| Sapphire Princess pivots Down Under

PRINCESS Cruises has announced plans to redeploy Sapphire Princess (pictured) from Asia to the local market for a year-long season from 01 May (CW breaking news yesterday).

The ship will service Australia six months earlier than planned as she repositions from the troubled Asian region, which continues to see port restrictions implemented amid the battle to contain the cornonavirus outbreak.

Sapphire will add 44 new cruises from five major Australian cities to Princess’ offering, embarking on 171 port calls and injecting $140m into the local economy.

Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Asia Pacific Stuart Allison said the decision to expedite Sapphire’s entry to the local market would represent a significant boost to domestic and regional tourism.

“With the ongoing uncertainty of travel restrictions and port closures in Asia impacting our cruise operations in the region, we hope that this extended deployment in Australia will benefit local tourism, particularly in regional areas with 102 visits to regional ports around the country during her year-long deployment,” Allison said.

“Never has there been a better time to cruise from your doorstep, with convenient new departures from Sydney, Perth (Fremantle), Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane between May and Oct 2020,” he added.

Highlights include an inaugural Australia circumnavigation voyage sailing roundtrip from Adelaide, with similar options from Fremantle and Sydney, as well as 19 maiden calls along WA’s coast to cities such as Geraldton.

Also on offer will be roundtrip voyages to Fiji from Brisbane and Sydney, including a 12-night Fiji cruise from Sydney departing 25 Jun priced from $999 per person, twin share.

The extended Sapphire program will go on sale Mon 27 Feb.