P&O Cruises’ latest ship Pacific Explorer, will debut next year with new features including two waterslides, a barefoot bowls green and supper club.

Presently sailing as Dawn Princess with sister line Princess Cruises, the 77,000-tonne Pacific Explorer will be refitted in May and June next year, sailing on her first cruise from Sydney on 22 June 2017.

With Pacific Explorer’s inaugural cruise from Sydney now less than one year away, P&O has unveiled details of the ship’s multi-million dollar refurbishment.  Pacific Explorer will feature P&O’s first ever waterpark at sea and its most extensive range of dining options.

The first of the two waterslides features LED lights and sound effects and the waterpark will have a shaded area for kids featuring a dumping bucket and oversized water toys.  The P&O Edge Adventure Park will feature activities such as a flying fox.

Pacific Explorer will offer new dining concepts, including The Black Circus, a supper club venue with cabaret-style entertainment and a new pizza restaurant. The brand’s international food market place, The Pantry, will be extended to include a ninth outlet, Nic and Toni’s, and a Lobster & Burger bar will be at the poolside.

Announcing details of the refurbishment, P&O Cruises president Sture Myrmell said: “We’ve taken the winning features of our existing ships, then added a whole new layer of excitement with some big wow moments like the waterslides as well as new concepts like the bowling green and a stunning hidden bar, which we think will put a smile on our guests’ faces.”