Arcadia to lead world's biggest-ever world cruise program in 2009

**Ally** · 10-11-2007, 03:29 PM

The largest P&O Cruises ship ever to visit Australia, the 2000-passenger Arcadia, will make a maiden voyage here in 2009 as part of the world's biggest-ever world cruise program.

An unprecedented three British superliners - the huge Arcadia, launched just two years ago, and her famous, state-of-the-art sisters, Oriana and Aurora - will visit a total of 71 destinations in 34 countries during their 2009 world voyages. And in a coup for Australia, all three ships will visit our shores in February and March 2009, making a record total of 16 calls across the continent.

P&O Cruises, which invented cruising in 1837, has released for sale 41 full world, line or sector voyages across the three ships in 2009, with 20 of the line voyages to sail to or from Australia. Fares are priced from A$7935 per person* for a 39-day leg.

The 83,000-ton child-free Arcadia is the fourth P&O Cruises liner in history to boast the famous name - a Greek word for a mythological paradise. The second of those liners, a 30,000-ton ship simply branded as 'The Arc', was arguably the most loved P&O ship ever to sail from Australia after carrying hundreds of thousands of migrants and passengers on more than 230 voyages to and from the UK and on pleasure cruises through the Pacific from 1959 to 1979.

The latest 2000-passenger Arcadia, bigger than all her predecessors, is a chic, child-free ship tailor-made for couples. She boasts 14 bars, a three-storey West End-style theatre, panoramic glass-walled lifts facing the sea, aromatic jet showers in the spa sanctuary and three pools - including one covered by a sliding skydome, ideal for relaxation, meditation and Tai Chi. Arcadia also offers six restaurants and cafes including an Asian-fusion restaurant and a fine dining venue created by UK celebrity chef Gary Rhodes.

Arcadia's maiden world voyage will see her visit Perth, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Whitsundays in February 2009. Other destinations during her 101-night voyage include Egypt, India, Malaysia, Japan, China,Vietnam, Cambodia and the Mediterranean.

The stylish 1874-passenger Aurora will visit Darwin, Townsville, the Whitsundays, Brisbane and Sydney in February and March, 2009, as part of her 93-night around-the-world voyage which also visits South Africa, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti and Mexico.

Meanwhile, P&O Cruises' classic and popular 1822-passenger Oriana will visit Cairns, Whitsundays, Brisbane and Sydney in February 2009 during an 82-night circumnavigation of the globe, which also takes in the Caribbean, Hawaii and Hong Kong.

Offering P&O Cruises' famous British-style service and pampering, including traditional afternoon teas, the globe-trotting trio provide the easiest way to see more of the world in one holiday than most people see in a lifetime, without the inconvenience of jet-hopping and constant packing and unpacking.

Double onboard credits are available for full or line voyage bookings made before November 30, 2007, providing spending credits of £250 per person for cruises 35-64 nights long and up to £750 per person for longer cruises. An early booking discount of 50% is available when bookings are made before Jan 31 2008, subject to availability.

Line voyage sectors now available include:

# 38 nights from Southampton to Perth on Arcadia, departing January 5, 2009, priced from A$7995 per person*
# 42 nights from Southampton to Adelaide on Arcadia, departing January 5, 2009, priced from A$8225 per person*
# 44 nights from Southampton to Melbourne on Arcadia, departing January 5, 2009, priced from A$8615 per person*
# 47 nights from Southampton to Sydney on Arcadia, departing January 5, 2009, priced from A$9195 per person*
# 49 nights from Southampton to Brisbane on Arcadia, departing January 5, 2009, priced from A$9595 per person*
# 39 nights from Southampton to Darwin on Aurora, departing January 11, 2009, priced from A$7935 per person*
# 42 nights from Brisbane to Southampton on Oriana from February 16, 2009, with fares from A$9385 per person*

(*Fares are cruise only, per person, in Aust. dollars in complete twin inside stateroom, inclusive of 50% early booking discount (available to Jan 31, 08) and all taxes and charges. Subject to availability. Conditions apply)

(Source: P&O Cruises Australia)