Live from the deck

Hi there,

After more than a year in planning and a multi-million dollar makeover, Pacific Jewel is now sailing out of Sydney in spectacular style. For those of you who couldn’t make it down to Circular Quay on 12 December, I wanted to share some of the magic of Pacific Jewel’s naming ceremony with you.

The ceremony was a historic moment for Australia’s cruising industry as the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, officially named the superliner by breaking a bottle of champagne above her decks. The official naming was followed by a high-energy circus performance on the open deck and fireworks above Sydney Harbour.

Along with all the glitz and glamour, the evening raised almost $50,000 for two charities nominated by the Governor-General, the Leukaemia Foundation of Australia and Special Olympics Australia. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos, and if you did have the chance to view the naming ceremony at Circular Quay (beamed onto the side of the ship) I would love to hear your thoughts.