One of Australia’s most
significant ships has departed
on its last voyage for P&O
before moving on to a new
life in China.
A SMALL crowd gathered in Brisbane on
Sunday to bid “bon voyage” to the Pacific Sun,
affectionately known for many years as
Australia’s favourite cruise ship.
“It was a sombre sailaway with some of her
fans lining the river to wave goodbye – I’m told
there were a few tears,” a spokesperson for
P&O Australia told CW.
“It’s fair to say that Pacific
Sun introduced thousands
of Australians to cruising…
She was at the core of the
resurgence in cruising in
Australia.”
In the eight years that
Pacific Sun sailed under the
P&O brand, Australian
cruising experienced
double-digit annual growth.
Since 2004, the 47,000-tonne ship carried
more than half a million passengers on 332
cruises, primarily around the South Pacific.
Over the past two weeks P&O Australia fans
on Facebook have posted comments and
reminisced about memories of fun on the ‘Sun’.
A group of “cruise enthusiasts” also set up a
separate farewell page and are posting
updates live from onboard the final sevennight
Pacific Island cruise.
The 26-year-old ship was sold earlier this
year as part of Carnival Australia’s continuing
program of fleet renewal.
Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, said
Pacific Sun had been “enormously popular”.
“When Pacific Sun joined our fleet eight
years ago, Carnival Australia had two ships
based in Australia and now we have seven, so
she has certainly played a role in that growth”.
The 723-cabin vessel, built in Sweden in
1986, was first named Jubilee and sailed for
US-based Carnival Cruise Lines in the
Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska.
Mystery surrounds the new unidentified
owners, but according to unconfirmed
rumours, the ship may be converted into a
