By The Bay Posted October 7, 2021 #1 Share Posted October 7, 2021 In a first for P&O Australia, Pacific Explorer will host the inaugural voyage, which will depart from either Brisbane or Sydney, and visit Melbourne, Adelaide, Albany, Fremantle, Exmouth, Broome, Kuri Bay, Darwin, Cairns and Airlie Beach, along with a call at Ambon Island in Indonesia. The cruise also includes scenic cruising of Yampi Sound and Raft Point in the Kimberley. P&O’s new Australian Explorer cruise and 2023/24 program will go on sale next Wednesday, 13th October. Source What is at Kuri Bay? If Princess cruises around Australia are a guide, this cruise should be very popular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aus Traveller Posted October 7, 2021 #2 Share Posted October 7, 2021 (edited) Maybe the popularity of Princess' around Aust cruises has prompted P&O to follow suit. They used to do longer cruises up until 2010, so it is interesting to see that they are changing their marketing strategy again. With their short cruises, they were seeking to attract first-time cruisers and people who wouldn't go on such a long cruise. Edited October 7, 2021 by Aus Traveller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewgood Posted October 7, 2021 #3 Share Posted October 7, 2021 It will be interesting to compare the prices to the other mass market cruise lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted October 7, 2021 #4 Share Posted October 7, 2021 I'm not sure I'd want to do the southern part of that cruise at that time of year. The sea conditions could be a bit rough then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewgood Posted October 7, 2021 #5 Share Posted October 7, 2021 7 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said: I'm not sure I'd want to do the southern part of that cruise at that time of year. The sea conditions could be a bit rough then. Good point but if I book a mid ship cabin lower down on the ship and take plenty of sea sick tablets ...🙄 You're right it is an interesting time to run this cruise. But it is good that they are trying to run longer cruises in our winter time, it may just not be the right intinerary for that time of year. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 7, 2021 #6 Share Posted October 7, 2021 I like it and it confirms my suspicions about P&O trying to attract all demographics by offering a variety of cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinbadThePorter Posted October 7, 2021 #7 Share Posted October 7, 2021 1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said: I'm not sure I'd want to do the southern part of that cruise at that time of year. The sea conditions could be a bit rough then. Maybe P&O will copy Princess and split the cruise into Southern and Northern routes. Pacific Explorer also has an interesting cruise going Fremantle to Cairns on 18th May 2023. Then several cruises based in Cairns. There is an eclipse cruise on the 17th April 2023. P&O seem to mixing up their itineraries, which is good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icat2000 Posted October 7, 2021 #8 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Any variance in ports between this PO itinerary and Princess one. Or is it same ports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted October 7, 2021 #9 Share Posted October 7, 2021 2 minutes ago, icat2000 said: Any variance in ports between this PO itinerary and Princess one. Or is it same ports. It looks like pretty much the same ports as the Princess ones. There aren't actually that many options in some parts of Australia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinbadThePorter Posted October 7, 2021 #10 Share Posted October 7, 2021 (edited) 12 minutes ago, icat2000 said: Any variance in ports between this PO itinerary and Princess one. Or is it same ports. For P&O ports missing are Willis Is (of course), Geraldton, Busselton, Burnie and Hobart. P&O ports added are Airlie Beach, Ambon and Exmouth. I think Ambon may be a stretch even in 2024. Edited October 7, 2021 by SinbadThePorter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belmont Babe Posted October 7, 2021 #11 Share Posted October 7, 2021 11 minutes ago, icat2000 said: Any variance in ports between this PO itinerary and Princess one. Or is it same ports. No Tasmania, which is disappointing. I love Hobart. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinbadThePorter Posted October 7, 2021 #12 Share Posted October 7, 2021 1 minute ago, Belmont Babe said: No Tasmania, which is disappointing. I love Hobart. I've been to Hobart in June. I'm not going back at that time of year.🥶 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 7, 2021 #13 Share Posted October 7, 2021 2 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said: For P&O ports missing are Willis Is (of course), Geraldton, Busselton, Burnie and Hobart. P&O ports added are Airlie Beach, Ambon and Exmouth. I think Ambon may be a stretch even in 2024. Bali is opening up now, can't see why Ambon wouldn't be by 2024 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 7, 2021 #14 Share Posted October 7, 2021 2 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said: I've been to Hobart in June. I'm not going back at that time of year.🥶 Dark mofo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinbadThePorter Posted October 7, 2021 #15 Share Posted October 7, 2021 5 minutes ago, MicCanberra said: Dark mofo? No, work. There was a big snowfall on Mt Wellington while I was there, which looked good, but jeez it was cold and windy! My Qld blood is too thin for that climate. 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted October 7, 2021 #16 Share Posted October 7, 2021 2 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said: For P&O ports missing are Willis Is (of course), Geraldton, Busselton, Burnie and Hobart. P&O ports added are Airlie Beach, Ambon and Exmouth. I think Ambon may be a stretch even in 2024. The Princess ports vary sometimes. Willis Island isn't usually on their Round Australia itineraries, they usually go to PNG or somewhere in Indonesia. The next one, in March, was changed to Willis Island. I can understand them omitting Tasmania at that time of year. Just going through Bass Strait would be bad enough if the seas are high. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 7, 2021 #17 Share Posted October 7, 2021 10 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said: No, work. There was a big snowfall on Mt Wellington while I was there, which looked good, but jeez it was cold and windy! My Qld blood is too thin for that climate. 😎 That would do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_cruiser Posted October 9, 2021 #18 Share Posted October 9, 2021 Its looks like a interesting cruise! and could be a good one to do! This is only the second time P&O Australia has offered a 28 day long cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By The Bay Posted October 9, 2021 Author #19 Share Posted October 9, 2021 8 hours ago, Kiwi_cruiser said: Its looks like a interesting cruise! and could be a good one to do! This is only the second time P&O Australia has offered a 28 day long cruise! I would imagine that it will be very popular. I just worry about crossing the Great Australian Bight in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
possum52 Posted October 9, 2021 #20 Share Posted October 9, 2021 33 minutes ago, By The Bay said: I would imagine that it will be very popular. I just worry about crossing the Great Australian Bight in winter. It could be very rough and not a pleasant cruise across the bight. May not be an easy ride through Port Phillip Heads either. Not for me at that time of the year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 9, 2021 #21 Share Posted October 9, 2021 Those stretches of water can be rough any time of the year, just like the Bass strait 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewgood Posted October 12, 2021 #22 Share Posted October 12, 2021 What do you think of the prices for this now that it's on sale? The site I found it on didn't have many suites or minisuites left out of Sydney but a few out of Brisbane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted October 12, 2021 #23 Share Posted October 12, 2021 On 10/10/2021 at 9:54 AM, MicCanberra said: Those stretches of water can be rough any time of the year, just like the Bass strait Some huge swells in the Bight and Bass Straight, been through a couple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewgood Posted October 12, 2021 #24 Share Posted October 12, 2021 I had a great day on the old Dawn Princess on the ground floor in the atrium watching the waves hit the windows during a crossing of the Bass straight. Half the ship stayed in bed and the other half were in the atrium. I had a couple of seasick tablets as well as plenty of coffee to keep me awake. I don't know if I would like to do a few days like that though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 13, 2021 #25 Share Posted October 13, 2021 I have crossed Bass Strait numerous times, over a dozen anyway, so far it is about 1/4 rough and 3/4 fine or smooth.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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