''Pacific Explorer'' (previously known as ''Dawn Princess'') is a

cruise ship Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...

operated since June 2017 by

P&O Cruises Australia P&O Cruises Australia is a British-American owned cruise line with operational headquarters as part of Carnival Australia, based in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia. Originally a sister company of P&O Cruises in the United Kingdom, it was ...

, a

cruise line A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships that operate on ocean or rivers and which markets cruises to the public. Cruise lines are distinct from passenger lines which are primarily concerned with transportation of passengers. Though ...

brand owned by the

Carnival Corporation & plc Carnival Corporation & plc is a British-American cruise operator with a combined fleet of over 100 vessels across 10 cruise line brands. A dual-listed company, Carnival is composed of two companies – Panama-incorporated, US-headquartered Carniv ...

. It is a built by

Fincantieri Fincantieri S.p.A. () is an Italian shipbuilding company based in Trieste, Italy. Already the largest shipbuilder in Europe, after the acquisition of Vard in 2013, Fincantieri group doubled in size to become the fourth largest in the world (2014 ...

, Italy, in 1997, and features eight restaurants, four swimming pools, five hot tubs/spas/whirlpools, seven lounges and bars, and two children centres. She is the

sister ship A sister ship is a ship of the same class or of virtually identical design to another ship. Such vessels share a nearly identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. They often share a ...

to , P&O Cruises' (former ''Ocean Princess'') and . ''Pacific Explorer'' and ''Sun Princess'' differ from ''Oceana'' and ''Sea Princess'' by having exterior bridge wings. ''Oceana'' and ''Sea Princess'' have internal bridge wings.

Princess Cruises

Ports of call

''Dawn Princess'' was targeted to replace , sailing Australian waters between October 2006 and March 2007, to become the largest ship ever to be based in Australia, but these plans were eventually replaced by ''Sun Princess'' as well as being served by (previously christened ''Regal Princess''). ''Dawn Princess'' began sailing in Australia as of 24 September 2008 with a 28-day itinerary circumnavigating the country, after a month serving Hawaii, Tahiti, and the South Pacific. From this point on, ''Dawn Princess'' remained in Australia permanently sailing from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth alongside ''Sun Princess'' under the Princess brand until it was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed ''Pacific Explorer''.

Refurbishment

In June 2009, ''Dawn Princess'' was

dry-dock A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...

ed in the

Port of Brisbane Port of Brisbane is the shipping port and coastal suburb of the City of Brisbane, on the east coast of Queensland, Australia. In the , Port of Brisbane had no residents living in the suburb. The port is the largest in the state of Queensland. ...

, Australia, for refurbishment. In June 2017, ''Pacific Explorer'' was dry-docked in Sembawang Singapore, for refurbishment and re-branding from ''Dawn Princess''. February 2020 Pacific Explorer Dry Dock for February 12 to February 27 for refurbishments and maintenance

P&O Cruises Australia

On 7 October 2015,

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

announced that ''Dawn Princess'' would be transferred in May 2017 to its Australian subsidiary

as ''Pacific Explorer''. ''Dawn Princess'' entered drydock on 26 May 2017 in Singapore (

Sembawang Sembawang is a planning area and residential town located in the North Region of Singapore. Sembawang planning area is bordered by Simpang to the east, Mandai to the south, Yishun to the southeast, Woodlands to the west and the Straits of Jo ...

) for conversion to ''Pacific Explorer'' to be released for cruises on 22 June. It was re-registered to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and arrived in Sydney, New South Wales on 19 June for a 3-day stay before conducting its maiden voyage to the Pacific Islands. She was christened by the

Nickelodeon Studios Nickelodeon Studios was a production studio and theme park attraction run by the television network Nickelodeon at Universal Studios Florida. Opening on June 7, 1990, as ''The First World Headquarters for Kids'', the studio attracted young tour ...

character

Dora the Explorer ''Dora the Explorer'' is an American children's animated television series and multimedia franchise created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, went on hiatus on June 5, 20 ...

on 2 July 2017 at Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal after arriving from its maiden voyage. On 2June 2022, the Pacific Explorer was the first cruise ship to use the new

Brisbane International Cruise Terminal The Brisbane International Cruise Terminal is an international cruise ship terminal in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The terminal is located at Luggage Point on the northern bank at the mouth of the Brisbane River in Pinkenba, adjacent to ...

Accidents and incidents

On 13 December 2022, a woman fell overboard between Melbourne and Kangaroo Island, triggering a search off the coast of South Australia. Her body was found several hours later, and a joint investigation by

South Australia Police South Australia Police (SAPOL) is the police force of the Australian state of South Australia. SAPOL is an independent statutory agency of the Government of South Australia directed by the Commissioner of Police, who reports to the Minister for ...

and

Victoria Police Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It was formed in 1853 and currently operates under the ''Victoria Police Act 2013''. , Victo ...

was initiated.

References

External links

*
Official website
{{Princess Ships Ships of P&O Cruises Australia Ships of Princess Cruises Ships built in Monfalcone Ships built by Fincantieri 1996 ships