P&O Cruise Pacific Explorer Disembarked

Exciting news this week when the passengers on the cruise ship P&O Pacific Explorer were able to disembark at Cascade Pier on 28 June 2023. This was the first P&O Cruise ship to successfully visit Norfolk Island since the start of the Covid Pandemic in early 2020.

The westerly winds made for chopping unsettled conditions at Kingston on Wednesday and the opposite side of Norfolk Island was sheltered, and the P&O Cruise ship anchored in Cascade Bay and the Norfolk Island passenger transfer vessels, were set up at Cascade Pier, ferrying the travellers from ship to shore and returning back to their P&O cruise ship at the end of the day.

Since the arrival of the three passenger vessels in 2019, they have been used three times to transfer passengers from cruise ships to the shore on the Norfolk Island stopover on their Pacific cruises and adventures. The first cruise ship passengers to use the tenders was on 20 October 2019, the P&O Pacific Explorer cruise ship, disembarked at Cascade Pier, therefore it is interesting to note that this P&O vessel is now the fourth cruise ship to use the passenger boats. The passenger vessels are named Nuffka (Kingfisher), Hihi (periwinkle) and Wana (sea urchin).

On Wednesday morning, I visited Cascade Pier, and captured a few images of the beautiful cruise ship in the bay along with the transfer vessels as they shuttled the visitors, ready for they fun day exploring Norfolk Island. The awaiting bus drivers drove the passengers in the tour buses into town, and a drop off, pick up zone was set up at the Norfolk Island RSL carpark.

It has been reported that 1700 passengers came ashore, and the town was busy with visitors, and the island population almost double for the day, bring $$$ into our local tourist industries, local shops, and cafes. I also spotted families enjoying their Norfolk Island visit and many also walked the Kingston World Heritage Area, visiting the museums, walking through the convict ruins as well as the shoreline and Emily Bay. I am sure the passengers were pleased the weather was kind this week and the travellers enjoy their day exploring our beautiful Norfolk Island.

This cruise is a six-day voyage, one-way from Cairns, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand, stopping at Norfolk Island. The passengers departed Cairns on Saturday, 24 June, four days later they arrived here on Norfolk Island on Wednesday, 28 June, and later in the day the cruise ship departed our shores for their final leg to New Zealand, scheduled to arrive in Auckland on Friday 30 June.

Pacific Explorer was also known as Dawn Princess, the former name of the P&O Cruise Ship. I have read that the Pacific Explorer, often also called Dora the Explorer, is able to carry up to 2000 passengers.

This web page has information and updates of the current position of the vessel.

Pacific Explorer Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review | CruiseMapper

• Since Covid-19 closed our Norfolk Island borders, only three cruise ships have been able to unload passengers during their Norfolk Island visits. The Lindblad Expedition Cruise ship visited Norfolk Island on 27 December 2022. This was the first cruise ship passengers to visit Norfolk Island since the M/S Maasdam anchored at Kingston on the 23 January 2020 and the visitors came ashore, then within two months Covid closed borders on 16 March 2020.

• The next cruise ship which was able to unload passengers was on 3 March 2023. The National Geographic Orion, passengers disembarked at Kingston on zodiacs and had a lovely afternoon exploring Norfolk Island hosted by Baunti Tours. This was the first cruise ship to successfully come ashore this year, with approximately thirty passengers.

• The cruise ship Heritage Adventurer visited Norfolk Island on 24 March 2023. The passengers were able to disembark on tenders, the ship’s zodiacs, at Cascade Pier and the cruise ship sat out in the bay as the travellers enjoyed their day on Norfolk Island. This was the third cruise ship to disembark since Covid 19 closed our borders.

The next scheduled cruise ship I have listed is due on Tuesday 18 July 2023, P&O Pacific Encounter with up to 2600 passengers.

Here are a few photographs of this week’s visit of the P&O Pacific Explorer, I have also found previous images of the ship which I captured during visits in October 2018, and October 2019. We wish the cruise ship passengers and P&O crew, safe travels and hope we get to see you all again.

Betty Matthews

June 2023