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Princess Cruises Exquisite Diamond Arrives in Auckland tomorrow

Tuesday 23 December 2008, 4:36PM

By Diamond Princess

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Diamond Princess, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, stretches 63 metres tall and almost 49 metres wide, including her bridge wings. If tipped on her stern, the 290 metre-long ship would only be 38 metres shorter than Auckland�s Sky Tower
Diamond Princess, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, stretches 63 metres tall and almost 49 metres wide, including her bridge wings. If tipped on her stern, the 290 metre-long ship would only be 38 metres shorter than Aucklands Sky Tower Credit: Diamond Princess

AUCKLAND

Auckland will welcome royalty on Wednesday 24 December when Diamond Princess cruises into the City of Sails.

 

Carrying 2700 passengers and 1100 crew, the 116,000-tonne Princess Cruises’ megaliner will dock at Princes Wharf about 6am. The ship will be the largest Auckland has witnessed so far this cruise season.

 

Her call marks the end of a 12-night cruise from Sydney, Australia to New Zealand including calls at Fjordland National Park, Dunedin, Christchurch and Tauranga.

 

During this summer’s cruise season in New Zealand, Diamond Princess alone will inject an estimated $15 million into the country’s economy through passenger and crew spending, stores and port fees.

 

One of the largest cruise ships in the world, Diamond Princess stretches 63 metres tall and almost 49 metres wide, including her bridge wings. If tipped on her stern, the 290 metre-long ship would only be 38 metres shorter than Auckland’s Sky Tower, the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere at 328 metres high.

 

Sporting a space-age bridge and jet-engine-style pods on her funnel, Diamond Princess is powered by a dual diesel and gas propulsion system.

 

The ship boasts five pools, 10 restaurants and cafes, a wedding chapel, a mini golf course, 13 bars and lounges, two nightclubs including one overhanging the ship, a luxury spa sanctuary and 1337 cabins – 750 of them with their own private balcony.

 

Diamond Princess last visited Auckland in 2006 and returns after her twin sister Sapphire Princess’ successful season earlier this year.

 

The ship joins two locally-based Princess superliners this summer cruise season - Sun Princess and Dawn Princess. The twin superliners are both based in Australia year-round, offering cruises from Sydney, and Melbourne to New Zealand.

 

After calling at Auckland she will leave on another 12-night cruise on 24 December which will see her visit Tauranga, Christchurch, Dunedin, Fjordland National Park before heading to Australia to call at Hobart, Melbourne and finishing in Sydney.