Auckland gets the Pacific Pearl (Ex P&O Arcadia)
P&O Cruises’ Pacific Pearl will be re-christened in the Waitemata Harbour next year.
P&O Cruises plans to base its newest superliner in New Zealand. The 1800-passenger Pacific Pearl will be re-christened in the Waitemata Harbour on December 19, 2010. Auckland will be the ship’s home port and from here it will travel to Australia and the Pacific Islands. Craig Harris, chairman of Cruise NZ, said basing the Pacific Pearl in Auckland “is a real coup for New Zealand”. He said the industry already had bookings for the 2010 summer season and expected around 135,000 passengers. Mr Harris said cruise passengers were the fourth-largest group of inbound travellers.
Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia and New Zealand, said it chose New Zealand as the base because the country was driving much of the company’s growth. “Cruising has proven remarkably recession-resistant. As the world economy starts to recover, I believe we are in for sustained growth,” she said. “If New Zealand is to capitalise on that growth, it needs the right infrastructure and planning in place.”
FACTS
Built: 1989, renovated for P&O in 2010.
Weight: 69,500 gross tonnes.
Length: 247 metres.
Width: 32 metres.
Decks: 11.
Speed: Maximum 21.5 knots.
Passenger cabins: 839.
Facilities: Three restaurants, six bars and lounges, spa, fitness centre and gym, two swimming pools, multi-level show lounge, cinema, casino, duty-free shopping boutiques. Click for images
Tags: Cruise Ships
We do need to do something fast about Queens Wharf now this deal has been signed. Most elderly passengers find the temporary gangway much too difficult, not to mention all the access difficulties to the wharf and the cold windy sheds don’t afford much protection from the environment, especially in the winter!
Hi , I have to tell you there is a mistake on this page , the photo of Ocean Village is the wrong ship , that ship is now either Pacific Dawn or Pacific Jewel , I ‘ll try to find out wich one , but it is NOT the former Arcadia wich is now Pacific Pearl.
Jochen Gielen
The Pacific Pearl was the Ocean Village 1
I found it , the Crown Princess was later Arosa Blue , AidaBlu , Ocean Village 2 and now Pacific Jewel , her Sistership Regal Princess is now Pacific Dawn , so the ship in your photo is now Pacific Jewel , the Arcadia went on to be Ocean Village 1 and is now Pacific Pearl , if you need photos , just mail me at JochenGielen@telenet.be
Thanks Jochen. Apologies for the late reply. Your right, my mistake! Some photos would be really handy.
Kind regards,
Courtney Edmonds
Webmaster
No problem , I would send you a photo but I don’t have any photos of my own so I have to look at copyrights , I can only sugest if you need info about ships you could take a look at http://www.shipparade.com
Jochen
It’s ok, I got an image and updated the original post. Hopefully you can come visit us one day
Kind regards,
Courtney
I ‘ll try one day , I have a long list of places I would like to visit.