P&O Cruises today announced it is adding three more cruise calls to Eden this season as Pacific Aria became the first Carnival Australia-brand cruise ship to return to the Sapphire Coast following the bushfire emergency.
Pacific Explorer will make the three calls on March 29, May 10 and May 16 representing an additional 6000 guests to help boost the region’s economic recovery sending a message that Eden and the Sapphire Coast are open for business.
The three calls represent a significant increase in cruise calls to Eden in 2020 by Carnival Australia-brand ships effectively extending the region’s summer cruise season. Holland America Line’s Noordam was due to call on January 3 but was unable to do so due to the bushfire crisis. (See list below of Carnival Australia-brand ship calls in 2020).
“The people of Eden and surrounding communities have endured a terrible period with the impact of the bushfires,” said Sture Myrmell, President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia. “Pacific Aria’s arrival today sends a powerful message that the local community is resilient, courageous and ready to welcome visitors.
“We are delighted to be playing a part in the region’s recovery and the three additional P&O ship visits will certainly contribute to much needed commercial activity and support the community’s message that the region is on the path to recovery.”
State Member for Bega and Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said: “Our region has been rocked to its core and we need people now more than ever to visit. The additional cruise ships into Eden port will be a great support to local and surrounding businesses and I am grateful for the commitment by P&O Cruises. This will provide an economic injection that many of our local businesses certainly need at this time.”
Port Authority of NSW CEO Philip Holliday said: ‘The Port Authority is pleased to be working with P&O Cruises to support increased cruise visitation to Port of Eden”. Eden Chamber of Commerce President Peter Whiter said: “The Eden Chamber of Commerce is grateful to P&O Cruises for the extra cruise ship visits this season. The impact that the horrific fires have had on our tourist economy has been almost as disastrous as the fires themselves. It’s going to be a long road to recovery and these visits will help establish the recovery in Eden and the region.”
Mr Myrmell said he hoped Pacific Aria’s visit to Eden would help lift the spirits of the Sapphire Coast community knowing that their fellow Australians support them. “Pacific Aria’s visit and the three additional P&O calls to Eden are a further sign that the Sapphire Coast is also on the path to recovery and we are honoured to help.”
For further information, please contact:
David Jones, Carnival Australia, +61 2 8326 4111
Carnival Australia-Brand Ships – Eden Cruise Schedule 2020:
Feb 7 Pacific Aria (P&O Cruises)
Feb 15 Maasdam (Holland America Line)
Feb 24 Noordam (Holland America Line)
Mar 7 Seabourn Encore (Seabourn)
Mar 15 Pacific Explorer (P&O Cruises)
Mar 21 Seabourn Encore (Seabourn)
Mar 29 Pacific Explorer (P&O Cruises) *
Apr 15 Noordam (Holland America Line)
May 10 Pacific Explorer (P&O Cruises) *
May 16 Pacific Explorer (P&O Cruises) *
Nov 15 Pacific Aria (P&O Cruises)
Nov 21 Sea Princess (Princess Cruises)
*additional P&O Cruises visits
Background Note:
Carnival Australia has pledged $1.9 million in total to a number of bushfire relief efforts in Australia. This includes $1.5 million from the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, much of which is funding a UNICEF Australia initiative to support the back-to-school needs of children whose families lost everything in the fires in Australia this summer.
Carnival Australia had previously announced a $350,000 commitment to Red Cross Australia to support its bushfire relief efforts. P&O Cruises and the guest-funded P&O Pacific Partnership had also made a $50,000 contribution to St Vincent De Paul’s bushfire relief work in NSW and Queensland.
On January 19, another Carnival Australia-brand ship, Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess, was the first cruise ship to return to Kangaroo Island following bushfires that devastated large sections of the western side of the island. Sun Princess’s visit signalled that Kangaroo Island was on the path to recovery.
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