50 years of memories: The Princess Cruises moments Australians will never forget

Sponsored by Princess Cruises

When Princess Cruises deployed Pacific Princess to sail in Australian waters for the first time in 1975, there were no massive water slides or enormous screens by the swimming pool. Shuffleboard and quoits were the main forms of entertainment on deck, and at night it was live bands, discos and formal nights for the guests who numbered in the hundreds, not the thousands that crowd onto today’s mega-ships.

But what the Pacific Princess delivered then, and what Princess Cruises has continued to do throughout its 50-year history cruising from Australia, is create a lifetime of memories for the many Australians who have set sail.

From the early years when Pacific Princess became one of the most famous ships in the world thanks to the TV show The Love Boat, through to Star Princess with its spectacular multi-storey, glass-enclosed entertainment space known as The Dome, and on to the Voyager Class ships scheduled for delivery in the mid-to-late 2030s, Aussies and Princess Cruises have developed a very special relationship indeed.

To mark Princess Cruises’ 50th anniversary of sailing in Australia, we asked some of the thousands of Australians who have sailed with the line to share their treasured memories, photos and stories. We particularly wanted to hear from those who embarked on a cruise during the’70s, ’80s and ’90s to bring that era to life for those who may be only just beginning their cruising adventures.

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From first loves to golden anniversaries

Cheryl Butler, from Adelaide, was just 20 years old when a friend talked her into a 14-night cruise to Fiji in 1976. She had no idea what to expect. What she got was a holiday full of adventure and even a bit of romance. But more importantly, it sparked in her a lifelong love of cruising.

“I didn’t know anything about cruising – but it was fantastic,” she recalls with a laugh. “And as a 20-year-old back then, it was so exciting. I can remember there was the entertainment and buffet up on the deck.

“We mingled with the ships’ officers – although I don’t know if they were meant to. We got to know them, and they bought us drinks. They were interesting to talk to, and we got to know some of them. I even had a shipboard romance with one of them, an engineer, I think he was. It was a bit of a fling – all part of the fun back then. And I loved being able to say I’d been on The Love Boat ship.”

The daughter of a sailor, Cheryl, 70, considers herself a ‘cruise buff’ now and travels with her brother. Since that maiden voyage, Cheryl’s been on about eight cruises, including on Diamond Princess, Coral Princess and Discovery Princess, and she is booked on a 21-night Mediterranean cruise on Star Princess in 2027.

“We just love the sea, it’s safe, you only unpack once, it’s fun, and you meet new people from all over the world and hear their stories and hear about their lives,” she says. “And then there’s the shore excursions too. Cruising opens up the world to you.”

For Deanne Almeida, from Melbourne, her memories of Princess Cruises are entwined with celebrations of milestone moments and precious time with family.

Her most recent cruise was in January 2025, when she travelled with her husband, Greg, 53; their children, Alicia, 21, and Evie, 15; her parents, Darrell, 76, and Beryl, 72; her sister, Nicole, 39; and brother-in-law, Brampton, 44. While on board, they marked three wedding anniversaries, but it was also an opportunity to celebrate the extra lease on life her father had been given.

In 2024, a planned cruise was postponed when he was diagnosed with blood cancer. After undergoing successful stem cell treatment, they decided to go on the trip as a family – and her dad picked up the bill.

“Dad’s illness made us more present,” Deanne says. “We put away all the petty things and valued our time together.”

That time was spent sipping cocktails, relaxing on the balcony and dining together. The crew of Royal Princess knew they were celebrating a 48th, a 25th and a 5th wedding anniversary, and went out of their way to make them feel special – even sharing it with the ship on big-screen announcements. Next year, they will celebrate her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary on board another Princess ship.

Sydneysiders Tracey Quinlan, 57, and her husband John, 71, reckon they’ve been on about 30 cruises since they were bitten by the cruise bug in 2013. “I love that you unpack once – it’s set and forget,” says Tracey. “I send the washing out to get done, and I get pampered. You can do as much as you want or as little as you want.”

Of all the cruises they’ve done, their journey on Coral Princess in 2015 is the standout as it was on this ship that they decided to renew their wedding vows.

“The crew were incredibly helpful with the arrangements and extra touches like a bridge tour, fluffy dressing gowns, and thoughtful floral arrangements for both me and my daughter Emily,” she says.

“After being pampered by the accommodating salon staff, I truly felt like a princess for the day. We capped off the celebration with an unforgettable dinner at Sabatini’s, where the team surprised us with champagne and a cake. It was a flawless, sentimental experience that turned a beautiful cruise into a lifelong family treasure.”

Fifty years of Princess cruising from Australia is 50 years of stories like these. Romances made, and romances renewed, friendships forged, families united and anniversaries and birthdays made even more memorable by crew willing to go the extra yard.

And as the ships get bigger and technology takes over from simpler times, Princess is ready to sail into the next half century with their loyal cruisers and a new generation of guests making memories to last a lifetime.

Joanne’s personal love boat

Joanne McDonald’s Princess story began on her honeymoon 33 years ago. After winning $10,000 in a competition, Joanne and her husband John decided to go all out to celebrate their nuptials and booked a cruise on Dawn Princess sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. Recalling the 1993 cruise through the Caribbean, Joanne smiles as the memories come back to her.

“We loved everything about it,” she says. “We were the only Aussies on the ship so they made a real fuss of us. I remember the food was fantastic and the service was excellent.”

But the highlight for the newlyweds was formal night. Joanne wore her wedding dress – a cocktail frock – and John dressed in his suit. They caused quite a stir. “Everyone was saying how lovely we looked. We got such a great reception. Everybody loved it.”

Photos of that special night are now framed in their loungeroom, a reminder of a wonderful time. “We’ve done quite a few cruises over the years, and they’ve all been Princess. We loved Princess right from the get-go.”