Tag Archives: queensland

Two thousand cane toads invade Sydney for the first origin cruise

Posted: June 1, 2022

Australia, Onboard Features, Press Release, , , , , , , , ,

Sydney today will be invaded by a ship load of rugby league supporters and ex-players from Brisbane for the first ever Holden State of Origin cruise.

pacific dawn

Pacific Dawn

P&O Cruises’ Pacific Dawn is scheduled to arrive in Sydney approximately 6:30am, cruising past the Opera House about 6:45am and docking at White Bay about 7:30am for a special overnight visit.

With 2000 primarily Queensland guests onboard, the ship is carrying a substantial number of the Maroons fans who have received entry and transfers to the Origin opener as part of the cruise fare at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.

ANZ Stadium

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Whether or not the Maroons take home the Origin trophy in 2016, this cruise is a big win for Queensland footy fans. As well as transport, accommodation, food and entertainment, guests on the inaugural State of Origin cruise are getting some of the hottest tickets in town included as part of their cruise fare - it’s seriously great value,” Mr Myrmell said.   [/pullquote]

The seven-night roundtrip cruise departed Brisbane on Saturday, calling at Moreton Island on Sunday where past players including Queenslanders Steve Price and Petero Civoniceva and Blues legends Steve Menzies, Paul Harragon, Steve Roach and Paul Sironen went head to head with guests in a game of beach touch football. Pacific Dawn called into Newcastle yesterday and provided a great opportunity for fans to explore the city and parade their colours.

So far on the cruise, fans have revelled in a assortment of league-themed activities from Origin trivia hosted by Foxtel presenter Steve Hart plus photo opportunities and Q&A sessions with the former players.

On her way back to Brisbane, a Holden State of Origin post game wrap-up featuring Steve Roach, Paul Sironen, Petero Civoniceva and Steve Price which will be broadcast live on Facebook.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”The only thing some of our Queensland guests love more than cruising is the Maroons, so look out Sydney - Pacific Dawn and her ship load of Queenslanders are coming!”[/pullquote]

Queensland Is Sailing Towards A $2 Billion Cruising Boom As Sydney Runs Out Of Space

Posted: April 17, 2022

Australia, , , , , , ,

As Sydney runs out of space to accommodate the cumulative amount of cruise ships sailing to Australia, the Sunshine State has turned out to be home to more cruise ship ports than anywhere else in the country and industry leaders say Queensland is set to be the big winner

Concept design for the planned mega-cruise ship terminal

Concept Design For The Planned Cruise Ship Terminal.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Sydney is pretty much full during the peak season. We continue to see double-digit growth in the sector. That’s where Brisbane, and Queensland, has the biggest opp­or­tunity,” Cruise Lines International Association general manager Brett Jardine said.   [/pullquote]

During the Asian off-season, Queensland will be cashing in on the booming market of Chinese tourists taking cruises, as the cruise ships that are typically bases in Asian ports are likely to come to Queensland to operate in their off-season.

The Port of Brisbane is preparing a detailed business case for a $100 million mega-ship terminal at Luggage Point, at the entrance of the Brisbane River, and anticipates to start assembly next year to allow more cruise ships to visit.

Currently Brisbane doesn’t have the facilities to host lines over 270m long, but my 2020, the expected cruise ships over 270m long will grow by more than 60 per cents

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “We are seeking to develop a dedicated passenger terminal that would make Brisbane a major domestic and international cruise destination, bringing thousands of additional visitors to Queensland each year,” Port of Brisbane chief executive Roy Cummins said.   [/pullquote]

Meanwhile, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is steaming ahead with plans for a cruise ship terminal at The Spit.

In 2015, Queensland received 275 ships and 645,942 passengers, up more than 140,000 compared to 2014, making Queensland the fastest-growing cruise market in the country.

In 2015, cruise passengers injected $749.7 million to the Queensland economy, this number is predicted to surge this year as different ­destinations, including Fraser Island and Gladstone, are added to cruise ship itineraries.

Over the next two decades the new Brisbane cruise terminal is anticipated to multiple the industry’s fiscal profits to almost $2 billion a year.

Cairns, Townsville and the Whitsundays are also keen to boost the number of liner visits.

 

Endorsement For Stage One Of Brisbane’s Second Cruise Terminal

Posted: February 13, 2023

Australia, Press Release, , , , , , , , , ,

The Queensland government confirmed today the tender led by Carnival Australia and Royal Caribbean International to construct a A$100m (US$71m) mega cruise facility at Luggage Point at the mouth of the Brisbane River.

Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd CEO, Roy Cummins, said Brisbane’s second cruise ship terminal would deliver substantial economic and tourism benefits for Queensland.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]‘We are pleased the Queensland government recognises the need for a mega ship cruise facility in Brisbane and Port of Brisbane’s commitment to delivering the best possible outco mes for the State in the shortest possible timeframes,’ he said.[/pullquote]

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]‘Cruise ships are getting longer and currently there is no dedicated facility in Brisbane to accommodate vessels longer than 270mtrs. By 2020 mega ships will represent approximately 60% of Brisbane’s vessel calls and without a new facility Brisbane and Queensland may miss out on future visits.’[/pullquote]

Cummins said this is Queensland’s opportunity to grow its share of the cruise market.

He said the facility would enable Brisbane to become a base port for international and domestic cruises.

Port of Brisbane will now complete a detailed design and all required environmental and technical investigations, with the final proposal subject to government, PBPL board and key stakeholder approval.

Port of Brisbane will now go through comprehensive assessments of its design and all obligatory environmental and technical surveys.

Carnival Australia applauded the Queensland government’s choice to allow further investigation of the new terminal for Brisbane.

Carnival Australia executive chairman Ann Sherry said Brisbane is one of Australia’s main cruise hubs and ‘deserves a cruise facility that can cater for the growing number of larger vessels in the region.’

Royal Caribbean International regional Vice President Asia Pacific, Gavin Smith, said ‘we are delighted that the Queensland government has recognised the opportunity that the Luggage Point Cruise Terminal provides for the Queensland economy and community.’

Smith said almost all of the company’s ships are restricted to Fisherman’s Island because of height and length restrictions.

He said the second cruise terminal is a prerequisite to the continued growth of the cruise industry in Queensland.

Queensland Behold the Legend

Posted: December 8, 2022

Australia, Onboard Features, Press Release, , , , , ,

Royal Caribbean International’s first ever cruise ship based in Queensland, Legend of the Seas, has arrived to her new home of Brisbane. The new local legend will sail from the sunny state until April 2016 and is forecasted to inject more than $24 million into the Queensland economy in passenger spending alone.

RB1274-0076

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “We are thrilled to welcome Legend of the Seas to her brand new home.  We have been working towards basing a ship in Brisbane since opening our Australia office in 2009 – so it’s a great pleasure to finally deliver Queenslanders with an international style of cruising, right on their doorstep,” said Adam Armstrong, Regional Commercial Director, Royal Caribbean International.   [/pullquote]

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Queensland is one of the fastest growing markets in the country and has been a major source market for our Sydney-based ships over the last decade. Positioning Legend of the Seas to Brisbane offers greater convenience for Queenslanders, who now have an exciting new choice in cruise lines.”   [/pullquote]

At 70,000 tons, Legend of the Seas is one of the biggest ships in Royal Caribbean’s armada that can explore the Brisbane River and dock at Portside Wharf, Hamilton. After her US$50 million revitalisation in 2013, the ship gloats unprecedented facilities that visitors won’t discover onboard some other cruise ship cruising from Brisbane, for example, the Central Atrium where high flying trapeze artists put on a mind blowing elevated demonstrate, an outside rock climbing wall for dynamic travellers to test their aptitude, a mini golf course, indoor adults only swimming pool for all the more restful interests, and in addition a children nursery.RB1274-0110

Legend of the Seas’ onboard eating offering will thrill Queenslanders with six choices including three specialty restaurants – a Japanese restaurant called Izumi, Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse Chops Grille and the 12-seat Chef’s Table private dining room. She additionally includes a dazzling two-deck amazing dining room, a pool-side wide screen showing motion pictures and sports, a 800-seat theater with Broadway style shows, the Vitality Spa and Fitness centre, a beauty salon and a shopping arcade.

Legend of the Seas arrived early Tuesday at around 6am, finishing up a 18-night re-positioning cruise from Hong Kong. The ship leaves tonight at 6pm on a two-night Sampler – the first nearby cruise of her maiden season.

Amid her five month season, Legend of the Seas will set out on 15 itineraries in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific going from two to 18 nights. The ship will come back to Brisbane for a broadened summer season October 2016.

Legend of the Seas is Royal Caribbean International’s extraordinary fourth ship cruising in Australia for the 2015/16 summer season; joining Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas cruising out of Sydney; adding to limit development of almost 50% this summer.

Legend of the Seas Facts

P&O Cruises Announces First Cruise Calls to Fraser Island

Posted: October 27, 2022

Australia, New Cruise Ship, Press Release, , , , , , ,

In another spectacular development in its suite of cruise itineraries, P&O Cruises today announced that it will next year make two calls to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island located off the southern Queensland coast.

Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden — the two latest additions to the P&O Cruises fleet — will call at Fraser Island on April 3 and December 12 respectively, the first of a number of calls to the Island which boasts some of the world’s most magnificent scenery, wildlife and visitor experiences.

The calls to Fraser Island, one of 15 regional destinations in Australia pioneered by P&O Cruises in recent years, are an exciting part of the line’s soon to be released cruise program for its five-ship fleet (with the arrival in November of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden).

The first two Fraser Island cruises will be on the 1500-guest Pacific Aria on a roundtrip itinerary from Brisbane in April and on the 1500-guest Pacific Eden on a roundtrip cruise from Sydney in December.

Both cruises are being conducted in conjunction with the world renowned Kingfisher Bay Resort which offers a range of eco-friendly four wheel drive tours of the island along its beaches and 1500km of tracks.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Fraser Island’s Indigenous inhabitants gave their island home a name that means paradise and our cruise passengers will have the opportunity to discover this for themselves,” said Ann Sherry CEO of Carnival Australia which operates P&O Cruises, one of seven cruise lines in the company’s house of brands.   [/pullquote]

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Visiting Fraser Island by cruise ship with its 184,000 hectares of diversity from pristine beaches, lake and sand cliffs to rainforests will be a unique experience for our cruise travellers. We are delighted to be working with the Queensland Government, Queensland National Parks, Kingfisher Bay Resort and the Fraser Coast Region to make sustainable cruise tourism part of Fraser Island’s visitor experience.”   [/pullquote]

Queensland Minister for Tourism Kate Jones welcomed the announcement and said it was great to see P&O Cruises expand its offering to include Fraser Island, off the back of recent announcements of Mooloolaba, Hamilton Island and Gladstone.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “We’ll now see more visitors enjoying Fraser Island’s natural beauty, which is great news for local tourism operators. We hope that the incredible experiences visitors will have on Fraser Island make them want to return to Queensland again,” Ms Jones said.   [/pullquote]

Kingfisher Bay Resort Group General Manager David Hay said the partnership with P&O Cruises would deliver increased tourism opportunities across the Fraser Coast.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “The domestic cruise market has grown significantly in recent years and we welcome this exciting opportunity to attract more visitors to Fraser Island and the region,” Mr Hay said.   [/pullquote]

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“The Fraser Coast has some incredible products and experiences to offer our domestic and international visitors and it is pleasing to see this potential being recognised by major companies like P&O Cruises,” Mr Hay said.[/pullquote]