Dawn Princess / Pacific Explorer ... 5762 days

[arxcards]

Today, 2nd July 2024 finds Pacific Explorer departing Brisbane on her final day in QLD. Thursday 4th July, marks the final day the ship will spend in Sydney, 5762 days after Sydney first became Dawn Princess' home base on 24th September 2008. In Australian cruising terms, I believe her length of Aussie service is only surpassed by TSS Fairstar.

 

On Thursday, she departs for New Zealand for an Auckland season lasting till the end of October. November till January sees her based in Melbourne & Adelaide, followed by a very short season in Fremantle, departing Australia for the final time on February 7th.

 

Personally, we have done 2 x Dawn Princess + 3 x Pacific Explorer cruises. Overall, she wasn't our favourite ship for either brand, but she was in the right place at the right time and we have heaps of great memories from our time aboard. Very co-incidentally, we are in Sydney on Thursday to board another ship. At the time we booked Pacific Explorer still had a future in Australia, and there was not a sentimental thought in my head. As I was able to clear some work this morning and snag a sub-$200 room at the Sydney Harbour Hotel (formerly Old Sydney Holiday Inn, Rydges Sydney Harbour), it feels like a good excuse to get some photos of her final arrival into Sydney.

[Cbtours]

13 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Today, 2nd July 2024 finds Pacific Explorer departing Brisbane on her final day in QLD. Thursday 4th July, marks the final day the ship will spend in Sydney, 5762 days after Sydney first became Dawn Princess' home base on 24th September 2008. In Australian cruising terms, I believe her length of Aussie service is only surpassed by TSS Fairstar.

 

On Thursday, she departs for New Zealand for an Auckland season lasting till the end of October. November till January sees her based in Melbourne & Adelaide, followed by a very short season in Fremantle, departing Australia for the final time on February 7th.

 

Personally, we have done 2 x Dawn Princess + 3 x Pacific Explorer cruises. Overall, she wasn't our favourite ship for either brand, but she was in the right place at the right time and we have heaps of great memories from our time aboard. Very co-incidentally, we are in Sydney on Thursday to board another ship. At the time we booked Pacific Explorer still had a future in Australia, and there was not a sentimental thought in my head. As I was able to clear some work this morning and snag a sub-$200 room at the Sydney Harbour Hotel (formerly Old Sydney Holiday Inn, Rydges Sydney Harbour), it feels like a good excuse to get some photos of her final arrival into Sydney.

Our first ever cruise was in the dawn Melbourne to NZ, a Christmas cruise 2011 I think. It was fantastic and we have been hooked on cruising ever since! Still researching our 22nd Princess cruise for mid 2025 in UK

[Ozwoody]

Its a sad time.

We have only been on the Dawn once, our 2014 world Cruise we loved her, fit us perfectly.

We have also sailed the Sun twice, and the Sea Princes 3 times, the last time we sailed her was our 2018 World cruise, and it was just like being at home, after being on the Dawn.

 

We loved the smaller ships, will very much miss the Sun Class ships.

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:22 AM by Ozwoody

[MicCanberra]

Times, they are a changing

[Ozwoody]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Times, they are a changing

People keep saying that, but as I've gotten older, I'm not as sure that's such a good thing!

 

Viva la Trogodytes😏

[By The Bay]

Whilst researching how to observe the total solar eclipse around Cairns in 2012, I discovered that the Dawn Princess would be cruising in the area. That was our introduction to what was to us a great ship and cruise. In all, we cruised on Dawn 6 times and Explorer 3. ⛵🌅

[arxcards]

Her final Sydney arrival.