SAPPHIRE Princess (pictured) will be the Princess Cruises ship to call Fremantle home in 2027-28, it has been confirmed (CW 01 Sep).
The news was announced yesterday morning by Western Australia’s Minister for Tourism Reece Whitby, at a press conference at this year’s Australian Cruise Association conference, taking place in the port city.
Sapphire will visit a number of destinations along the Western Australian coast, to be named later, with the planned deployment to generate almost $150m for the local economy.
Whitby said the cruise sector is set to play a large part in the future of WA’s tourism economy.
“This is part of our government’s intention, our ambition, to grow the economy, to diversify the Western Australian economy, and to make tourism a major part of that diversification,” he said.
Princess Vice President Asia Pacific Matthew Rutherford said the cruise line’s return to Western Australia for 2027-28 has been made possible with the support of Tourism WA and the state govt.
“We are proud to reaffirm our commitment to Western Australia, showcasing its breathtaking beauty, from the Kimberley to the Great Southern, to travellers from around the world,” Rutherford enthused.
Princess’ most recent home port season in Fremantle was Sun Princess’ 2019-20 summer season from the city. MS
