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Royal Princess makes regal debut in Hobart

TasPorts’ pilot Marcus Merchant and Capt. Andrea Spinardi exchanged plaques when Princess Cruises’ 141,000gt Royal Princess arrived in Hobart for the first time.

Helen Hutcheon, Australasia correspondent

November 19, 2023

1 Min Read
CRUISE Marcus Merchant Andrea Sprinardi
Marcus Merchant and Capt. Spinardi with the plaques they exchanged in HobartPHOTO: HELEN HUTCHEON

Merchant explained to Spinardi that the Tasmanian plaque had been made with ancient huon pine, once used for wooden boat building and unique to the south west of the state.

Royal Princess, which made her maiden arrival in Sydney last month, returning from Hobart on Sunday, will make a total of 14 voyages during her 2023/24 Down Under season.

She will call at ports in Queensland, New Zealand, Tasmania and the South Pacific before departing Sydney on April 6, 2024 for Yokohama.

Second season

She will return to Sydney for a second Australian season on October 28, 2024, going through to April 11, 2025.

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Princess Cruises

About the Author

Helen Hutcheon

Australasia correspondent

Helen Hutcheon did her cadetship on a shipping magazine and worked in P&O’s Sydney office for seven years as a public relations journalist.

For 19 years she was deputy editor of Travel Week, which was Australia’s leading trade newspaper that covered major local and international industry events.

In 2008 the late legendary Rama Rebbapragada presented her with an award from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd ‘in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the cruising industry.’

In 2010 she won the Neil Frazer Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the cruise industry,’ elevating her to CLIA Australasia’s hall of fame.

She has been the Australasia correspondent for Seatrade Cruise Review since 1997 and for Seatrade Insider (now Seatrade Cruise News) since its launch in 2000.

 

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