P & O flagship Pacific Explorer kicks off record cruising season in SA
Adelaide Gurr has dreamt of visiting her city namesake for years – and finally arrived with the first P&O cruise ship of the season. There’s a very special reason.
SA News
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Adelaide Gurr’s dream to visit our fair capital was realised when a P&O cruise ship – the first of the season – docked in Adelaide on Monday.
After battling leukaemia for years, the Hunter Valley 10-year-old’s entry into remission was marked with a celebratory family holiday to visit the city that shares her name.
“She’s always wanted to come to Adelaide but has been too sick to go anywhere,” her mum Kirran Gurr said.
The cruise from Sydney to Adelaide was the first “adventurous” holiday the family had been on together since Adelaide was diagnosed aged 3 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, known commonly as ALL.
“We’re sort of fulfilling those plans and ideas that we had before she got sick, so it’s great,” Mrs Gurr said.
Adelaide spent years needing to be within an hour’s drive of John Hunter Hospital in NSW, receiving regular chemotherapy.
During Adelaide’s treatment, her father David developed a cancerous tumour in his shoulder, resulting in him being sent to Sydney for his own hospital care.
Now both in remission, Adelaide and her dad are ready to take on what life has on offer – and it’s first stop, Adelaide.
The city has been everything Adelaide expected.
“We got photos of everywhere that said ‘Adelaide’,” she said, labelling the Mall’s Balls “cool”.
The family plans to visit the Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Oval and Adelaide Zoo before leaving on Wednesday.
The family set up a charity in their daughter’s honour by the name of Adelaide.pray.love which provides specialised T-shirts with zippers near the chest for patients who require a port-a-cath.
It has been responsible for providing 7000 T-shirts to sick children and adults around the country.
The arrival of P & O Cruises Australia’s flagship Pacific Explorer signalled the start of what will be a record cruise season with 104 arrivals. The previous best was 82.
Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said South Australia’s pre-pandemic cruise industry had been worth $145 million to the economy.
Sydneysiders Luke and Linda Medhurst disembarked the ship with their three children Parker, 10, Fletcher, 8, and Keeley, 9 in Adelaide on Monday.
Ms Medhurst raved about the three day journey across from the east coast, describing it the perfect holiday.
“We have our own business in tourism, setting people on holidays and we don’t get to go on holidays very often,” she said.
“The kids haven’t even been on an aeroplane for a couple of years, so to do all different aspects, by getting on the boat and then getting on the plane home, it’s perfect.”
She said they spent plenty of time by the pool and enjoying the food and drinks on board.
The return of such a strong summer cruise season is music to the ears of local suppliers including South Australian tour operator Peter Crettenden whose Swagabout Tours specialises in Port Lincoln tours and ‘step on guiding’ for cruise tour groups in Adelaide.
“That was essentially my summer business gone so I am very pleased to see the ships back again and certainly everyone is glad to be sailing again,” Mr Crettenden said.
The 2022 -23 season will also include five Carnival Australia cruise lines making 72 calls to South Australian ports, generating almost $65 million in economic activity.
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