Pacific Dawn Review - Part 2 - W817

Continuation of Pacific Dawn Cruise W817

Cruise up the East Coast of Australia

Day 4 – Tuesday 27th May

Today we arrived at The Whitsundays in the Great Barrier Reef, and after breakfast we joined one of the tenders to take us ashore to Airlie Beach. We walked around the town and past the beautifully layed out lagoon where the locals can swim and have great picnics. The waters around here are apparently full of stingers that have very serious complications if stung by one, so consequently the building of the lagoon. Spent about 2 housr walking around then joined the tender to go back to the ship in time for lunch.

Whilst back on the ship we visited the Art Gallery, and then went to the movies. The movie being “No Reservations” which starred Catherine Zeta-Jones – good movie. Then off to the Bengal bar for a cocktail or two before heading to the Palm Court Restaurant for Dinner. Let me mention here that we made reservations for 6pm for each night as we met another 4 people and we had a table for 6 which was very comfortable and in a good position in the dining room. We had breakfast and lunch in the Café de Sol buffet each day. We didn’t visit The Steakhouse (surcharge) or the other restaurants, although two of our group at our dinner table had visited The Steakhouse before we got together as a 6 group and they just raved about it.

The show tonight was Jackie Love which was an enlargement on her show on the first night of the cruise – once again a very enjoyable performance bringing about a standing ovation.

Following this show and a couple more cocktails we stayed up to see the late movie “American Gangster” which started around 10.45pm and went through till about 1.15am. we then passed the Promenade Bar without stopping and went straight to our cabin. I was asleep walking down the corridor.

Day 5 – Wednesday 28th May

Today we arrived at Yorkeys Knob, where we boarded tenders to take us to Cairns. Once landed we boarded specially hired buses by P&O to take us into the city proper. We have been to Cairns before so when ashore we just did a bit of boutique shopping around the large Mall then back to the ship to get ready for the “Island Deck Party” that was happening tonight on the Lido Pool Deck. Boy! What a time we had. Various entertainers took us up to the Island Party proper which stated about 10.30pm. They were trying to have a Conga Record attempt but I don’t know how that went as we went up to the Dome to continue the night.

Day 6 – Thursday 29th May

Today we arrived at Port Douglas and this was the first and only organized tour that we had arranged. We were going to the Great Barrier Reef on the Quicksilver Catamaran for an all-day tour. We were transported from the ship to the Quicksilver wharf by another catamaran and then we were given a nice duffle bag to carry anything we needed and to keep as a souvenir.

The Quicksilver catamaran took an hour and a half to reach the outer reef (Agincourt Reef) where they have a special large pontoon moored inside a small reef area. You could go snorkeling with free gear supplied, go on the underwater observation submarine, or go on an optional helicopter ride. Lunch was also supplied together with morning and afternoon tea going out to the pontoon and back. We thought it was a good tour but the cost was really too much for what was available if you did not snorkel. On the return trip back to the wharf we had the ride of a lifetime. The seas had started to swell and the winds had started to come up very strong. The crew were well versed in what to do and they were stationed around the decks with the increasingly ever-popular white bag. They were needed by others on a couple of occasions. We were then transferred to another catamaran to take us back to the ship and this again was another ride of a lifetime. Up and down, sideways to sideways, up and down again and bang! bang! bang! On the hull. We were being tossed around like a tennis ball but finally arrived back alongside the ship where we had to wait a while because the catamaran could not position itself securely to allow passengers to disembark, all the time being tossed around by the heavy swell.

Boy we were glad to get off. A rumour got around that an elderly man lost his balance and fell in the water, but was quickly rescued and taken to the medical centre.

We freshen up and went to dinner, but not to any shows tonight, just a couple of cocktails, Strawberry Daiquiris, then back to the cabin. The entertainment on the TV in the cabin was very good, with plenty of movies to watch if you wanted to.

More to come – keep watching

Great 2nd part to your review Sailaway John, it sure makes me wish our sail-away was closer.:rolleyes:

Have this vision of lots tennis balls inside a catamaran :eek: :D

Looking forward to the next update :)

i love reading your review. i was on the cat trying to get back on board and boy it was difficult. The person that fell into the water was an old lady that was getting on the cat with us. Not exactly sure what happened by she may have fainted and fallen in off the dock. She was quickly rescued. Very scary