ceeceeDee

I'm one of these crazy people who actually enjoys sea days.😄 Need to crunch the numbers, but I wouldn't mind doing a repositioning cruise (maybe when RCL repositions from Brisbane to Hawaii) at some future date.

I suppose because I'm vaxxed up to the hilt, the protocols aren't worrying me and pre cruise testing is not onerous. Just from my personal standpoint. I have friends who are keen to cruise again, but they are unvaxxed - their choice. I feel for them, but they would be very vulnerable if the protocols were lifted and they went on board.

Thanks, Marion. I agree, I would never opt for interior. Up until our last cruise we have opted for ocean view or equivalent. I like natural light and often if I get up during the night, I like to watch the waves. Our last cruise we opted for a mini suite and the balcony really did get some serious use. So from here on in, we're spoilt. Nothing less than a balcony for us.

That's great to hear, thanks Marion. A lot of times I distrust reviews since most people who post have an axe to grind and are far from subjective. What category of room did you have and what did you think of it? I agree, I wish Carnival would have slightly longer cruises. Even if it is the South Pacific, visit a couple of extra ports to stretch it out to 10 days for a Brisbane round trip. We find 7 days is never long enough. I'm open to correction, but from my research it would appear only P&O offers a 10 days South Pacific cruise. No big deal, we always enjoy P&O, but it would be nice to have the option of trying another cruise line.

Hi Marion. The way P&O has been performing lately to almost capacity, there is probably a market for a larger ship but they tend to be at the mercy of parent company Carnival and what ships Carnival want to discard. I guess it comes down to their number crunchers and what is most profitable. P&O will always be the poor relation, which is a pity. Totally off topic, but I note from your signature block, Marion, that you sailed on Luminosa last year. We have been eyeing her off and would appreciate your feedback and what you thought of her.

Yes, we've done the South Pacific with P&O in winter.

BTW, Pacific Explorer is an ex Princess ship Dawn Princess

Welcome back! We've just completed our first cruise post covid and can't wait for the next one!

I always specify gin when I ask for a martini. Traditionally, a martini is made with gin but I always specify. The other is a vodka martini. I also prefer stirred not shaken so my order is something along the lines of a 'gin martini, stirred not shaken with 3 olives'. That way I get what I am expecting.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I don't see it as a bribe at all. I look at it as a tip for preparing the room to a very high standard and as a token of appreciation. I only give a very small amount as a gesture that their work is of a high standard and acknowledgement of the exemplary work they do. My decision and I will continue with the practice.

Frankly, I wouldn't be game to take an independent tour. At least if you book through the cruise line, the ship will wait if you are late. Six people went AWOL on our most recent cruise - announcements over public address system, etc. Apparently two of them made it back, four didn't.

Here in Australia, we do not have much of a tipping culture. However, we invariably give a small tip to our cabin stewards on day 1. They don't expect it, but really do appreciate it and we always get looked after really well. We also tip them again at the end of the cruise. We also tip waiters who give top service at the end of the cruise. These people don't earn huge money, work 12 hour days 7 days a week for 8 months at a time, yet they are always smiling, always obliging and do a great job. They deserve a couple of extra dollars.

Sorry, Kiwi, you've been reading the naysayers regarding P&O. We've just returned from 7 days to Cairns on Pacific Encounter. We had an absolute ball and we could find very little to complain about. If you want a rundown search the forum for the thread Help Me Decide. I've gone into detail about the ship and our experience. BTW we docked in Cairns which was really convenient and an easy walk to the CBD. A stroll along the Esplanade is also highly recommended.

Even so, that's a great price for a mini suite. Pity it's not sailing from Brisbane. I'd be in like Flynn!!!

In case anyone is interested, we're just back from cruising on Encounter and the Byron mini suites do, in fact, have a Nespresso machine! Yipee! We made good use of it, believe me. And the coffee pods were top quality.

Apologies for typo. It isn't that far to walk to the forward lifts.

Hi Dididi. We have just recently cruised on Encounter, so I can answer some of your questions. 1. Dining Options. You can ring the Maitre D from your room phone to arrange which is what we did when we boarded as we hadn't made any dining bookings. You can also make bookings on the App (though I haven't personally done this as the App wouldn't download on our phones). Reservations for Luke's and Gradi can also be done through the Maitre D or you can book in person at Dragon Lady for all restaurants, I believe. We changed our mind about dining at Waterfront one evening and just changed it to Angelos by going in person to Angelos the day before. 2. There is body wash and combined shampoo and conditioner in the shower and liquid soap on the vanity. I used the body wash, but took travel size shampoo and conditioner because I prefer my own brand. 3. Not sure about the laundry. Didn't use it. I always just take a bar of laundry soap and rinse things out in the bathroom using one of the pool towels to get the excess water out and then use the clothes line in the shower. Saves a lot of mucking about. 4. Haven't travelled on Explorer, but Encounter had various craft classes (small fee I believe) and a library. From memory I don't think the library was shown on the deck plan. 5. Can't help you with Tonga, I'm sorry. Though we have been to Fiji. Hope some of this helps and have a great trip.

We have just returned from a cruise on Pacific Encounter. Scuttlebutt is (source was a crew member so may be a tad reliable, who really knows except P&O executives) that Explorer has already been sold and that Coral Princess will be coming over to the P&O fleet in the not too distant future. Coral was launched in 2002 which would make her around the same age as Encounter and five years younger than Explorer. Guess we'll all have to be patient and see what eventuates.

Just back from our cruise on Encounter. If anyone is interested 9201 is a great cabin deck 9 forward. Well maintained and very comfortable. Also it isn't that to walk to the forward lifts.

To all the lovely people who wished us bon voyage for our cruise 10 days ago, thank you soooo much. (Mic, I think you were one and Old Fart another). We had a ball and if you want to read the run down go to 'Help Me Decide' forum topic where I sweated over a hot keyboard doing a review.

Hi Oska. Well, we have just returned from seven days on Pacific Encounter and as promised here is my honest review of our trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Before I get to the nitty gritty, let me just say we had an absolute ball and were very sad to get off the ship. Brisbane Cruise Terminal: Yes, it's out in the middle of nowhere but there is a coffee cart at the main entrance so it's not all bad. Admittedly we had priority boarding, but it all went very smoothly and the P&O 'meeters and greeters' were very cheerful and welcoming so we didn't feel like cattle in a crush. Word to the wise, take hard copies of all your documentation, especially your vaccination certificate and boarding pass. No one looked at our Verifly and they did not inspect our negative RAT photo, but merely asked if we had done one and if it was negative. I think they do spot checks only as I did come across a few people who had to show the photo. Getting through Security took up the most time of the boarding process, but that's usual. In all I think we were about 30 minutes getting on board. Our travelling companions did not have priority and I think they were about an hour getting through. It is what it is when dealing with 2600 or so passengers. Ship: At first sight she does indeed look like a shopping trolley from the rear.😄 She presented very well and looked fresh. To us she looked a little small but that's only because our last cruise was on Symphony of the Seas and she was seriously huge. Frankly, I prefer the smaller ships but I'm not reviewing Symphony here so we'll leave size out of it. Public Areas: In my opinion they did a great job on the refurb. Lots of open interior spaces with very comfortable seating - couches, tub chairs and padded benches - and easy access to a variety of bars and shops. We particularly enjoyed the Blue Room with it's leather or velvet couches. Great place to kick back and enjoy the live bands over a drink. There was always a quiet spot in the interior public areas to just sit and relax without feeling overcrowded. Of course the exterior public areas (Lido deck, etc) attracted the crowds and the swimming pools were well patronised. Admittedly we didn't spend a lot of time up there. The adults only area, Oasis, has sun lounges (not wildly comfortable in my opinion), tables and chairs, a pool and a view over the stern. And, of course, a bar. I didn't think it was as private as the adults area on the old Pacific Dawn and for non smokers it would have been a pain to have a smoking area in one corner of it. I also noticed the ceiling in the bar area was water stained suggesting a fairly serious leak at some stage. We stayed in a Byron mini suite so we had access to the Byron Beach Club. Loved it. Really comfortable lounges, cabanas and tables and chairs with screened views and sun shades. Nice bar and you could order food (at a charge) from Luke's Burgers or Pronto pizza delivered to wherever you were sitting. It was not crowded and a really nice place to relax with a drink and a book or nip down one level to the pool and spa. Bearing in mind that Encounter has reached her majority age-wise (21) she wears it well. Yes, there is rust around some of the window frames and balcony railings and a few streaks on the hull but it is surface rust and the result of a marine environment so it is a constant occupation to keep it at bay. She is definitely not a rusted out hulk or badly maintained. We noted in some of the cabin area corridors the wall lining has buckled a little particularly on deck 14 (more leaks methinks) which in all honesty looks a bit tired but it gets a LOT of foot traffic with people on their way to the pool and there were one or two blowers in our corridor (deck 9) but it did not appear to be a major leak and the carpet was only mildly damp so it would suggest that it was nothing major. Cabins: We had a Byron mini suite which differs from the other mini suite categories only by the Byron liveried cushions, carpet and curtains and it has a Nespresso machine (yee haaa! Bonus for Byron guests!). There are other perks but from a cabin point of view the mini suites are the same. They are quite spacious (277 sq ft according to the brochure), the beds are really comfortable with crisp linen and a variety of pillows (hard, soft, etc). The bedside lamps have a usb port built in to facilitate charging mobile phones and there is an extra lamp with usb next to the comfy couch in the living area which converts to a double bed if there is an extra person staying in the suite. There are two Australian power points on the servery and two large flat screen TVs, one facing the bed and the other facing the living room. The balcony is a good size with a small round table and two chairs as well as a padded lounge. And yes, there is surface rust at the base of the balcony screen. The mini suites on deck 9 do not have overhead cover, so you can be seen by the decks above you but we didn't find that a problem and it was possible to sit out there most of the day without feeling exposed to the elements. We sat there with a drink for sail away. It was lovely to have this private space and watch Brisbane fade into the distance. Also fabulous when arriving and leaving Cairns. The bathroom was compact, but functional with a shower over bath configuration. Yes, it had the dreaded shower curtain but there was plenty of room and I didn't once have a personal encounter with the shower curtain. Grab rails made getting in and out of the shower easy. Plenty of hot water and the toilet functioned as it should. (Speaking of which, we did not detect any sewerage smell anywhere on the ship). Ok, the bathroom decor was a little dated and there was a chip in one of the tiles in the shower wall but the bathroom was spotless and kept that way by our dedicated stewards. I would venture to say that the bathroom has not been updated from the Princess days. With a bit of ducking and weaving we managed to both use the bathroom mirror at the same time but you certainly couldn't hold a dance in there. My one big complaint is the hair dryer provided. Instead of having a smallish rounded end, it is square which makes trying to style one's hair effectively all but impossible. I gave up and mostly wore my wigs of an evening because my hair looked an absolute mess. Note to self, bring own hair dryer next time. Our friends stayed in a balcony cabin on deck 10. These appear to have the original Princess decor. Some people call them dated, I thought they were quite charming and our friends had no complaints. Also their balcony was deeper than ours which was surprising (Also partially open overhead, though if you sat near the door you had shelter). Their bathroom was a tad smaller than ours and had the shower recess configuration with shower curtain. I don't believe they were attacked by said curtain and they didn't say anything about feeling cramped in the shower. Balcony cabins are around 165 sq ft I believe so our extra 10 sq ft was obviously taken up by our living area. Dining: Ok, here we go. This is the area where most people have complaints from what I've read. Yes, there are options in the complimentary dining areas that attract a surcharge. Yes, the menu options are not as varied as the pre covid days. However, I was perfectly satisfied with the complimentary options. Fish, chips and salad in the Waterfront were of good quality and the size of the servings defeated me at lunch. Dinner choices were still good. I had beef with jus one evening and it melted in the mouth. The pumpkin soup and minestrone were delicious. Hubby had ravioli for a starter one evening and liked it so much he opted for it again on another night. Usually a choice of three desserts and always accompanied by a side of ice cream. Angelo's was our venue of choice. Fabulous ambience and top notch service. (If you dine here in the next 4 weeks or so, ask to be seated in Gayan's area. He should be awarded waiter of the year). Again, limited limited options but top quality. Potato soup was amazing. Cabonara was superb as was the beef and noodles. Desserts limited but again accompanied by ice cream on the side. Tiramisu was a knock out. Dragon Lady: Limited choices but quality all the way. Hardly P&O's fault, but our visit to Dragon Lady was marred by an over tired toddler throwing a tantrum to end all tantrums right next to us for a considerable length of time. It was impossible to have a conversation and we were two tables away. Also we were seated right next to piles of excess chairs stacked against the wall. Rather spoilt the ambience. That was our one and only visit to Dragon Lady and I really don't remember much about it because of the foregoing. We just couldn't wait to leave. Parents, if your toddler is THAT tired, please opt for room service or grab something from the Pantry and eat in your cabin. The Pantry: We only ate lunch here when in port and Waterfront wasn't open. The food was good, but it is always crowded and difficult to find a table. I had baked ham on one occasion and it was delicious with a tasty gravy and apple sauce. Found the desserts to be largely uninteresting but who needs the extra calories anyway. By the way, the coffee in all the complimentary dining areas is woeful. Either buy a barista coffee from the cafe or opt for tea. Luke's Bar & Grill: I had three courses for a cost of $58 and it was worth every cent. Started with the crab omelette, followed by melt in the mouth barramundi and finished with the signature liquorich parfait. OMG, total food bliss. Include Luke's in your budget, you definitely won't regret it. Luke's Burger Bar: We had the double cheese burger and Parmesan fries delivered to the Byron Beach Club. Fries were $5 (and serve is big enough to share and be satisfied) and the burgers were $12 each. The patty in the burgers was delicious and the size of a decent sized rissole. Absolutely worth $12 outlay. Could barely finish it. Eat ya heart out McDonalds. 😄 So, on the whole over all the venues we tried we were absolutely satisfied with the food. Portions were generous, excellent service and we couldn't fault the quality. Ok, you don't get several pages of options but I can live with that. I go on a cruise for the overall experience and although I'm a bit of a foodie I'm not there solely for the food. Crew: Fantastic! Always a smile even when the poor bar staff were absolutely slammed with impatient punters six deep at the bar when the State of Origin was on the big screen. (They looked exhausted in the aftermath, but the smile was still there). Some of them have incredible memories. John in the Bonded Store remembered us (is that a good thing? 😯) from our cruises in 2016 and 2018!!! BTW if you want a nice, quiet drink in classy, relaxed surroundings go to the Bonded Store. It's a very well kept secret. The most number of people I saw in there was six including us. Entertainment: Depends what you are looking for. We went to trivia with Sophie, the cruise director presiding. It was a hoot. Only semi serious and silly answers were encouraged. We didn't bother with the more serious trivia elsewhere. We tend to entertain ourselves and not interested in bingo, karaoke and craft activities. We saw Blanc de Blanc ($20 cover charge, we used on board credit). The bookings desk made a point of informing every guest individually that it was an adults only production and very risque. We did not find it offensive (a few bare bums and off colour jokes) and it certainly had all the bells and whistles when it came to production values. Frankly, I wouldn't rave about it but didn't begrudge $20. We didn't find time to see the shows in the Marquee. We ended up addicted to the Blue Room. Great live music, fantastic ambience, excellent table service for drinks and not over crowded. So, our evenings mainly consisted of an early dinner, perhaps a cognac in the Bonded Store then an enjoyable evening in the Blue Room. If you want something more lively the Encounter Hotel is usually jumping of an evening. Far too noisy for my taste and the late night karaoke is a 'must miss'. Or at least it was on our cruise. Talk about sounding like fighting cats on steroids. Ouch! Apologies if you were a participant on our cruise, we obviously missed your melodious performance on the odd occasion when we were passing by on our way to the Blue Room. Shore Excursions: We didn't do any organised tours but did our own thing in both Cairns and Airlie. Our travel mates took an organised tour to Port Douglas and professed themselves very happy with the tour. We went to the Casino Zoo in Cairns and enjoyed the reptile show and being blown away by the size of Goliath, the crocodile. Cruise ship guests get a discount on the entry fee BTW. If you are in Cairns for two days, do the Zoo on the first day and it is free to go back. There is a flying fox and climbing course high above the ground (with safety harness of course) which is great for the kids so if you get a ticket on the first day they can go back on the second day. Speaking of Cairns. It finally happened. Six guests went AWOL with four of them actually missing the ship's departure! A first in our experience. In conclusion: I hope you are still with me at this stage. We had a wonderful, relaxing time (I read three books in various locations all over the ship). We enjoyed the food and cheerfully agree that the options are limited but for us it's not all about the food and we certainly didn't go hungry or ate anything we didn't enjoy. Encounter is an old girl, but she wears it well. Yes, there are areas that could do with an upgrade but she is definitely not old and tired and she is not falling apart and mechanically she is very sound. The only vibration we felt was when the side thrusters came into play when she was berthing in Cairns and Brisbane. She did shake her booty a couple of times when the sea was a bit choppy but nothing to complain about (and we were on deck 9 forward). We didn't get motion sickness and she sailed smoothly for most of the time. Crew are exemplary and we found Guest Services very helpful (P&O app wouldn't load on our phones) and cheerfully printed out our onboard account three times during the cruise so we could keep an eye on our spending. I'm delighted to report that we didn't spend a cent on board because our generous onboard credit covered our spending and honestly we didn't skimp, but didn't go crazy either. Our drinks package and internet were a promo included in the fare. So our only outlay was transport to and from the ship and money spent on shore. If anyone would like a detailed run down on the perks attached to Byron Beach rooms, let me know and I'll be happy to oblige. P&O is a budget cruise line with older ships (mostly Princess 'cast offs') so don't expect Cunard or Royal Caribbean. Symphony of the Seas was just over 12 months old when we cruised on her and although she has a lot of 'wow' factors and all the bells and whistles we actually had just as good a time on Encounter and although we had a forward cabin we didn't find it a huge problem to get around the ship. All I can say is that we found absolutely nothing to complain about with our cruise on Encounter or P&O in general. It wasn't perfect, but realistically nothing is. I hope you are still awake, Oskar.😉🍸🤣

Not a good idea to go overboard! Splash!😄

Thank you! The weather is being kind. Sunny winter's day.

Sounds great!

Thanks, so much!!! Now 5 hours 26 minutes!!!😁