What is it about Australia and New Zealand that is attracting increasing numbers of cruise ships and, hopefully, passengers?
It can’t all be down to the fact that a million Brits emigrated to Oz as “£10 Poms” between 1945 and 1972, even if one of them – Julia Gillard – is now the country’s Prime Minister.
The second of Ocean Village’s two ships will soon complete its summer season in the Med and be transferred to the P&O Australia fleet as Pacific Pearl. It will take the line’s fleet to four, and joins Pacific Jewel which left the UK last year.
Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 will spend 28 nights in a circumnavigation of Australia in 2012 during her world cruise. Before then, P&O’s Oriana will visit Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns this November during a world voyage, and Fred Olsen’s Balmoral will be in the same ports next February and March.
Now Celebrity Cruises have announced a return Down Under. Their 1,800-passenger ship Century will be pulled out of Baltimore, Maryland, from where it is currently sailing regularly on 12-night cruises to the Caribbean and sails via Hawaii to Australia. It will sail five 12- and 13-night New Zealand cruises between Sydney and Auckland, including a Christmas special leaving Sydney on December 24.
Passengers will also have the opportunity to experience a rare, 36-night circumnavigational voyage with two back-to-back 18-night sailings: one will be along the southern coast and to New Zealand’s fjords; the second will be around the northern coast, and includes a visit to the island of Bali.
The voyages will attract plenty of local passengers as well as Brits and Americans prepared to make the journey. The number of Australians taking a cruise grew by 26 per cent between 2007 and 2008 to 330,000.
In addition to the ships you mention, super-luxury line Silversea will offer a complete 30-day circumnavigation of Australia on “Silver Shadow” next January/February.