THE band didn’t play “Waltzing Matilda” when guests from the latest cruise ship to sail into Western Port arrived onshore by ship’s tender mid-morning on Friday, January 19.
But they might have. Instead, there was a welcoming call by a jazz band on the dock at Rhyll as a steady stream of passenger craft arrived from the Oceania Cruises ship, Regatta, at 30,277 tonnes, one of the smaller ships to anchor off Phillip Island this summer.
However with 684 passengers and 400 crew still quite capable of an economic benefit as the domestic holidaymakers start to wind up their break and head back to Melbourne.
Refurbished in 2019, the better-than-new Regatta blends sophistication with a contemporary flair to create a casually elegant ambiance that embodies the most treasured elements of Oceania Cruises celebrated ships.
Every surface of every suite and stateroom, they say, is entirely new, while in the public spaces, a refreshed colour palette of soft sea and sky tones surrounds a tasteful renewal of fabrics, furnishings and lighting fixtures.
Built in 1999, at a length of 593.7 feet, the Regatta isn’t shy about its list of destination, despite its boutique size, travelling north to Alaska and the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and even South America on its schedule of tours this year and in 2025.
Among the cruise ships still to visit Phillip Island this season are the following:
* 28 January Grand Princess, 2590 passengers, 1100 crew
* 11 February Viking Sky, 930 passengers, 550 crew
* 14 February Viking Neptune, 928 passengers, 465 crew
* 17 February Seabourne Odyssey, 458 passengers, 335 crew
* 27 April Pacific Adventure, 2636 passengers, 1100 crew.
* 9 January Seabourne Odyssey, 458 passengers, 335 crew.
