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Genting’s Resorts World Emerges as Buyer of P&O Australia Cruise Ship

Australia cruise ship
Resorts World Cruises emerged as the new operator in 2025 of P&O Australia's retiring Pacific Explorer (P&O)

Published Dec 20, 2024 2:19 PM by The Maritime Executive


The Genting Group is continuing its efforts to re-establish its cruise operations reporting it will add a third cruise ship in March 2025. The company relaunched cruise operations under the Resorts World Cruises banner in 2022 after the bankruptcy of Genting Hong Kong ended its Dream Cruises and Star Cruises in Asia as well as Crystal Cruises in the international market.

The 77,441 gross ton cruise ship to be named Star Scorpio is being acquired from Carnival Corporation’s P&O Australia cruise operation. Carnival announced in 2024 its plans to sunset the famed P&O brand in Australia ending a historic link that dated to the 1800s. P&O provided liner service and transported immigrants from England to Australia and was one of the pioneers in the Australian cruise market.

The cruise ship, which was built in 1997 by Fincantieri as the Dawn Princess for U.S.-based Princess Cruises, has been operating from Australia since 2017 as the Pacific Explorer. As part of the end of the brand in Australia, Carnival reported the ship had been sold, but the buyer had not been identified. The other two larger cruise ships sailing for P&O Australia will be transferred in March 2025 to Carnival Cruise Line.

Resorts World announced today it will relaunch the ship in March 2025 as the third cruise ship in its fleet. Before starting operations it is scheduled for a $50 million renovation and upgrade in Singapore. The plan calls for a unique program that will see the ship based in Singapore, but passengers will also be able to begin their cruises from the other ports which include stops in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

The cruise line highlights it will become the first to homeport a cruise ship offering affordable international cruises from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The port has emerged in recent years as a stop for cruises, but lines have not been marketing it to travelers as a homeport for embarkation. Resorts World offers a similar option in Singapore and Malaysia with its first cruise ship Genting Dream.

“Star Scorpio’s dual homeport in Singapore with different countries in Asia will offer Indonesians, Thais, Malaysians, and Vietnamese round-trip cruises from their ports during their peak holiday periods without the need to fly to another country,” said Michael Goh, President of Resorts World Cruises. “For Vietnam, Star Scorpio will be the first cruise ship to homeport in Ho Chi Minh City, allowing Vietnamese to enjoy affordable cruises to Singapore and Melaka.”

This winter season, Resorts World has also expanded its cruise offering to Dubai for the first time. Its second ship, Resorts World One commenced her first sailing from the UAE on November 1, 2024, and is sailing from the Port Rashid Cruise Terminal 2 in Dubai three times a week to the Gulf destinations. In April 2025, the cruise ship will return to Taiwan for another season of cruising.

Genting Malaysia owns the rights to the Resorts World brand. It operates eight resort casinos around the world, including in Malaysia, the Bahamas, the U.S., and the UK as well as casinos in the UK. Resorts World has over 46 properties in eight countries and now three cruise ships.