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Pacific Explorer

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For the ship that sailed as Dawn Princess 1988–1993, see RMS Sylvania.

Star Voyager
Star Voyager as Pacific Explorer leaving Fremantle, Australia on 22 April 2023
History
Name
  • Dawn Princess (1997–2017)
  • Pacific Explorer (2017–2025)
  • Star Voyager (2025–present)[1]
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
BuilderFincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy
CostUS$300 million
Yard number5955
Launched11 July 1996
DecommissionedFebruary 2025 (Planned)
Maiden voyage10 May 1997
RefitJune 2009
Identification
StatusIn service
Notes[5][6]
General characteristics
Class and typeSun-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length856 ft (261 m)
Beam105.6 ft (32.2 m)
Draught27 ft (8.2 m)
Decks10 passenger decks
Deck clearance10 ft 6.3 in (3.208 m)
Installed power46,080 kW (61,790 hp) (combined)
PropulsionDiesel-electric; two shafts
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) (maximum)
Capacity1,998 passengers
Crew924
Notes[5][7]

Star Voyager (previously known as Dawn Princess and Pacific Explorer) is a cruise ship soon to be operated by Star Cruises and was previously operated by P&O Cruises Australia, a cruise line brand owned by the Carnival Corporation & plc. She is a Sun-class cruise ship built by Fincantieri at their yard in Monfalcone, 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 Pacific World, Queen of the Oceans and Dream. Star Voyager and Pacific World differ from Queen of the Oceans and Dream by having exterior bridge wings. Queen of the Oceans and Dream have internal bridge wings.

Ship history

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Princess Cruises

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Dawn Princess in Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska, United States. Taken in 2006 from Sun Princess

In 2001, while operating in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park, Dawn Princess struck and killed a humpback whale while travelling too fast through the protected waters. Princess Cruises was later charged and found guilty in United States federal court and paid a fine and restitution totalling US$750,000.[8]

Dawn Princess was targeted to replace Pacific Princess, 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 Pacific Dawn. 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.[9] 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. In 2009, Dawn Princess underwent a refurbishment adding the "Movies Under the Stars" outdoor theatre and an adults-only area.[10]

On 7 October 2015, Carnival announced that Dawn Princess would be transferred in May 2017 to its Australian subsidiary P&O Cruises Australia as Pacific Explorer.[11] Dawn Princess entered drydock on 26 May 2017 at Sembawang, Singapore, for conversion to Pacific Explorer.[12]

P&O Cruises Australia

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Pacific Explorer at Sydney, Australia in 2017

Pacific Explorer was re-registered to the United Kingdom and arrived at Sydney on 19 June 2017 for a three-day stay before conducting her maiden voyage to the Pacific islands. She was re-christened by the Nickelodeon Studios character Dora the Explorer on 2 July at Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal after arriving from her maiden voyage.[13]

On 2 June 2022, Pacific Explorer was the first cruise ship to use the new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.[14] On 13 December 2022, a woman fell overboard between Melbourne and Kangaroo Island, triggering a search off the coast of South Australia. Her body was found several hours later, and a joint investigation by South Australia Police and Victoria Police was initiated.[15]

In April 2023, the ship sailed from Fremantle to Exmouth to allow passengers and astronomers to witness the hybrid solar eclipse. Onboard were numerous scientists.[16]

In June 2024 Carnival Corporation announced Pacific Explorer would leave the P&O Australia fleet in 2025 as part of the planned shutdown of the P&O brand in Australia.[17] In December 2024, during a Christmas-themed parade, eight staff members dressed in costumes that allegedly resembled the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) headgear. P&O Cruises Australia said that the pointed white hoods were "upside-down snow cones", not the KKK.[18]

Star Cruises

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In February 2025 Resorts World Cruises announced they would acquire the ship in March and, though briefly named Star Scorpio, instead would be renamed Star Voyager.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Resorts World Cruises Announces Fleet Expansion with Star Scorpio's first homeport in Singapore starting 26 March 2025". Resorts World Cruises.[dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Lloyd's Register Pacific Explorer Asset Details". Lloyd's Register. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Resorts World Cruises Announces Fleet Expansion with Star Scorpio's first homeport in Singapore starting 26 March 2025" (PDF) (Press release). Resorts World Cruises. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  4. ^ "A New Era Begins with the Grand Return of StarCruises and Dream Cruises" (PDF) (Press release). Resorts World Cruises. 26 February 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Dawn Princess". VesselTracker. 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  6. ^ Ward, Douglas (2005). Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. ISBN 978-9812467393.
  7. ^ Ward, Douglas (2008). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. London: Berlitz. pp. 335–336. ISBN 978-981-268-564-3.
  8. ^ Rosen, Yereth (9 August 2007). "Cruise line pleads guilty in whale-death case". Reuters. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  9. ^ "Princess Cruises : Australia Coastal". Princess Cruises. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  10. ^ Ghias, Summar (18 August 2011). "The Dawn Princess: A Huffington Post Travel Cruise Ship Guide". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Dawn Princess to be Transferred to P&O Australia". Cruise Industry News. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Pacific Explorer Enters Drydock for Transformation". Cruise Industry News. 30 May 2017. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Pacific Explorer Christened in Sydney". Cruise Industry News. 2 July 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  14. ^ Atfield, Cameron (2 June 2022). "'Cruising is back': New Brisbane terminal finally welcomes passengers". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  15. ^ Hales, Holly; McMillan, Isabel (14 December 2022). "Victoria Police called to help investigate after woman's body found off cruise ship". news.com.au. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  16. ^ Frame, Chris (17 April 2023). "I travelled 1,275km to see the sun disappear!". Chris Frame Official (Maritime Historian). Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  17. ^ Frame, Chris (17 April 2024). "Shock news as P&O to be shut down". Chris Frame Official (Maritime Historian). Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  18. ^ Wilson, Natalie (22 January 2025). "Cruise line insists staff weren't dressed in KKK gear after fancy dress mishap". The Independent. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  19. ^ "Resorts World Cruises Renames Star Scorpio to Star Voyager" (PDF) (Press release). Resorts World Cruises. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
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