Lourey said the 1,950-passenger Sun Princess will join P&O Cruises Australia’s 70,000gt Pacific Dawn, based in Brisbane year-round.
A total of 19 ships from across Carnival’s fleets will be in Australian waters this summer. They are Pacific Dawn, Pacific Sun, Pacific Jewel, Pacific Pearl, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Sun Princess, Dawn Princess, Sea Princess, Diamond Princess, Pacific Princess, Ocean Princess, Oriana, Aurora, Arcadia, Seabourn Odyssey, Amsterdam, Volendam and Zaandam.
These ships are scheduled to make more than 300 calls at 24 Australian ports from now until next April, generating an estimated A$230m for the nation’s economy, Lourey said.
A highlight will be Cunard’s first circumnavigation of Australia by Queen Mary 2 in February.
More than 70 trade breakfast seminars will be held around Australia from September 23 until the end of October to promote the summer cruise season.
‘Our primary vehicles for training travel consultants over the last 12 months have been our Princess and P&O Academies which each now have 5,000 members,’ Lourey said.
‘On top of this, we are offering more face-to-face training with such a big variety of cruise ships in the market, from the 2,620-passenger Queen Mary 2 to the 450-passenger Seabourn Odyssey.
‘We want to get across to the consultants that we have something for everyone.’
Agents attending the seminars will have the opportunity to earn extra commission and on-board credits.
