P&O Cruises Australia will shut down early next year after nearly a century of voyages.
The cruise ship liner’s parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, made the announcement on Tuesday, confirming that P&O would be integrated into its sister line, Carnival Cruise Line, in March 2025 and cease to exist.
Carnival’s CEO, Josh Weinstein, said the decision was made due to the South Pacific’s “small population” as well as “significantly higher operating and regulatory costs”.
Once the integration is complete, the Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure ships will begin sailing under the Carnival Cruise Line brand while the Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet.
A notice on the P&O website confirmed that any Pacific Explorer cruise scheduled to sail after 2 March next year will be cancelled.
“If you are booked on one of these itineraries you will be contacted by guest services in the coming days with refund details,” the website said. “We apologise that this change has been necessary.”
In a statement, Weinstein said P&O is a “storied brand with an amazing team” and “we are extremely proud of everything we have accomplished together in Australia and the broader region.”
“However, given the strategic reality of the South Pacific’s small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs, we’re adjusting our approach to give us the efficiencies we need to continue delivering an incredible cruise experience year-round to our guests in the region.”