Australian P&O Cruises aficionados… fear not the coming changes, or rather exit, of P&O from the Aussie cruise landscape in 2025. That’s the message of Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, who has moved to allay fears that the merging of the famous brand into CCL will see an end to P&O-like cruising for Australians.
In massive news for the local cruising landscape, Carnival Corporation yesterday announced that the P&O Cruises Australia brand will be dissolved in March 2025 and its ships rebranded as Carnival Cruise Line vessels from that time.
But while a significant move, Duffy tells Karryon Australian cruise holidaymakers shouldn’t expect a major departure from P&O-spirited cruises for the soon-to-be Carnival-branded ships.
“We recognise that this is a significant change and difficult for many people who love P&O Cruises Australia, but I want to assure everyone that while there is going to be a change for the brand name, we are going to continue operating the P&O Cruises Australia ships post the conversion in March the way that we do today,” she says in an interview with Karryon while in Australia.
“So the same crew, the same guest experience that our guests enjoy and love will continue to be available – and we will work between now and then to certainly give the appropriate farewell and sunset to P&O Cruises Australia, as we know it is a very historic brand with so much positive legacy and memories for the many guests who have sailed with her.”
What’s new and not?
When it comes to the main differences the converted ships will offer – as Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter join Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa Down Under from March 2025 (Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet) – Duffy says the most notable change, other than the obvious branding, will be the availability of Carnival Cruise Line’s HubApp.
“We continue to invest in new functionality that enables online dining and shore excursion reservations through the app; you’re able to request food and beverage delivery where you are on the ship; we have chat functionality in the app among a lot of other features,” she explains.
In addition to this, loyalty will be more rewarded.
“We’ll also be able to include P&O Cruises Australia guests into Carnival’s loyalty programme and the promotional offerings specific to the Carnival ships that are sailing in the region,” Duffy says.
“So I think those will be value add, new things. But what won’t be new is the experience that our P&O Cruises Australia guests have come to love from P&O Cruises… the fun theme cruises, our 80’s cruises as well as the specialty dining and other partnerships that we have.
“They’re beautiful ships; we’re not changing the ships. So we are changing the brand to really enable us to leverage the scale of Carnival Cruise Line to address and support greater efficiency in this market.”
The CCL boss adds that itineraries are also unlikely to change significantly.
“I think what we’ll continue to see is the ships sailing out of Sydney,” she says.
“We have Carnival Luminosa that does seasonal Brisbane; Explorer was sort of a floater ship that did some of the longer itineraries around Australia; and so we’ll have to look at what or how we might replace that.”
P&O Cruises Australia made cruising “very accessible”
Another thing that won’t change when the rebranding occurs, according to Duffy, is the price point, an important factor given P&O’s perceived affordability among holidaymakers.
“It’s funny because that’s really the mantra for Carnival Cruise Line,” she says.
“So Carnival is accessible and affordable as a brand as well, and at this time, there are no plans to change the approach that we have for both of these brands, who have always been really very accessible in the market.”
So why the change then?
“Coming out of COVID and the restart, a lot has changed in the market and so this is really the best way for us to leverage the scale that we have,” she explains.
“And that really enables us to have a platform to be able to sustain year-round cruising here in Australia.”
Australian cruisers can also expect an appropriate farewell for P&O in the lead-up to its departure.
“Between now and March 2025, we will continue operating as P&O Cruises Australia, so guests will have an opportunity to participate in the sort of farewell or sunset of the brand over the remaining months that she’ll be sailing as P&O Cruises Australia,” Duffy says.
“We’re still in the planning places, but we’ll find ways to celebrate and honour P&O Cruises Australia and the important contributions that it’s made not only to Carnival Corporation and the cruise industry, but to the tourism industry in the region.
“And we very much value and don’t take for granted the connection and loyalty of the P&O Cruises Australia guests, our travel advisors and the destinations that have relied on us.”
