After 92 years, Australian cruising won't be the same without P&O

Australian cruise line P&O is sailing into the sunset and leaving us with plenty of memories.

A chapter of Australian cruising history nearly a century long is about to end with the folding of P&O Cruises Australia. Parent company Carnival Corporation last week revealed it would “sunset” the local brand in March next year and fold the Australia operations into Carnival Cruise Line. Sunset is the nicest possible way to say it’s over – after 92 years of operation. It truly is the end of an era.

Many Australians will have fond memories of sailing with P&O. My dad sailed aboard the SS Canberra to the US from Fremantle in the 1960s as an exchange student. He always remembered the dedicated teen area called the “Pop Inn” which featured a jukebox, soft drink machine and a mural created by superstar UK artist David Hockney. I recall as a child in the 1980s being regaled by my grandparents’ stories about travels to far-off lands aboard the SS Oriana in Southeast Asia. Poring over the photos of them in exotic ports fed my wanderlust.

And who could forget Fairstar – “the Fun Ship”? We could all sing the ad, and dream of visiting the South Pacific. So it comes as a bit of a surprise that P&O Cruises will be no more, given its most recent (and no doubt expensive) ad campaign (where a crowd of ecstatic cruisers sings along to Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere) was just as evocative.

As it stands, the P&O Cruises Australia fleet consists of Pacific Explorer, Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter. Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet in February, and the other two ships will become Carnival vessels.

It also means job losses, with Carnival stating that the folding will result in a smaller full-time team based in Australia.

A chapter of Australian cruising history nearly a century long is about to end with the folding of P&O Cruises Australia. Picture: Supplied.

In a statement on the P&O Cruises website, Carnival says it will “continue to deliver the same on-board experiences and itineraries with the benefit of Carnival Cruise Line Hub app and loyalty program” on Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter.

It all comes down to economies of scale.

“Given the strategic reality of the South Pacific’s small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we’re adjusting our approach to achieve the efficiencies needed to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region,” Carnival chief executive Josh Weinstein said in a statement.

Carnival says the folding will result in a smaller full-time team based in Australia. Picture: Picture: P&O Cruises.

The news comes in the wake of Virgin Voyages exiting Australia after just one summer season, and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth pulling out of homeporting in Australian waters come 2025-26 in favour of sailing year-round in the Caribbean. Add to this Princess pulling out of sailing from Melbourne in 2025-26 due to higher port taxes.

What does it mean for the future of cruising in Australia waters?

According to Dan Russell from leading cruise travel agent Clean Cruising, the news that P&O Cruises Australia will be retired has come as a shock to the hundreds of thousands of Australians who sail with the cruise line each year.

“The decision to consolidate brands confirms Australia has become an over-regulated, expensive part of the world to operate ships from,” he says.

Originally published as After 92 years, Australian cruising won't be the same without P&O