Chris AshtonIt’s not every day you get five ships arriving into Sydney Harbour on the same day, let alone from the same cruise line, but that’s exactly what happened this morning as P&O Cruises staged a five ship spectacular to welcome their two brand new ships – P&O Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden.
Breaking from tradition, the cruise line marked the debut with a social media naming ceremony, which saw the ship’s godmothers Jessica Mauboy and actress Kate Ritchie simultaneously christen the ships via Twitter as the two vessels sailed either side of Fort Denison.
A bottle of Champagne was also smashed on the bow of each ship as they reached Fort Denison, with all five ships sounding their whistles to mark the nation’s first dual cruise ship christening.
The history-making gathering of five cruise ships from one fleet on the Harbour was watched by thousands of spectactors on the foreshore and on small boats, while more than 12,000 guests and crew onboard the P&O fleet joined in the celebrations.
The five ships will remain on Sydney Harbour all day, with guests onboard set to enjoy a series of live concerts from more than 25 music acts during the afternoon and evening, including performances by Jessica Mauboy, The Veronicas, Justice Crew, Samantha Jade and Stan Walker.
The celebration will conclude with a special fireworks display above the harbour at 8.45pm.
Watch the five ships come together below:
Celebrity interior designer Darren Palmer offers a glimpse inside the two new ships:
