22 February 2011

The name ‘Arcadia’ means ‘simplicity and contentment’ Content the passengers may well be, but simplicity is perhaps not an apt term to describe the opulence of this magnificent cruise ship.

The majority of the 2000 passengers on board, as well as 1000 crew members, used the opportunity to disembark and explore Airlie Beach for a few hours.

As they stepped off the cruise ship, they were welcomed in true tropical style by Whitsunday ambassadors wearing straw hats and Hawaiian shirts.

The ship’s visit to the Whitsundays comes as a welcome relief from the doom and gloom the local tourism industry had to face recently. Not only did the worldwide economic recession have a heavy impact on the area’s tourism industry, but natural disasters hitting Queensland during the past two months also played a role to push down the number of tourists visiting the area.

P&O figures suggest that every person stepping off the boat spends an average of $80 before embarking again. This would mean a cash injection of more than $240 000 for the local economy.

Danielle Seymour, marketing services manager for Tourism Whitsundays, says that the visitors enjoyed their time shopping at the foreshore markets and other local shops. Many of them dined at local restaurants and others took day trips to the Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach.

Click Here to view all of our P&O Cruise deals