A Queen, a Princess, What Next?

Queen Mary 2 departed last night at 22.00hrs, lit from stem to stern with colourful lights. What a spectacle. Crowds lined Victoria Quay to wave goodbye.

Queen Mary 2, Fremantle, 21 March 2023. Credit Jean Hudson

Following a Queen, of course, is … a Princess! The Majestic Princess arrived this morning around 6.30 am. She has been on a 15-day cruise from Sydney visiting Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Darwin and Busselton before ending today in Fremantle.

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Michael Barker

She leaves again tonight at 22.00hrs on a 13-night cruise, heading to Port Lincoln, Kangaroo Island, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Eden and ending in Sydney.

The Majestic Princess was last in Fremantle just over three years ago, on February 24, 2020; when she sadly left Fremantle without any passengers. This all occurred as a result of the Covid outbreak. She then headed to Singapore for dry-docking, as we reported at the time.

It’s good to welcome her back with passengers and crew. She’s a big ship. She can accommodate between 3,560-4,272 passengers and has a crew of 1350.

Here’s our Gallery of pics on Majestic Princess’ arrival in Fremantle this morning.

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Jean Hudson

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Michael Barker

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Jean Hudson

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Michael Barker

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Jean Hudson

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Michael Barker

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Jean Hudson

Majestic Princess, Fremantle, 22 March 2023. Credit Michael Barker

She is a Royal-Class cruise ship, operated by Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. She is 330m long and has a beam of 38m. Around the size of QM2 who was in Freo yesterday.

We have four cruise ships in port this week – what a week! If we were following Noble Ranks, following a Queen and a Princess, we should be expecting a Duchess. But, on Saturday 25 March, instead of a Duchess, Caledonian Sky is paying Fremantle a call. She is a boutique, cute, expeditionary vessel and hosts just 99 lucky passengers.

* STORY by our Shipping Correspondent, Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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