P&O Cruises is losing a brand new Vista-class ship and getting the 3000-passenger Carnival Splendor as a replacement to meet demand in Australia.
The decision to shift the Splendor to the P&O Cruises Australia fleet is a result of a global review carried out by the company.
The Splendor makes way for a new Vista-class ship joining Carnival Cruise Lines. That ship was ordered specifically for the P&O fleet and would have been the first ship built just for the Australia market.
The Splendor will join P&O in 2019 and means the line has still effectively doubled capacity within the last four years.
"We benefit from being part of a global organisation with a worldwide fleet of cruise ships that ensure we have the flexibility to make the most of opportunities in our region and to adjust our strategies accordingly," said P&O Cruises Australia president Sture Myrmell.
"Having reviewed the market, we believe a 3000-passenger ship is the right sized ship for the P&O fleet to drive further sustained growth in our market."
The 113,000-tonne Carnival Splendor is a full 50% bigger than the next largest ship in the current P&O Australia fleet.
"Welcoming a transformed and re-named Carnival Splendor to the P&O Cruises’ fleet in 2019 on the back of the addition of Pacific Explorer in mid 2017 cements our position as Australia’s leading cruise line," Myrmell added.
"As the Australian and New Zealand markets develop, we want to make certain that P&O Cruises is front-and-centre to capture growth with the addition of the biggest ship yet."
