P&O Cruises Australia announced six new dedicated cruises to Papua New Guinea in its latest program release, calling at Alotau, Kitava Island, Rabaul, Kiriwina Island and the Conflict Islands.

One of the highlights is a new 11-night round-trip voyage to one of the most remote locations in the Coral Sea, the Conflict Islands, the company said.

The cruise on the Pacific Aria departs Sydney Harbour mid-November 2019 and calls at the group of 21 islands.

In 2016 P&O became the first cruise line in the world to offer calls to the Conflict Islands.

The latest program sees five 10-night New Guinea Island Encounter cruises departing Brisbane with an option for families to take advantage of the two Papua New Guinea cruises taking place during the school holidays. 

The cruise line’s latest brochure also features an exotic line-up of six new one-way cruises to or from Singapore including an 18-night Australia and Southeast Asia Discovery cruise departing Adelaide in March 2019 and calling at Port Kelang, Langkawi and Penang in Malaysia and Phuket in Thailand.

P&O Cruises President Sture Myrmell said the new program offered an exciting selection of unique longer cruises to Asia and Papua New Guinea combined with the extremely popular shorter getaways, themed cruises and voyages to the South Pacific Islands enjoyed by guests all year round.

“In our latest program we continue to offer cruises from more Australian home ports than any other cruise line in the market with round trip itineraries from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland,” Myrmell said.

“During this season we have scheduled dry docks for Pacific Explorer and Pacific Dawn in Singapore which has provided an opportunity to offer a choice of new cruises of 13-nights or more to the Far East.

“The Conflict Islands continue to prove extremely popular two years on from our first voyage and we’re pleased to offer this stunning corner of the world up to guests with a new itinerary from Sydney. 

“Each year we aim to provide unique shore experiences at the destinations we visit. From traditional cooking classes in Alotau, the capital of Papua New Guinea’s Milne Bay Province to discovering the ancient volcano in Rabaul on Papua New Guinea’s north-eastern tip – there is something for everyone to enjoy in Papua New Guinea,” he said.  

The new 2019-20 program will deliver 136 cruises in total including 64 SeaBreak cruises of 2, 3 and 4-nights in duration departing Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland.