Welcome aboard Pacific Eden, the latest member of the P&O Cruises line.

But this wave-striding colossus is more upscale hotel than cruise ship.

Like her Pacific Aria sister ship, the Eden represents a new generation of the P&O family.

While Eden and Aria began life as members of the Holland America Line, a multi-million dollar overhaul has brought them closer than ever to the concept of a floating five-star hotel.

From December 2015 Pacific Eden will sail from several Australian ports – Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Cairns and Fremantle – rather than consider a single city as her home.

She’ll also spend some anchor time at Singapore ahead of five itineraries which will include calls to Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia.

The Blue Room

The Blue Room injects a lush ‘blue note’ of blues, jazz and funk into Pacific’s Eden’s nightlife featuring dark woods and dusky velvet furnishings. It’s the ship’s key venue for live music throughout the cruise.

Suite dreams

The newest staterooms draws their inspiration from a contemporary apartment, including the aptly-named penthouse suite shown here.

Pacific Eden’s Suites and Mini-Suites feature separate living areas, balconies, their own coffee machine and exclusive services such as priority embarkation.

Dragon Lady

The Asian-themed Dragon Lady restaurant is one of three dining rooms, along with Angelo’s for upscale Italian dining, and the Waterfront for classic and contemporary Australian dishes.

Chef’s Table

There’s also a fine dining degustation menu at the Chef’s Table private dining room, where 14 guests can enjoy the very best food afloat.

For everyday dining, make a beeline for The Pantry – a marketplace where eight fresh food outlets replace the sprawling buffet that’s the hallmark of so many ships.

Ocean Bar

This casual bar is one of several centrally-located bars on the ship, designed for an inviting casual look to encourage passengers to mix and mingle.

The Lido pool deck

The Lido pool deck could easily have been transplanted from a private tropical resort thanks to its day beds, sheer white curtains and outdoor rugs and lamps for crisp evenings.

Set to sail

Pacific Eden and Pacific Aria will join the other three siblings of the P&O fleet for a spectacular five-ship arrival into Sydney Harbour on Wednesday November 25, 2015.

Here’s another inside look at Pacific Eden and Pacific Aria…