To celebrate the 175th year of its heritage, British cruise line P&O Cruises is calling on Britons who migrated Down Under on one of its ships to tell their favourite stories about their journey to Australia.
The cruise line is holding a search for the so-called Ten Pound Poms, who travelled here as part of the post-World War II assisted migration program, with a group of 175 winners and friends set to celebrate at a special lunch onboard P&O Cruises Oriana when she visits Sydney on February 23.
To enter, Ten Pound Poms should send P&O Cruises their favourite memories of their migration to Australia – in 175 words or less.
Entries can be submitted at www.pocruises.com.au/tenpoundpoms until January 27, 2012.
P&O Cruises World Cruising can trace its roots back to 1837 when the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was awarded the lucrative Admiralty contract to carry mail to the Iberian Peninsula and beyond.
Now Britain’s largest cruise line, P&O Cruises World Cruising boasts a fleet of seven ships, with three superliners – Oriana, Arcadia and Aurora – due to visit Australia early this year as part of the annual world cruise program.
P&O Cruises Managing Director, Carol Marlow, said it was fitting the cruise line would celebrate its 175th anniversary in Australia onboard Oriana given the original Oriana sailed between the United Kingdom and Australia for more than 25 years including 241 visits to Sydney Harbour.
“After World War II, more than one million Britons sailed to Australia as part of the largest planned mass migration in history and most of these came on P&O ships,” Ms Marlow said.
“There are so many Australians whose families came to Australia on our ships and we are looking forward to hearing their stories about this momentous time in their lives. It will be a very special day on February 23 as we then invite them to join us in our celebrations of this momentous time in our brand history, as we mark 175 years of heritage.”
P&O Cruises plans to post a selection of stories about the liner voyages which carried immigrants from the UK to Australia on the website www.pocruises.com.au/tenpoundpoms
Follow