9 SEP: A so-called ‘new dawn’ for cruising in the NSW city of Newcastle yesterday didn’t break quite as tourism promoters had hoped.
Former rugby league star Paul Harragon (centre) and P&O ambassador in Newcastle is pictured aboard Pacific Sun in Newcastle yesterday with Carnival Australia’s Ann Sherry and Newcastle lord mayor John Tate.
A forklift truck unloading P&O liner Pacific Sun after its first arrival in a six-cruise season ended up in the harbour.
And then passengers complained about the state of terminal facilities.
The forklift driver was helped from the water and taken to hospital for observation.
No passenger luggage went into the water.
But a report in the Newcastle Herald suggests that the cruise ship terminal, which has just had a $2.55m upgrade, falls short of passenger expectations.
The paper quoted one as saying "the cruise was great", but the terminal is "dead set embarrassing".
Complaints included no signs or directions about where to go and how to find transport, hundreds being forced to queue for taxis, and shuttle buses not connecting with other transport services.
Meantime, P&O has announced that former Newcastle rugby league star Paul Harragon will be its ‘ambassador’ there for the Pacific Sun season.
