Australians asked to re-name HAL ships transferring to P&O fleet

They have been asked to put the names on the company’s Facebook page together with a theme and the reason for their choice.

The person suggesting the best names will be announced on July 9 and will win a cruise for two on the inaugural voyage of one of the renamed ships. He or she will also be a special guest at the renaming celebrations.

‘We can’t wait to see what names are put forward,’ P&O Cruises Australia’s svp Tammy Marshall said.

‘We’re looking for names that are modern and fresh and capture the spirit of a cruise holiday,’ Marshall said. ‘Ideally there will be some connection between the names of the two ships, but we will wait to see what Australia comes up with.’

She said that while the last six P&O Cruises Australia ships have all had Pacific in their names, including the present fleet of three -- Pacific Dawn, Pacific Jewel and Pacific Pearl -- the ex-HAL ships do not have to follow that pattern.

The addition of the HAL ships will take the company’s fleet to five, making it the biggest operator of ships home-ported year-round in Australia.

Marshall said they will deliver much-needed capacity in the world’s fastest growing cruise market.