Australia’s Latest Ship Pacific Eden Makes Maiden Call to Melbourne
Melbourne
has welcomed Australia’s latest cruise ship P&O Cruises' Pacific Eden on
its maiden visit to the city, ahead of its debut Victorian season next year.
Heralded as a game changer for the Australian
cruise industry, the 55,820-tonne Pacific Eden will return to Melbourne in February next
year as part of P&O Cruises’ biggest season of cruising from the city.
Testament
to the growing popularity of cruising in Victoria, Pacific Eden and Pacific
Jewel will offer 18 cruises from Melbourne from December 2015 to March 2016,
carrying an estimated 30,000 guests and delivering more than $15 million into
the local economy.
According
to industry figures, Victoria is one of the fastest growing cruise states in
Australia with 175,570 Victorians cruising in 2014, an increase of 24 per cent
on the previous year.
Pacific
Eden’s visit today is part of its inaugural Australian cruise, a 10-night
itinerary which departed Fremantle on Sunday November 15. The next call is
Sydney where it will be officially named with sister ship Pacific Aria as part
of P&O's five ship spectacular on Wednesday November 25.
Pacific
Eden and Pacific Aria take local cruising to the next level with a stunning
design which reflects the contemporary
style of modern Australia, while capturing the relaxed and sometimes cheeky
spirit Australians are known for.
Pacific Eden features 15 dining options including a plush private dining
room and Luke Mangan’s Salt grill, luxe new bars, a resort-style pool deck, P&O’s
first penthouse cruise suites and a child-free Oasis with private cabanas.
P&O Cruises Senior Vice President Sture Myrmell said the addition of
Pacific Eden and sister ship Pacific Aria had increased the cruise line’s fleet
to five ships, enabling P&O to base a second ship in Victoria for the first
time.
“Victoria is really coming into its own both as a cruise destination and
a homeport, so we’re thrilled to have the capacity to be able to base one of
our latest ships in Melbourne next summer. With her modern Australian design
and quirky touches, Pacific Eden is sure to become a fast favourite among Victorians
as she offers an exciting line up of cruises from the state,” Mr Myrmell said.
Mr
Myrmell said Pacific Eden’s 2016 deployment would form part of a record four
month season in Melbourne, with Pacific Jewel kicking off the cruise line’s first
summer deployment in the state next month.
Pacific
Eden’s cruises include a South Pacific itinerary, short breaks to Kangaroo
Island in South Australia and Eden on New South Wales’ south coast as well as
themed cruises with a three-night Comedy cruise departing Melbourne on February
16, 2016, priced from $399* per person quad share.
For more information visit
pocruises.com.au, or see a licensed travel agent.
*Price is per person
quad share. Subject to availability, conditions apply.
