P&O Australia announced it had found a new buyer for Pacific Aria and that the ship would leave the fleet in November 2020.
The announcement means the Carnival Corporation-owned company will have an almost completely refreshed fleet once voyages resume, with just its flagship Pacific Explorer remaining.
The departure of Pacific Dawn has already been announced and she is going to become a retail-hotel-event venue in Panama.
Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter/Star Princess are expected to join the Australian fleet in 2021. They are newer and bigger vessels, meaning the company will maintain its capacity but with fewer cruise ships.
The 1260-passenger Pacific Aria was to be sold to Cruise & Maritime Voyages/CMV UK, the British company which is now in administration/bankruptcy. The new buyer has yet to be revealed.
Pacific Aria has sailed a total of 455,351 nautical miles - the equivalent to 21 times around the Equator, or to the moon and back. When she was launched on Sydney Harbour back in 2015, the ship showcased the company’s new look interiors when P&O’s then 5-strong fleet was in Sydney at once.
According to P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell, Pacific Aria had made 220+ voyages since joining the fleet.
Passengers who were booked on Pacific Aria from December 18 can choose alternative arrangements such as a full refund or bonus onboard credit in case they choose the FCC-future cruise credit option. Passengers on select cruises can opt to move the booking to the same time next year as well as receive bonus onboard credit.