| Cruise Weekly breaking news – Pacific Pearl to leave P&O Australia fleet

“Much loved passenger favourite” to be farewelled in April 2017. 

P&O Cruises Australia has just announced that its fleet will shrink next year, with a commercial arrangement reached to transfer the 1800 passenger Pacific Pearl to a new owner in April 2017.

P&O president Sture Myrmell said the move was part of an “unprecedented fleet renewal program” for the line which recently added Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden and will debut Pacific Explorer in 2017. Carnival Corporation has also confirmed the addition of a newbuild for P&O Australia to be delivered in 2019.

Myrmell said as well as operating in Australia Pearl had been a “game-changer” for the New Zealand market, becoming the country’s first superliner.

“Farewelling Pacific Pearl is a natural progression in which we are increasing the size of the fleet while redefining modern cruising in this part of the world,” he said, with the departure “part of our long term commitment to grow the cruise market”.

More details in next Tuesday’s issue of Cruise Weekly.