With stunning harbour views and a menu that included freshly-shucked oysters and barramundi, washed down with a pinot grigio from Victoria’s King Valley, it was an ideal location to launch the company’s 2016-17 programme.
Allison said the ‘headline act’ in the new programme is an 84-night roundtrip ‘Circle South America’ voyage aboard Sea Princess departing Sydney on January 11, 2017.
He said Princess Cruises’ resident ship will call at 28 ports across 18 countries including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Uruguay.
He said Australian passengers will have the opportunity to experience the exotic cultures of these countries from the comfort of the 77,499gt ship which was refurbished in 2012.
Another highlight is the ‘Four Continents Grand Adventure’ voyage of Emerald Princess from Southampton on September 28, 2016 to Australia where she will undertake her first season of cruising Down Under from November 2016 to April 2017.
The 113,000gt Emerald Princess replaces Diamond Princess, which made her first extended Down Under season in 2005-06. She will cruise from Sydney to New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Allison said there is also great excitement about the arrival of the 108,000gt Golden Princess in October this year -- the 50th anniversary of Princess Cruises -- to be home-ported in Melbourne for five months.
