Pacific Explorer leaving Fremantle, Australia, 2023
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History | |
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Name |
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Owner | Carnival Corporation & plc |
Operator | P&O Cruises Australia |
Port of registry |
|
Route | Australia and New Zealand |
Builder | Fincantieri, Italy |
Cost | US$300 million |
Yard number | Monfalcone 5955 |
Launched | 11 July 1996 |
Decommissioned | February 2025 (Planned) |
Maiden voyage | 10 May 1997 |
Refit | June 2009 |
Identification |
|
Status | list error: <br /> list (help) In service, Possibly in 2025 for sale. final call in Sydney in July 2024[3] |
Notes | [1][2] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Sun-class cruise ship |
Tonnage | |
Length | 856 ft (261 m) |
Beam | 105.6 ft (32.2 m) |
Draught | 27 ft (8.2 m) |
Decks | 10 passenger decks |
Deck clearance | 10 ft 6.3 in (3.208 m) |
Installed power | 46,080 kW (combined) |
Propulsion | Diesel-electric; two shafts |
Speed | 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) (maximum) |
Capacity | 1,998 passengers |
Crew | 924 |
Notes | [1][4] |
Pacific Explorer (previously known as Dawn Princess) is a cruise ship operating since June 2017 by P&O Cruises Australia, a cruise line brand owned by the Carnival Corporation & plc. It is a Sun-class cruise ship built by Fincantieri, Italy, in 1997, and features eight restaurants, four swimming pools, five hot tubs/spas/whirlpools, seven lounges and bars, and two children centres.
She is the sister ship to Sun Princess, P&O Cruises' Oceana (former Ocean Princess) and Sea Princess. Pacific Explorer and Sun Princess differ from Oceana and Sea Princess by having exterior bridge wings. Oceana and Sea Princess have internal bridge wings.
As part of the announcement that P&O Cruises Australia would merge with Carnival, it was revealed the Pacific Explorer will not be joining the Carnival fleet and will be withdrawn in February 2025. The future of the ship is yet to be known.[5]