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Pacific Encounter

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This article is about the cruise ship now operating for P&O Cruises Australia. For other ships with the name, see Star Princess (ship).

Pacific Encounter
Pacific Encounter in Sydney, 2023
History
United Kingdom
Name
  • 2002–2021: Star Princess
  • 2021–2025: Pacific Encounter
  • 2025: Carnival Encounter
Owner Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator
Port of registry
OrderedJanuary 1998[1]
Builder
CostUS$425 million[1]
Yard number6051[2]
Launched10 May 2001[3]
Sponsored byGunilla Antonini[4]
Christened25 January 2002[4]
Completed25 January 2002[3]
In service2002–present
Identification
StatusIn service
Notes[5]
General characteristics
Class and typeGrand-class cruise ship
Tonnage
Length290 m (951 ft 5 in)[2]
Beam36 m (118 ft 1 in)[2]
Draught8.05 m (26 ft 5 in)[2]
Speed23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) (maximum)[2]
Capacity2,600 passengers
Crew1,100
Notes[5]

Pacific Encounter is a Grand-class cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises Australia, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. She was originally delivered in 2002 as Star Princess to sister cruise line Princess Cruises in 2002 by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, and was the second ship in Princess' history to operate under the name. She had been the third Grand-class ship to be added to the fleet, following Grand Princess and Golden Princess. In 2018, Carnival Corporation announced that Star Princess would be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia to accommodate P&O's expansion plans in Oceania; however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on tourism, Carnival Corporation accelerated the transfer of the vessel and Star Princess joined P&O's fleet in 2020, one year earlier than planned. Following a renovation and a renaming to Pacific Encounter, she debuted in August 2022[6] upon P&O's staged resumption of operations.

In June 2024, Carnival Corporation made the announcement, confirming that P&O would be integrated into its sister line, Carnival Cruise Line, in March 2025 and would cease to exist. Pacific Encounter is expected to join the Carnival fleet as ‘’Carnival Encounter’’ [7] along side her sister ship, Pacific Adventure.

History

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Star Princess

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Construction and debut

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In January 1998, the then-unnamed ship was ordered as part of a two-ship order made by Princess with Fincantieri, with each ship costing US$425 million.[1] The two 109,000 GT Grand-class ships were scheduled to be delivered in 2001, and slotted to sail in the Caribbean from Port Everglades year-round.[1] Later, in October 2000, Princess announced Star Princess would instead be deployed to Los Angeles for Mexican Riviera cruises following her delivery,[8][9] with Alaska itineraries during the summers.[10] Star Princess would become the first then-dubbed "mega-ship" ever to be homeported in Los Angeles and also cruise from the West Coast on a full-time basis.[9]

Star Princess was launched on 10 May 2001 at Fincantieri's shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.[3] On 29 June 2001, a fire started in a galley on board when sparks from a welding torch ignited it.[3] The fire spread into a dining room but damage was not extensive and construction continued until completion on 25 January 2002.[3]

Star Princess was christened on 25 January 2002 at Fincantieri's Monfalcone shipyard by her godmother, Gunilla Antonini, wife of Fincantieri's executive chairman, Corrado Antonini.[4][11]

Service history

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At the time of her delivery to Princess Cruises, Star Princess was too large to make a Panama Canal transit, so to arrive in Los Angeles, she embarked on an eastward voyage from Italy, taking her through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Indian Ocean, and a 26-day inaugural voyage across the Pacific Ocean.[12]

Star Princess' first homeport was Los Angeles and her maiden season featured itineraries to the Mexican Riviera,[9] with her first cruise from Los Angeles, a 3-day cruise, held on 10 March 2002.[13]

She sailed to Alaska from Vancouver beginning summer 2003.[3] In fall 2003, she became the first vessel of more than 100,000 GT to sail in Australian waters after she arrived in Sydney on 26 November 2003.[3] She moved to Southeast Asia in the spring of 2004 before cruising the Mediterranean in the summer of 2004, the Caribbean that fall and winter, and the Baltic the following summer.[3] She made her first trip to South America and Antarctica in January 2008.[14][15]

For winter 2019–2020, she was homeported in Los Angeles and sailed itineraries to the Mexican Riviera, Sea of Cortez, and Hawaii.[16][17] In summer 2020, she was scheduled to homeport in San Francisco for Alaska voyages.[18] However, following Princess' suspension of operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all summer 2020 voyages were cancelled.

Pacific Encounter

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Background

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In August 2018, Princess' sister brand, P&O Cruises Australia, announced that Star Princess would be transferred to the P&O fleet in late-2021, joining her sister ship, Golden Princess, which was set to join P&O in October 2020.[19] It also announced in November 2019 that she would be renamed Pacific Encounter upon joining its fleet.[20] However, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Carnival Corporation accelerated the transfer of Star Princess from Princess to P&O in October 2020, thus cancelling all final voyages she was originally scheduled to sail for Princess through 2021.[21][22]

In January 2021, the ship entered the Sembcorp Marine Shipyard in Singapore for a dry dock to redesign the vessel and modify the design language of the interior to align her with those of her sister ships.[23][24] The work included exterior repainting and rebranding, as well as new interior outfitting and maintenance.[24][25] Modifications also included redesigned lounge areas and venues, a revamped atrium, and new restaurants.[26]

Service history

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In December 2019, P&O announced that Pacific Encounter would homeport in Brisbane beginning in November 2021 and cruise to different destinations in Oceania, including the Queensland coast and Melanesia islands.[27] As of December 2021, the ship is subject to P&O's resumption of operations, which are scheduled to commence in March 2022.[28]

In June 2024, Carnival Corp. announced P&O Cruises Australia would be closed[29] and absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line from March 2025, impacting all ship's of the P&O fleet.

Carnival Encounter

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Pacific Encounter will be rebranded into Carnival Encounter some time in 2025, following the closure of the P&O Cruises Australia brand. The ship is expect to continue to sail from Australia and new features will be revealed at a later time. The ship is expected to receive Carnival branding, and technology upgrades in order to support Carnival's hub app.[30]

Design specifications

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As Star Princess, the vessel measured 109,000 GT, had a length of 290.0 metres (951.4 ft), a draft of 8.05 metres (26.4 ft), and a beam of 36 metres (118 ft).[2] She was powered by a diesel-electric genset system, with six Sulzer engines: four producing 11,520 kilowatts (15,450 hp) and two producing 8,640 kilowatts (11,590 hp).[2] The system gave the vessel a maximum speed of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph).[2] The ship housed 1,299 passenger cabins and 627 crew cabins.[2] Of the 1,780 passenger cabins, 72% had a view outside, including 55% that included a balcony.[2] The ship had a maximum capacity of 4,160 passengers and crew.[2]

Accidents and incidents

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Rows of balconies are photographed along the left side of a cruise ship
Balconies along the port side of Star Princess (pictured in 2009)

2006 fire

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On 23 March 2006, at approximately 3:00 am, while en route from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, Jamaica, a fire broke out in the passenger compartments in the midship section on the port side of the ship.[31] Shortly after, the captain sounded the general emergency signal—seven short blasts followed by one long blast on the ship's whistle over the public address system, horn, and various alarms. Passengers evacuated their cabins into public areas through smoky hallways, grabbing their life jackets on the way. They assembled at their muster stations and were combined into groups for about seven hours.

The evacuation was reportedly orderly, in contrast to deadlier fires such as those on Morro Castle, Yarmouth Castle and Scandinavian Star.[32] Lifeboats were lowered but proved to be unnecessary, as the fire was contained and doused, and the ship headed into Montego Bay under her own power.

The fire was allegedly caused by a cigarette left burning on a balcony, which had become hot enough to melt the balcony divides made from plastic polycarbonate, a material that had been approved by international cruise line safety rules. The fire caused scorching damage in up to 150 cabins, and smoke damage in at least 100 more on passenger decks 9 to 12 (Dolphin, Caribe, Baja and Aloha decks, respectively). A passenger, Richard Liffidge, 72, of Georgia, died[33] from "asphyxia secondary to inhalation of smoke and irrespirable gases" and thirteen other passengers suffered significant smoke inhalation.

While a smoldering discarded cigarette probably did cause the flames, the following items were also at fault for allowing the fire to spread as quickly as it did:

  • The balconies' polycarbonate partitions, polyurethane deck tiles, and the plastic furniture were highly combustible and produced large quantities of very thick black smoke when burned.
  • The glass in the doors between the staterooms and balconies was neither fire retardant, to meet with the requirements of an ‘A’ class division, nor self-closing.
  • The balconies crossed main zone fire boundaries, both horizontally and vertically, and were without structural or thermal barriers at the zone or deck boundaries.
  • No fire detection or fire suppression systems were fitted on the balconies.

Aftermath

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A cruise ship being repaired is photographed in the distance
Star Princess receiving repairs in Bremerhaven after the fire, with scaffolding along her port side

The cruise was terminated in Montego Bay and passengers were evacuated to hotels in Jamaica and subsequently flew home. All passengers received a full refund and were reimbursed any out-of-pocket travel expenses they incurred.[34] The ship had been on a Caribbean itinerary that departed from Port Everglades on 19 March 2006. With 79 cabins destroyed and a further 204 damaged, the ship was moved to the Bahamas where she was prepared for a transatlantic crossing to the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany, for repairs.[35] Her remaining Caribbean cruises and a transatlantic cruise were cancelled, with the anticipation that she would begin her summer season in the Baltic on 15 May.[36]

The ship set sail again on 13 May 2006, and resumed its regular service on 15 May from Copenhagen.[37][38] Princess implemented new measures that aim to prevent a disaster of similar proportion, which include enhanced procedures for handling fires and clear communication during emergencies.[38] Passengers reported that the only noticeable differences were a strong smell of new carpeting, the addition of sprinklers to all balconies and the replacement of plastic furniture with non-combustible alternatives. No interior decor was significantly modified to maintain consistency of the ship's interior design.[38]

On 28 May 2023, a similar fire occurred on Pacific Encounter's sister ship Pacific Adventure. Both ships belong to the Grand-class cruise ship category.[39]

2012 reported ignored distress call

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On 10 March 2012, en route in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America, three passengers from Star Princess spotted a small boat drifting with waving seamen, apparently in distress, and notified the crew. However, Star Princess did not change course to investigate.[40] On 19 March, the Ecuadorian coast guard rescued the Panamanian fishing boat Fifty Cent with one survivor on board. Subsequent communication between the survivor, a reporter, and the passengers who spotted the survivors led to allegations that the small boat sighted nine days prior was, in fact, the Fifty Cent, and that Star Princess had failed to stop and render aid.[41]

Princess first indicated that there had been a breakdown in communication and the captain had not been notified of the sighting.[42] A later report stated that a crew member did, in fact, convey the passengers' concerns to the bridge, and that the ship's log for that time on 10 March contained an entry recording that the ship had deviated to the west to avoid the fishing nets, and that the fishermen had "signaled their thanks" for avoiding their nets.[43]

By June 2012, two lawsuits had been filed against Princess on behalf of the fishermen of the Fifty Cent. In August 2012, Princess responded with the claim that Star Princess and Fifty Cent were never within sight of one another and thus, the accusations were the result of mistaken identity. As supporting evidence, the cruise line made public the results of a drift analysis and a photographic investigation they had commissioned.[44]

In April 2013, the Bermuda Department of Maritime Administration was reported to have closed their official inquiry into the incident.[45] The Bermuda Police Service carried out the investigation. The Department of Public Prosecutors disclosed that the passengers who were material witnesses to the case made a statement that the boat they had seen from the cruise ship was ultimately not the same boat as the one recovered by the Ecuadorian coast guard.[45]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Two New Princess Ships". Cruise Industry News. 15 January 1998.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l https://www.fincantieri.com/globalassets/prodotti-servizi/navi-da-crociera/princess/scheda-princess-grand-golden-star-caribbean.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Plowman, Peter (2007). Australian Cruise Ships. Dural, Australia: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 9781877058509.
  4. ^ a b c "Fincantieri mourns Corrado Antonini's widow Gunilla". Travel Weekly. 8 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Star Princess". VesselTracker. 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Cruising is back | P&O Australian Cruises in 2022". www.pocruises.com.au. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  7. ^ "All about Carnival Adventure & Carnival Encounter". Chris Frame Maritime Historian. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  8. ^ "P&O Princess Listed on NYSE". Cruise Industry News. 31 October 2000.
  9. ^ a b c Major, Brian (15 November 2000). "Princess makes history with L.A. deployment". Travel Weekly.
  10. ^ "P&O Princess Cruises Q3". Cruise Industry News. 17 November 2000.
  11. ^ Kalosh, Anne (20 July 2018). "Cruise industry mourns shipbuilding giant, Fincantieri's Corrado Antonini". Travel Weekly.
  12. ^ "Princess' new vessel is a 'Star' attraction". Travel Weekly. 5 May 2002.
  13. ^ "Princess schedules two extra cruises on Star". Travel Weekly. 7 January 2002.
  14. ^ Woodard, Colin (28 November 2007). "Are polar cruises safe? Not all ships are equal". Christian Science Monitor.
  15. ^ "How safe is Antarctic cruising?". Travel Weekly. 17 January 2008.
  16. ^ "Princess Cruises Unveils 2019–2020 Mexico Voyages and Enhanced Onboard Offerings". Princess Cruises. 1 June 2018.
  17. ^ Garay, Elissa (11 April 2019). "6 of the Best Hawaii Cruises". Afar.
  18. ^ "Princess Cruises Announces 2020 Alaska Cruises and Cruisetours". Princess Cruises. 13 November 2018.
  19. ^ Mathisen, Monty (22 August 2018). "Pacific Jewel Sold, Star Princess to P&O Australia in 2021". Cruise Industry News.
  20. ^ "Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria to Leave P&O Australia Fleet in 2021". Cruise Industry News. 24 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Princess Advances Transition of Golden and Star Princess to P&O Australia". Cruise Industry News. 21 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020.
  22. ^ Saunders, Aaron (22 October 2020). "Princess Cruises Moves Up Transfer of Two Ships To P&O Australia". Cruise Critic. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020.
  23. ^ Coulter, Adam (22 January 2021). "More Ship Sightings: Updates on Cruise Ships Worldwide". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  24. ^ a b Hutcheon, Helen (29 April 2021). "Transformation of P&O Cruises Australia's new fleet in Singapore". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  25. ^ Saunders, Aaron (29 January 2021). "Pacific Encounter Cruise Ship Officially Joins P&O Australia Fleet". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  26. ^ "Pacific Encounter Gets P&O Australia Look". Cruise Industry News. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  27. ^ "Pacific Encounter to Homeport in Brisbane for New 2021 Program". Cruise Industry News. 2 December 2019.
  28. ^ "P&O Australia Extends Pause in Operations Until March 3, 2022". Cruise Industry News. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  29. ^ "Shock News as P&O Australia brand to be shut down... replaced with Carnival Cruise Line". Chris Frame Official (Maritime Historian). Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Carnival Corporation to Strategically Align Portfolio and Absorb P&O Cruises Australia into Carnival Cruise Line".
  31. ^ Shelby Zarotney (23 March 2006). "Locals Aboard Cruise Ship That Catches Fire". WTOV-News9. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  32. ^ "Survivor Recalls Cruise Ship Fire". Good Morning America. ABC News. 24 March 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  33. ^ Stieghorst, Tom (24 October 2006). "DEADLY CRUISE BLAZE BLAMED ON CIGARETTE, PLASTIC PARTITIONS". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  34. ^ "Cruise Line Issues Official Star Princess Update". Cruise Critic. 23 March 2006.
  35. ^ "Star Princess Verdict In: Returns May 15". Cruise Critic. 24 March 2006.
  36. ^ "Princess cancels more sailings of Star Princess for repairs". Travel Weekly. 28 March 2006.
  37. ^ "Star Princess Leaves Repair Yard to Resume Cruises on May 15th". Cruise Ship Report. May 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  38. ^ a b c "Star Princess Back and Like Always – But Better". Cruise Critic. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  39. ^ "Small fire breaks out on cruise ship balcony off NSW coast". www.9news.com.au. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  40. ^ Greg Allen (19 April 2012). "Cruise Ship Didn't Aid Drifting Boat, Passengers Say". NPR. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  41. ^ "Update: Second Suit Asserts Cruise Ship Didn't Aid Stranded Panamanian Fisherman". Cruise Critic. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  42. ^ Hannah Samson (19 April 2012). "Star Princess captain never got report of distressed boaters, cruise line says". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  43. ^ Gwyn Topham (17 April 2012). "Cruise company investigates claim that ship ignored stricken fishing boat". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  44. ^ "Princess Cruises: New Evidence in Claim It Did Not Ignore Distressed Fishermen". Cruise Critic. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  45. ^ a b "Case dismissed against Bermuda-registered ship". The Royal Gazette. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
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