Pacific Explorer is a cruise ship since June 2017 operated by P&O Cruises Australia, a cruise line brand owned by the Carnival Corporation & plc. It is a built by Fincantieri, Italy, in 1997, and features eight restaurants, four swimming pools, five hot tubs/spas/whirlpools, seven lounges and bars, and two children centres. She is the sister ship to, P&O Cruises' and. Pacific Explorer and Sun Princess differ from Oceana and Sea Princess by having exterior bridge wings. Oceana and Sea Princess have internal bridge wings.
Princess Cruises
Ports of call
Dawn Princess was targeted to replace, sailing Australian waters between October 2006 and March 2007, to become the largest ship ever to be based in Australia, but these plans were eventually replaced by Sun Princess as well as being served by . Dawn Princess began sailing in Australia as of 24 September 2008 with a 28-day itinerary circumnavigating the country, after a month serving Hawaii, Tahiti, and the South Pacific. From this point on, Dawn Princess remained in Australia permanently sailing from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth alongside Sun Princess under the Princess brand until it was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed Pacific Explorer.
Refurbishment
In June 2009, Dawn Princess was dry-docked in the Port of Brisbane, Australia, for refurbishment. In June 2017 Pacific Explorer was dry-docked in Sembawang Singapore, for refurbishment and re-branding from Dawn Princess. February 2020 Pacific Explorer Dry Dock for February 12 to February 27 for refurbishments and maintenance
Accidents and incidents
On 31 October 2011, it was announced that a technical fault in the propulsion system caused the ship to sail at reduced speed, which would cause a delay in the departure of its next cruise scheduled to depart from Sydney on 1 November 2011. This fault was not deemed to compromise safety of passengers and crew. On 25 September 2017, it was announced on board that there had been an outbreak of gastroenteritis onboard Pacific Explorer. However, at this time there was an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Sydney. This suggested the presence of a norovirus on board the ship. The following decks were affected: Decks 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14 which contained the Pantry Buffet Restaurant. To help limit the spread, hand washing was mandatory all over the ship. In the two teenager kids clubs every hour the rooms would be cleared and disinfected and hand sanitizer was passed around every 30 minutes. Cruise operations continued as normal and the itinerary was not changed.
