to coincide with Japan’s spectacular Cherry Blossom festival.
Mr Brown said the new program would go on sale from May 25, 2007.
