Victoria Sails into Biggest Summer of Cruising as Emerald Princess Makes Maiden Visit
Princess Cruises'
spectacular 3082-guest Emerald Princess has made her maiden visit to Melbourne
as the State prepares for its biggest summer season of cruising. Victoria Sails into Biggest Summer of Cruising as Emerald Princess Makes Maiden Visit
Emerald Princess' call is the first inaugural cruise ship visit of the season for Melbourne, and comes during a busy few days at Station Pier. One of Emerald's sister ships Sun Princess called at Melbourne on Friday, while Golden Princess will arrive tomorrow for her second season of cruises from the city.
Princess ships are regular visitors to Victoria with all of the line's five locally-based ships making calls to the State this season.
While Emerald Princess will visit Melbourne twice more as part of her inaugural five-month season of cruises from Sydney, the 2600-guest Golden Princess will be based in the city offering 15 cruises from Melbourne between November and April. Golden Princess' 2016-17 season marks the ninth year that Princess has based a ship in Victoria over the summer.
In total, Princess Cruises will make 23 calls to Melbourne between November and May, injecting close to $20 million into the State economy in passenger and crew spending, provedoring and port charges, and accounting for more than a quarter of all of the city's cruise ship visits over the extended summer season.
The cruise line will also make three calls to Phillip Island, spreading the economic benefits of cruising around the State.
Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the arrival of Emerald Princess and the return of Golden Princess heralded a bumper Victorian cruise season.
"Victoria will enjoy a parade of Princess ships this summer. Emerald Princess is a beautiful ship that is turning heads as she cruises around Australia and we can't wait to see Golden Princess return home to Melbourne for another big summer of cruising," Mr Allison said.
"As the biggest cruise operator in Melbourne, Princess' ships will carry more than 50,000 holidaymakers to and from the city as our guests enjoy cruises to New Zealand, the South Pacific and Tasmania."
Stretching 290 metres, Emerald Princess boasts a long list of exciting features including a speciality restaurant SHARE by Curtis Stone, Princess' new Salty Dog pub serving up the Ernesto Burger – rated the best burger at sea – and gourmet small dishes developed with renowned US chef Ernesto Uchimura, combined with whisky flights. The ship's arrival will also set the stage for the debut of the much-anticipated onboard musical Magic to Do from Oscar and Tony award-winning Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz. Guests can also enjoy the Voice of the Ocean competition, exclusive to Princess, which brings the spectacle of TV's wildly popular international singing competition to the high seas.
The 113,000-tonne superliner features more than 1500 guest rooms, including nearly 900 balcony staterooms, with every room offering the Princess Luxury Bed designed to deliver the ultimate night of sleep at sea. Also on board are eight showrooms and lounges, two nightclubs and four swimming pools as well as signature Princess offerings such as the child-free Sanctuary, poolside Movies Under the Stars and the luxurious Lotus Spa. Guests can enjoy fantastic shopping, with options including a stunning EFFY jewellery outlet, a first in the local market.
Emerald Princess' debut takes Princess Cruises' Australasian capacity to a record 11,800 berths across five ships during the 2016-17 cruise season. With five of Princess' 18 ships cruising local waters this summer, Australia ranks as the cruise line's biggest market outside the United States.
Emerald Princess will sail at 5pm tonight for Sydney, where she will be based until April.
