P&O Cruises To Replace Pacific Jewel In 2019
Cruise company P&O Cruises Australia has announced that it will bid farewell to Pacific Jewel as part of the commitment to refresh its fleet. Pacific Jewel’s final journey with P&O will be on February 24, 2019, before being transferred to a new company.
A second Princess Cruises’ Grand Class ship will join the fleet to replace the outgoing Pacific Jewel. With the capability to carry 3,100 passengers, Star Princess will join its sister ship, Golden Princess, in the P&O Cruises Australia fleet from the end of 2021.
Both Princess vessels will be renovated and renamed before joining the fleet.
P&O Cruises had announced its plan to refresh its fleet in September 2018. Pacific Jewel could carry around only 2,000 passengers and crew. As part of this decision, P&O will phase out Pacific Jewel which served P&O 10 years. The ship, built by Fincantieri and launched in 1989, was given a makeover in March 2018.
Another ship, Pacific Eden will leave the fleet in April 2019, acquired by CMV Group, a British-based cruise operator.
Sture Myrmell, President of P&O Cruises and Carnival Australia, said welcoming two Grand Class ships — Star Princess and Golden Princess — was part of the evolution of the P&O Cruises fleet. In September last year, P&O Cruises announced its plan to renew its fleet over time.
P&O Cruises would continue to base ships year-round in its key homeports of Sydney and Brisbane as well as offering seasonal sailings from other Australian states and New Zealand.
