The biggest cruise operators in the world, Carnival, has announced that it will reposition its 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit in Sydney starting 2012.

It will be a first for the cruise company as it offers tour packages to the Pacific Islands and New Zealand and veers away from destinations close to the United States.

The ship bound for Australia will weigh 88,500 tons and become the largest ship to be based for a year in the country. Carnival said in a statement that because of the ship’s size, it will be based at the only cruise facility found east of Sydney's Harbor Bridge, the Circular Quay's Overseas Passenger Terminal.

The new Australia-based itineraries will market its tours to Australians and New Zealanders in addition to American tourists wanting to explore the region. Expect the new packages to be offered sometime middle of the year.

Australia has been growing fast as a cruise destination in recent years, and Carnival's parent company, Miami-based Carnival Corp., already has a significant presence in the region through its P&O Cruises Australia subsidiary. P&O Cruises Australia has four ships in the region year-round. Another Carnival Corp.-owned line, Princess Cruises, has two ships in the region year-round.