Pacific Sun cruise ship to leave Australia

 

The 25-year-old ship hit the headlines earlier this year when three cruises were cut short because of engine problems.

The Pacific Sun, which carries 1900 passengers, has been plying the South Pacific for seven years with P&O and sails out of Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane.

Her last cruise - a seven night cruise of the Pacific Islands - will depart Brisbane on July 1.

P&O said travellers booked on Pacific Sun cruises after July 8 will be re-booked on equivalent or near equivalent cruises on other P&O Cruises ships or offered a choice of alternative cruises on other ships in the fleet where a near equivalent match is not possible.

It will provided refunds to passengers for whom no alternative cruise choice is suitable.

The move comes as Carnival Australia introduces more ships to one of the world's fastest-growing cruise markets.

Other ships in its fleet include P&O Cruise's Pacific Dawn, Pacific Jewel and Pacific Pearl and Princess Cruises' Sun Princess, Dawn Princess and Sea Princess.

It will also welcome the 88,500 ton Carnival Spirit, which will sail from Sydney, in October next year.

The Pacific Sun is believed to have been purchased by a Chinese company, which is likely to launch new cruises out of China towards the end of next year, Cruise Weekly reported.

Cabins are still available for several cruises between January and June.

In March, a 14-night New Zealand cruise was cancelled when an engine gave way halfway through and passengers spent six days at sea returning to Australia instead of the two days stated in the itinerary.

It led to the next cruise to Melbourne being shortened and it also returned early from a three-day cruise from Sydney a night early after more engine problems.

Affected passengers were offered a 50 per cent refund or cancellation with a full refund and 25 per cent credit on a future cruise.