P&O Cruises Australia - MV Pacific Jewel

With Reuben Goossens

Cruise’n’Travel Journalist / Cruise Reviewer & Maritime Historian

P&O Cruises Australia

MV Pacific Jewel

Bound for Brisbane December 2009

MV Pacific Jewel

P&O Cruises have officially announced that in December 2009 Brisbane’s popular Pacific Sun will be replaced by a larger ship which will be renamed Pacific Jewel. This ship happens to be Pacific Dawn’s 70,000-tonne sister-ship and was built in Italy for Princess Cruises as the Crown Princess in 1990. She like the Pacific dawn, ex Regal Princess was famed for their forward dolphin shaped design and superb Italian décor. Now this magnificent ship is due to make its home in Brisbane.

The ship is seen here as built for Princess Cruises - MV Crown Princess

*Photographer unknown - *See note at bottom of page

After a few movements within the Carnival Group, she was transferred to Ocean Village Cruises in 2007 and renamed “Ocean Village Two” after having been given an extensive refurbishment which saw her interiors modernized extensively, and thus she has become quite a different ship to her sister the Pacific Dawn, that was once an identical twin. Without doubt Pacific Jewel will provide a massive boost for the Queensland and the Northern Territory cruise industry, as it will have a top class cruise ship operating from Brisbane, operating cruises along the Queensland Coast, sailing the Pacific and cruising around New Zealand! I am sure that all Queenslander’s and Territorian’s will look forward to the new brochure to be released in December with Pacific Jewel’s upcoming 2010 cruise itineraries.

To tempt you I have place a number of images of her interiors as she is today as the Ocean Village Two, however, she will receive an extensive refit prior her new role in Australia, thus there will be many changes to make her suited to our Australian needs. From those who have sailed on the Pacific Dawn, they will note one major difference on this ship as she is today, for currently she does not have the “Dome” which apparently was removed during a previous incarnation and it was replaced with Spa facilities, which is rather sad. We might ask, will P&O consider restoring this superb venue? I certainly do not know, however as you can see her lounges in the photographs below, they are magnificent and I only have a few facilities available at this time. We need to understand that she was refurbished for a specific market, being a youth market and thus she may not appear to have those cosy spots that we are used to, however, she will, as I said earlier, she will receive an extensive refit to make her a genuine Queenslander and she will suit our Aussie lifestyle very well!

Come onboard and take a look at Brisbane’s future Pacific Jewel and enjoy!

MV Ocean Village Two – Ocean Village Cruises is part of the Carnival Cooperation

All images below - except where marked otherwise, are by Carnival Plc/Ocean Village

The Grand Atrium – I believe that this space may well receive a make over!

The Casbah Lounge and Bar – This is a magnificent room and who needs to change it?

Another view of the Casbah Lounge – the other side, again superb!

Connexions Lounge and bar - It is modern, light and bright. I like it!

The Waterfront Restaurant – I can see possible changes to be made here

The Grill – a few plants maybe!

La Luna Café – could do with something, but I do not know the venues real purpose

The pool deck seen during the AIDA days – wonderful!

*Photographer unknown

Plantation Buffet – P&O may upgrade this venue and improve on what is already a great buffet area

Pacific Jewel Facilities and Statistics

Provided by P&O Cruises

Passenger facilities

Spacious and modern profile which includes:

A stunning 1300m² ocean-view spa and gym

Three-storey atrium foyer and an open-air deck aerial stage

Three restaurants and eight bars

Two swimming pools and two whirlpool spas

Casino, children’s centres, internet café, hair and beauty salon, and a medical centre.

Passenger cabins

832 cabins including:

198 cabins with private balcony

628 outside cabins

197 standard inside cabins

Vital Statistics

2000 passengers

11 decks

245m in length

70,310 tonnes

Max Speed: 20 knots

Pacific Jewel’s Fun Facts and Figures

Pacific Jewel’s Spa and Fitness centre, at 14,000 square feet, covers more area that an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

With a distance from bow to stern of 245m, Pacific Jewel is the length of almost 2 ½ football fields.

At 70,310 tonnes, Pacific Jewel’s gross registered tonnage is more than 58,000 new Volkswagen “Beetle” cars.

Pacific Jewel, ex Ocean Village Two will commence cruising out of Brisbane in December 2009

NEW - For News Updates and itinerary details December 2009 to April 2010 visit our Carnival/P&O News pages.

For further Information Email Me …

cruise@cruise-australia.net

In order to assist, please state city/town of residence or if you are a resident of New Zealand

Please NAME the SHIP on the email

A listing of recommended Australian & International Cruise Agents

ENTER HERE

Visit our many features on the following Carnival PLC Cruise Companies

P&O Cruises Australia: Pacific Sun / Pacific Dawn / Pacific Jewel

P&O Cruises UK: Aurora / Oriana / Artemis

Princess Cruises: Sun Princess / Dawn Princess

Cunard: Queen Mary 2 / Queen Victoria

Seabourn: Seabourn Yachts

For the Latest Cruise NEWS read our …

P&O/Princess/Cunard/Costa/Seabourn/Carnival News Updates

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For further information contact us:

cruise@cruise-australia.net

In order to assist, please state city/town of residence or if you are a resident of New Zealand

Please NAME the SHIP on the email

Please Note: Cruise-Australia is a non-commercial and privately owned cruise site. I have been in the passenger shipping industry since 1960 and I am currently semi-retired, but continue to write cruise/ship reviews and writes articles to inform cruise/ship enthusiasts and provides information for those intending a cruise. If you are interested in a cruise, I am happy to refer to a dedicated cruise agent in Australia or New Zealand, agents that specialises in cruising and who will be able to best to advise you and offer the best fares possible. I do NOT receive a commission from these agents, and in the majority of cases these agents will not be aware of my involvement as I provide the enquirer with the requested information and the agents (in their region) contact details. Reuben Goossens.

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Please Note:

Photographs on cruise-australia.net are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me, that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show the charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due! Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of their private collection.

This notice covers all pages, although, I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

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