Pacific Jewel
Pacific Jewel is P&O Cruises’ latest addition to the Australian fleet and will be sailing a superb range of accessible Australian and South Pacific itineraries.
Not every new ship comes direct from the shipyard. Some have been given a second or third lease on life with a new name for a different cruise line. Such is the case with Pacific Jewel, which was built in 1990 as Crown Princess.
Even then, she was a trendsetter. Her striking profile was said to resemble a dolphin, and the dome atop the forward superstructure encompassed a multipurpose room with striking sea views in nearly every direction. As Pacific Jewel, much remains the same, although she has been given a multimillion-dollar makeover - so she is fresh and fit for her new role in the fleet of P&O Cruises Australia. Passengers boarding Pacific Jewel will find spacious cabins (nearly 200 with private balcony), an indulgent spa and fitness centre that P&O Cruises describes as “a luxurious temple to pampering”, and dazzling aerial entertainment on the open-air upper deck, which has been specially redesigned for performances of Australia’s first seagoing circus, featuring high-flying trapeze artists.
The 70,310-GRT Pacific Jewel enters service on December 13 on cruises out of Sydney. Sailings include a variety of Australian and South Pacific itineraries ranging from three to 16 nights, which means Pacific Jewel offers close-to-home getaways for every time frame and budget.