Pacific Explorer Returns Home to Australia

Posted on 18 April, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

The Pacific Explorer from P&O Cruises Australia is back in Sydney, having sailed into the iconic harbour on Monday morning.

The company said the ship had returned home. The vessel received a spectacular welcome home with a ceremonial water cannon salute celebrating her arrival – marking the start of the rebuild of the $5 billion a year Australian cruise industry, the company said.

The Pacific Explorer became the first cruise ship to return to Australia in more than two years, passing through Sydney Heads at about 9.30am before gliding into Circular Quay mid-morning with an escort of official vessels and Sydney “boaties.”

Her arrival marked a 28-day voyage from Europe where the ship has been paused for much of the past two years waiting to come home to Australia.

The first revenue sailing is set to depart on May 31.

P&O Australia Extends Pause in Operations Until March 3, 2022

Posted on 1 December, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

P&O Paciffic Exprorer

P&O Cruises Australia has extended its pause in operations until March 3, 2022.

“Despite tentative signs of a restart to cruising in Australia, uncertainty continues on the timing of when federal and state governments will allow cruising to resume. Given this difficult situation, P&O Cruises Australia has decided to further extend its pause in operations to March 3, 2022,” P&O Cruises Australia’s President Sture Myrmell said, according to the cruise line’s Facebook post.

According to the statement, the extended pause applies to cruises scheduled to depart between Feb. 15, 2022, and March 3, 2022, from Sydney and Brisbane.

According to him, the complex logistics necessary to have a ship back in Australian waters will take several months for once a return to service and accompanying protocols become clear.

“We are sorry for this disruption to your holiday plans. Our team will make contact with all guests whose cruises are affected by the pause extension,” Myrmell noted. “In the meantime, we want you to have certainty in relation to your holiday plans and to limit any inconvenience as much as we can. We hope that the pathway for the resumption of cruising becomes clearer as society continues to re-open and other forms of travel are able to resume.”

P&O Cruises Celebrates Australia Day in Sydney Harbour

Posted on 27 January, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

For the eighth year running, P&O Cruises celebrated Australia Day on Sydney Harbour with nearly 2000 guests onboard the Pacific Explorer enjoying a giant deck party jam-packed with Australia-filled activities including the cruise line’s annual “Look Like an Aussie Legend” competition, thong throwing contests, meat pie eating championships and an Australian national anthem sing-off.