Princess Ships to Sail in South Pacific

Princess Cruises will base four ships in the South Pacific during the 2018-2019 season, keeping pace with a trend that has seen the region become a hot market for U.S. travelers. The Golden Princess, the Sea Princess, the Sun Princess and a new ship, the Majestic Princess, will sail from six home ports in Australia, New Zealand and China beginning in March 2018. Voyages will range from four to 35 days, and will include stops at more than 70 destinations in 18 countries, Princess said. Majestic Princess, which can accommodate 3,560 guests, will sail from Sydney and Auckland on voyages from 6 to 13 days and will call in ports in New Zealand, Tasmania, Fiji and other islands in the South Pacific. “Australia and the entire South Pacific region has always had an allure as a magical place for travelers,” President Jan Swartz said in a statement. “Cruising is one of the best ways to explore this part of the world.” Australia and New Zealand have witnessed a spike in U.S. tourism in recent years. Roughly 722,000 U.S. residents visited Australia between Feb. 2016 and Feb. 2017, a 15 percent increase year over year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. New Zealand saw a 28 percent jump in U.S. tourism during the same period, with around 48,000 U.S. citizens visiting the country in Feb. 2017.