By
Rebecca Gibson |
Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess became the first cruise ship to visit Busselton in Western Australia on 27 November.
The 116,000gt ship called at Busselton as part of her 28-day circumnavigation of Australia, which marks the start of its four-month Australian summer deployment.
Diamond Princess’ 2,580 guests enjoyed a full day of sightseeing, shopping and tours in Busselton. They were able to participate in a wide range of tours including sea kayaking in Geographe Bay, exploring Ngilgi Cave and an excursion to the nearby Margaret River wine region. Another nine visits are scheduled to visit Busselton in 2015 and 2016.
One of the newest and largest cruise ships to be based in Australia over the summer cruise season, the 290-metre long Diamond Princess has just undergone a AUS$30 million refurbishment.
Next year, Princess will increase its focus on Western Australia, undertaking its first ever year-round programme from Fremantle. Between April 2015 and March 2016, Princess will carry more than 45,000 cruise guests to and from Fremantle, which is expected to generate an estimated AUS$30 million for the local economy.