P&O Cruises has lined up more itineraries than ever in regional Australia for the 20/21 summer season in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Brisbane will offer 30 itineraries for 2021 summer season with longer cruises to idyllic South Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea as well as shorter, themed sailings.

The line’s flagship Pacific Explorer will be based in Brisbane from October 2020 offering a variety of sailings so that Queenslanders can cruise from their doorsteps.

Some of the highlights of the 2021 summer season include a new seven night cruise to the Australian Open with a two-night overnight stay in Melbourne.

There will be three, new 10-night PNG, Island Encounter cruises including a visit to Conflict Islands, one of the most remote and beautiful locations in the Coral Sea.

There is also a 14-night Bounty Adventure itinerary and 14, three and four night short break cruises including six comedy themed sailings, one 1980’s Tribute Cruise and seven cruises to Airlie Beach.

“Cruising represents a great success story in Queensland tourism and it is exciting to know that the new program will take P&O to the threshold of carrying two million passengers from Brisbane over 16 unbroken years of homeporting ships there,” said P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell.

He said that the new itineraries from Brisbane offered something for everyone.

“P&O’s latest program features cruises to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Tropical Queensland. There are also main events to the Melbourne Cup and Australian Open plus a variety of weekend cruises themed around comedy, 1980s country music and plenty more short breaks,” Mr Myrmell added.

In South Australia, the line’s Pacific Aria will call Adelaide home for the longest ever cruise season in 2021.

The new season will offer 14 cruises from Adelaide – twice the number offered in 2020 including three new itineraries.

There will be two new 10-night Southern Discovery itineraries to WA calling at Albany, Busselton, Fremantle and Esperance.

For a quick getaway, guests who want to relive the decade of big hair, fluoro shirts and electric music, can look forward to the popular 1980’s Tribute Cruise which will sail from Adelaide for the first time.

There will be five comedy cruises. One seven-night itinerary visiting Melbourne, Hobart and Kangaroo Island and four Southern Getaway sailings stopping at Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island.

In Melbourne, Pacific Dawn will offer 16 cruises ranging from three to 14 nights.

The cruises include a four-night Main Events Australia Day cruise and three, 11-12 night South Pacific Islands itineraries including three during the school holidays.