P&O Cruises Australia has just launched celebrations of the 90th anniversary of cruising at a history
filled event hosted aboard the newly refurbished Pacific Encounter.
The occasion marks 90 years of P&O offering scheduled cruises from Australian ports, with
the first voyage taking place aboard the P&O ocean liner Strathaird.
Strathaird’s first Australian cruise sailed from Sydney to Brisbane and onward to Norfolk
Island.
It was so popular that it sold out in three days and demonstrated the significant desire
for Australian pleasure cruising.
While passengers were excited to see ports such as Brisbane and Norfolk Island on the
first voyages, the ship was the real appeal; especially when the voyage was being booked
on one of the famous Strath-sisters such as Strathaird and Strathnaver.
In fact, it was so successful, that P&O undertook a further five cruises in that inaugural season,
with voyages aboard Strathaird, Strathnaver, Moldavia, Narkunda and Maloja taking place
throughout 1933.
So, what was life on the early cruises like?
Well, very different that’s for sure.
Today we are used to cruises being all encompassing experiences where your every whim is catered
for.
There are teams of entertainment staff aboard each cruise ship to ensure passengers are
kept entertained for the entire trip.
Take P&O’s Pacific Encounter for example.
She’s got two show lounges, a shipboard hotel, multiple restaurants, a spa, swimming
pools and the on-deck Edge experience including zip lines, rope ladder climbing and the brand-new
twin racer waterslides.
Now it won’t come as a surprise to you that the first P&O cruises did not offer waterslides.
But they also didn’t offer much of what is available today.
After boat drill, on day one, passengers would be invited to nominate a committee of other
passengers who were then tasked with developing an entertainment programme.
The purser’s office would provide a few staff to help, but it was up to the travellers
to arrange the actual events.
Popular activities on the early cruises included egg and spoon relays, bucket and ball, as
well as push the bottle.
Despite the simple entertainment, the cruises were very popular and passenger demand increased.
This was bolstered in 1934 when the P&O liner Cathay undertook a circumnavigation of Australia
– the first P&O cruise of its kind, and something that pioneered Australian cruising
travel even further.
Over the decades, P&O Cruises has grown to become Australia’s leading cruise brand.
The 1980s saw Oriana cruise here, as well as the beloved Fairstar which was unquestionably
Australia’s favourite cruise ship.
Fairstar was followed by Fair Princess which was in-turn replaced by Pacific Sky.
By the 2000s the brand was introducing more and more cruise ships to sail locally – some
names you may remember including Pacific Sun – the former Jubilee, Pacific Star – the
former Tropicale, Pacific Dawn – the former Regal Princess, Pacific Pearl – the former
Ocean Village, Pacific Jewel – the former Crown Princess, Pacific Eden – the former
Ryndam and Pacific Aria – the former Maasdam.
Today the brand has three large ships – Pacific Encounter, Pacific Adventure and Pacific Explorer.
These ships continue the P&O cruising tradition, sailing on pleasure voyages from Aussie ports
to the South Pacific.
Happy 90th Anniversary P&O Cruises…
[singing] Happy birthday to you happy birthday to you happy birthday P&O cruises happy birthday
to you!
hip hip hooray hip hip hooray hip hip hooray.
Happy 90th birthday P&O cruises Australia and here's a nod to our past.
…and here’s to the next 90!
Thanks so much for watching and I hope you found the video interesting.
If you did, I think you'll like our book A Photographic History of P&O Cruises.
I've linked to it in the description.
Thanks again for watching and I hope you 'sea you onboard'.