P&O Cruises’ summer 2021 program features 30 itineraries from Brisbane including longer cruises to idyllic South Pacific islands and Papua New Guinea and themed Short Breaks for a taste of the joys of cruise holidays aboard the Pacific Brisbane.

After 16 years of sailing from the port, P&O Australia will hit the two million guest number soon as itineraries for the 2020-2021 season went on sale today.

Among the highlights is a new seven-night cruise to the Australian Open Grand Slam with a two-day overnight stay in Melbourne and three new 10-night Papua New Guinea Island Encounter cruises calling at five ports including a visit to the Conflict Islands, one of the most remote and beautiful locations in the Coral Sea.

In addition is a revamped Pacific Island Hopper itinerary with two departures visiting Noumea in New Caledonia for a half-day afternoon call followed by full-day calls to Mystery Island and Port Vila in Vanuatu.

There are also 14  three-and four-night Short Breaks including six three-night comedy themed Short Breaks, one 1980’s Tribute Cruise and seven four-night itineraries to Airlie Beach.

P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell said the program’s attractive mix of itineraries reflected the growing passion of Queenslanders for cruise holidays and P&O’s long commitment to Brisbane and the state. 

“Cruising represents a great success story in Queensland tourism and it is exciting to know that the new program will take P&O to the threshold of carrying two million passengers from Brisbane over 16 unbroken years of home-porting ships there,” Myrmell said.

“P&O’s cruising connection to Brisbane can be traced back more than 85 years with Strathaird’s inaugural cruise visit in 1932 but the future is even more phenomenal. The deployment of Pacific Explorer and the introduction of the city’s new international cruise terminal is set to take Brisbane into the big league of cruising.”

The summer 2020-2021 season will also include the Pacific Adventure sailing from Sydney, offering 29 roundtrip cruises from three to 13 nights while the Pacific Aria will call Adelaide home for two months and the Pacific Dawn will sail from Melbourne.