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Fair Dinkum

How P&O and Sitmar led the way to fun Australian Cruising


RMS STRATHAIRD

She was the second of five sister ships in what came to be called the "Strath" class. All previous P&O steamships had black-painted hulls and funnels but Strathaird and her sisters were painted with white hulls and buff funnels, which earned them the nickname "The Beautiful White Sisters" or just "The White Sister. She started service in 1931 and sailed for the next 30 years.


Over 90 years ago, the foundations of Australia's now thriving $5 billion cruise industry were laid, thanks to two significant ships. The first ship that offered cruises from Australia was the P&O vessel named Strathaird. Originally a mail ship that commenced its journeys in 1931, it primarily transported 'ten pound poms' between England and Australia. However, on December 23, 1932, the Strathaird embarked on a historic cruise from Sydney to Brisbane and Norfolk Island, carrying 1,100 passengers for a five-day voyage. The inaugural cruise was an immediate success, selling out within a week and signaling the birth of an industry.


Strathaird Cabins


First Class Suite Tourist Two Berth Cabin


In 1954, P&O had Strathaird refitted again. First class was abolished and all accommodation was made tourist class, which increased total passenger capacity from 1,069 to 1,252


Pyjama Party onboard Strathaird in 1932


In those early days, cruises were quite different from the modern ones that Aussies love today. Passengers were encouraged to take an active role in creating their entertainment on board, organizing activities such as egg and spoon relays, deck quoits, shuffleboard, dress-up competitions, and a unique game called 'push the bottle.'


Staithaird arrived in Sydney for the first time in 1932


While the accommodations were not as luxurious as today's cruises, the enthusiasm for cruising had already begun to take root.


Sitmar - Fairstar


The 1970s marked a turning point as cruising gained popularity among mainstream travelers. The Sitmar ship Fairstar, affectionately known as "the funship," became a significant player in this era, starting cruises from Sydney in 1974. The ship's fun and vibrant atmosphere made it a hit among Aussies, who flocked to experience the South Pacific and enjoy activities like island nights, country and western nights, and theme-based parties.


It was at this time that yours truly arrived in Sydney for my first Aussie Cruising Season onboard ss. Oriana and we often saw Fairstar, although being P&O at the time we always classed Sitmar as a little downmarket. Little did we know that in July 1988, Sitmar Cruises' name and ships would be purchased by the P&O Group. In Australia, the operation was renamed P&O-Sitmar Cruises, then in 1991 became P&O Holidays.


Despite its smaller size compared to today's cruise ships, Fairstar played a pivotal role in shaping Australia's cruise industry. It took around a million Australians on holiday cruises over the next 22 years, leaving behind cherished memories for both passengers and crew. In her time in Australia, she sailed past the Sydney Opera House over eleven hundred times.


Sitmar cruises were the first shipping company to home port a ship in Sydney and not P&O.














FAIRSTAR NEW LOGO IN 1993


With P&O Holidays now operating the much-loved Fairstar, 1993 they finally gave her a much needed new logo on her funnel, being two blue overlapping discs, with a white jumping dolphin.




Crowds packed Circular Quay to see Fairstar depart for the last time on 21 January 1997 after 23 years of taking Aussies on cruise holidays.


In October 2002, a significant turning point occurred for P&O when Carnival Corporation made a successful bid of £3.5 billion to acquire P&O Princess, Britain's largest cruise ship operator. This move was seen by some as the beginning of a decline for P&O, as it became part of the vast and powerful cruise line corporation. Just like Cunard before it, P&O found itself docked within the Carnival Corporation's stable, forever associated with the giant entity in the cruise industry.


As the years progressed, cruising in Australia received a substantial boost with the appointment of Ann Sherry as CEO of Carnival Australia in 2007. Under her leadership, P&O Cruises Australia, among other brands, expanded its fleet, and the cruise industry experienced rapid growth. By 2019, over 1.2 million Aussies were enjoying cruises annually, with the industry showing no signs of slowing down.


This year over 500,000 people will go on a P&O cruise, with the company marking its 90th anniversary in Australia.

A total of 1.2m Aussies went on a cruise in 2019.

It's one of the fastest growing holidays worldwide and is bouncing back after COVID-19.

In 2018-19, there were 1,240 cruise ship visits across 47 Aussie ports, creating 3.8 million passenger and crew visit days.


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John Martin
John Martin
Jul 30, 2023

A well researched history of the development of the Australian cruise market. I joined 'Sea Princess' (ex Kungsholm) on part of her final season of 'Ozzy cruising' in March 1992 before she came back to the UK market and was involved in the 'upgrading' of hotel services - which included 'refining' some of the hotel crew from Oz habits. 'Oriana' replaced her as part of the Australian cruising scene. I was also lucky to see her in that environment.

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