Debsta's Pacific Dawn Review....looooooong

[Debsta]

I thought I'd post this here as well as P&O forum as I know a lot of people no longer venture into the P&O forum :p It's long :eek:

PACIFIC DAWN – W124 - 9 to 16 JULY 2011

BRISBANE – to NOUMEA, LIFOU, PORT VILA

Captain – Salvatore Lupo

Cruise Director – Paul Hancox

Assistant Cruise Director – someone who should be shot ohhhh the voice!

DJ Mat

I am sitting here writing this with great difficulty due to the awful land rocks I get......the trade off for never getting sea sick, UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG and 7 days is not long enough for a cruise!

Off on an impromptu 7 nighter, solo, for a little R & R. 2 weeks prior to sailing I had waitlisted for Pacific Jewel from Sydney on 12 July and this cruise. The waitlist came through for Pacific Dawn and I ummmmmmed and arrrrrrrrred for a day hoping the Jewel would come through a) because it was from Sydney and b) it was for 12 days and I could stay on for the 3 nighter at the end I had already booked. Decisions decisions. At the 11th hour, decided any cruise was better than none so took the Pacific Dawn confirmed booking. Still wondering if the Pacific Jewel cruise would have come through LOL The airfares to Brisbane cost half of the cruise cost! Ugggggg. This is my first time on the Pacific Dawn. I have been on Pacific Jewel (balcony) and Pearl (ocean obstructed) as well as Rhapsody of the Seas (junior suite), Diamond Princess (balcony) and Sun Princess x2 (balcony and inside) in this round of cruising since November 2009, as either a solo, with family or with friends.

Cruise morning comes. What idiot books a crack of dawn flight from Sydney when it’s 3 degrees when you wake up! Me! Add another layer of clothing LOL Wasn’t much warmer when I got to Brisbane!

The flight. With the new Qantas rules of only being allowed one bag, I had pre-ordered a 2nd bag online for $20 ($30 if you do it at check-in) at 1 am when I figured I couldn’t squeeze everything into my small bag (the snorkelling gear takes up a lot of space! and the 25 pairs of shoes....joking about shoes), so decided to take the suit pack as well. It slips over the case and it’s easy to zoom along without killing my back! Being a Qantas Club member I am allowed 32 kg in one bag. It’s ridiculous you can’t spread that amount between 2 bags. Not that I had 32 kg, but I like to be able to carry my bags, not drag them and do my back in. I’m not that big! So at 1 am I try to do online checkin....no such luck, the system is down. In bed at 2 am with the alarm set for 5 am......and I ask again, what kind of idiot flies early morning?.....me! LOL

The taxi trip to the airport on a Saturday morning was in record time with Deepak Ghandi Webber at the wheel. So with the new whiz bang computer chip QF Card, I go to do the kiosk check-in. Ahhhhhhh it hasn’t registered my pre-ordered bag and demands another $30.00. So off to the QUEUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I beg the “I have the power to direct you to the queue without a smile guy” to let me on the empty biz class queue and he says no way. Join that one. I go but but but but, it’s QF fault I can’t check-in at the kiosk. Too bad. But but but I’m a QF Club member. Too bad, you no longer get priority as a QF Club member. Pissed off I join the long queue. So after forever in the queue the check-in chick has problems also and spends more time on the phone. As my blood pressure rises and she says I will have to pay the $30 then request a refund I withhold my dummy for a further 30 more seconds (and it was getting very difficult I might add) her supervisor finally says, let her on! Up to the QF Club for some breakfast, cup of tea and a power nap LOL

Finally all comfy in my squishy economy window seat (the seats are getting smaller I swear!), earphones in and hopefully another power nap a young guy falls into his seat.....yes, falls. Stinking of last night’s adventures.....you know the smell, stale alcohol and no shower. I thank Allah it’s only an hour’s flight! Until about half an hour in I should have prayed to Buddha or someone else......he reaches for the spew bag, then puts it back, reaches, replaces, reaches, replaces............I eye off the guy sitting on the other side of him and we both have that terrified look in our eyes........then it happens..............ahhhhhhhhhhhh too late....................chuck chunder grabs the spew bag and misses. Now he sits there covered in spew. And, of course, you know what happens when someone hurls, it’s like a chain reaction. Holding my nose, looking out the window and gagging, I manage to hold my delicious breakfast of wet bircher muesli in! And a full flight so nowhere to move to! And then music to my ears, the Flight Captain announces descent yeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Off the plane, grab my bags, out into a taxi ($30 to portside), at Portside at 9.45 am and they were already boarding! Check-in was a breeze. They were doing a time audit today so at the baggage drop they gave me ticket to hand in on the other side. She explained they were testing out how long each segment takes. I told her I was going to go and have a few cigarettes before I went in to stuff up their test LOL Nahhhh I wanted to get on! So with number 13 in hand (omen?) I wait for my turn.

Gotta say, she’s not very impressive when you pull up at the port. No WOW factor, lots of rust marks. Even less impressive when you walk on. Very bland, no WOW factor anywhere. But I’m here for last minute R&R, someone to feed me, drop my towel on the bathroom floor and leave my bed unmade - so not that fussed about the ship per se. I waitlisted/booked the cheapest inside cabin (called povo class I believe LOL) and was upgraded to an ocean view mid ship cabin P155. This was a quad share with the pull down beds, opposite the self-serve laundry (no laundry rage to be seen or heard throughout the cruise LOL). Cabin size is good but the pull down beds jut out when they are up so it’s a squeeze to get into the double bed made up. Yes I did hit my head! Flat screen TV, all the normal stuff, large shower with the loving shower curtains, heaps of storage, hanging and drawer space and 4 (yes 4) safes and not one of them worked hahahahaha Can’t tell you how many times I requested at least one get fixed.......I gave up asking after Day 4. I had a look at the mini-suites on disembarkation day and they looked quite large if you were the type to spend all your time in the cabin, had kids, honeymoon humping or just plain anti-social LOL. They do rope off the pool deck above the mini-suites on the smoking side each night, too bad if you were on the non-smoking side cos those non-smokers drag their chairs and tap dance on the deck too LOL

OK back to the cabin, my luggage arrived very promptly (gotta love getting onboard on audit day hahaha) so I was able to unpack and have a wander around the ship before muster. On the lookout for CC roll call people I spotted someone who might have been someone. Isn’t it funny how CC members attract LOL So I met up with “Deano” his family and their friends and ready for sailway at 2 pm. Feels odd leaving so early and without the magnificent Sydney backdrop.

Pool deck - There’s no Pacific Cirque swingy/thingy on the pool deck but they do have Pacific Cirque entertainers in the Atrium on certain nights. No big screen. Two pools, one adults only and a couple of hot tubs. There is a distinct lack of deck chairs on the pool deck. The Oasis is free now and gives out blankeys on cold days. The Oasis is supposed to be kid free zone but that was very hit and miss shooing out the little pests. The deck above the Oasis also has two hot tubs. There were 450 kids onboard and they seemed more noticeable on this cruise compared to Pacific Pearl I did in the April school holidays with the same amount of kids (how come I travel without kids and always end up going in school holidays? LOL)

For dinner we booked anytime dining......really? OK traditional dining, I mean you have a choice of up to 6 pm or 8 pm onwards LOL Shows are at 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm, so we booked 8 pm and always rushed to get out for a show. Our table waiters were pleasant but it took them days to warm up and really interact.

The food? Not going there. Ohhh alright, seeing as you’re wondering. I still can’t understand how they can get it so wrong. Dining room food was often cold, and I now know where all the salt mine salt has gone too. Hit and miss I think the term is. Food was OK but I wouldn’t rave about it. I tried to get to dining room breakfast but never seemed to wake up in time LOL The first morning buffet breakfast the queue’s were horrendous. Fortunately that calmed down through the cruise.

This is not a “happy crew” ship! Forced smiles all around. I wasn’t the only person who noticed this. The Captain never made the midday announcements either and it was always his sidekick.

Weather – cold for the first 2 days with jeans/jackets the dress code for most although the further away from OZ we went the layers got peeled off. Fully clothed deck sunbaking initially LOL It was about 22C in Noumea when we arrived at 3 pm, about 24C in Lifou and partly cloudy, and 26C in Port Vila and drizzly then clearing to a sunny afternoon. The next sea day on the way back was a beautiful warm day and the last sea day it started to cool down but a lot warmer than on the way over.

Snorkel hire is available on the ship for a full kit for $49.95 adults, $29.95 kids for the entire cruise.

Shore Tours

Noumea – what do you do from 3 pm in Noumea? I hadn’t been to the aquarium before so booked the shore tour as I knew it wasn’t opened on a Monday. A brief city tour on the way to the aquarium, which is really well done, then a trip up to the top of the hill for a look see then back to the ship.

Lifou – last time I was in Lifou it took forever to tender off so I decided to book a shore tour, Cliffs of Jokin. First stop a Vanilla plantation which I found very interesting and a cup of vanilla tea or coffee. Then to Cliffs of Jokin and another refreshment break. What a beautiful spot. We walked down the 100 steps and the water is pristine and the coral/fish looked sensational. I wanted to go snorkelling there (others were) but the guide wouldn’t allow it....bugga! If you can get there it is really worthwhile. Only for the fit as it’s a big jump in and a rope to pull yourself out. I then went over to Jinek Bay to snorkel. The old wooden steps are definitely gone after Cyclone Vania went through in January, but they have made a make-shift ladder out of tree branches which is difficult to navigate and very very slippery. There are some rough concrete steps further along with a big jump to get in but manageable also. P&O refuse to fix the steps due to OH&S and don’t want people going there, so the locals have done the best they can I guess. But with the money the locals make the locals should fix the bloody steps up! The water was a bit brisk but still pleasant but I’m afraid to say this area no longer has the “sensation” factor it once did. Cruise ships have wrecked this marine environment. Doesn’t help when idiots stand on the coral and go ‘look at me’. But I did Find Nemo J

Port Vila – I booked the Pele Island tour. It is a brand new shore tour and only the 2nd time it has been run. A small group of 18 of us. It’s about an hour’s drive, then a 15 minute boat road to the island. We were greeted by the “chief of the day” and given a coconut and lei (when I went back through the markets the local ladies were all looking at it as they had never seen one like it before to see how it was made). After a serenade by the local band we donned our snorkelling gear and out in the boats to about 300 metres offshore. It was drizzly rain and a bit windy and choppy but sensational snorkelling. It is a marine park. Due to the choppy conditions our snorkelling was cut short L Lunch is provided which was a snack box kinda deal with a ham/cheese/lettuce roll (very fresh), an apple, a muffin and scone and a chicken type spicy pastry wrapped slice (very very tasty), cordial or water. We then went on a walk through the village and they had a small market stall set up also. Back for coffee and tea then time to go! Not long enough but shore tours never are. Highly recommended! The driver stopped at the duty free shop and waited for us on the way back to the ship, with time for a 10 minute smash and grab shop back through the markets just in time for final boarding.

Gym/Spa is located on Deck 2. I went to the gym often for a looksee on my way to the spa LOL With all the intentions of exercising I always seem to go “tomorrow”. But “tomorrow” never comes hahaha. Spa was great. I had a few treatments, and although expensive, this is my enjoyment and after all, this is an R&R cruise. Even squeezed in a few afternoon nana naps too J

Salt Grill/La Luna – didn’t eat here this time but I always highly recommend both. Salt Grill was open for breakfast on the last 2 sea days at $20.00 pp. I didn’t see the menu or meet anyone who ate breakfast there, so can’t offer an opinion.

Onboard shops – I think I’m over onboard shopping. Nothing took my fancy, not even the diamonds! Probably cos I’ve bought it all before LOL

Disembarkation – I booked the $29.95 ship transfer until I got my disembarkation time of 6.40 am. Shove that! So I was able to cancel that and change my disembarkation time to a more civil hour of 8.20 am, caught a taxi which cost $27.00 LOL

Cruise Itinerary/Dress

Day 1 – Smart Casual/Dancing through the decades**

Day 2 – Cocktail/Formal

Day 3 – Smart Casual/Country & Western

Day 4 – Smart Casual/Pirates

Day 5 – Smart Casual/Island Attire**

Day 6 – Cocktail/Formal

Day 7 – Smart Casual**

Day 8 – Smart Casual

**Shorts may be worn in the dining room on these nights only

Shows/Bars/Entertainment

So much to do, so little time! P&O do their entertainment right! Except the band Vertigo (they were on Pearl in April and they’re haunting me). She has the worst voice!

Guest entertainers were Tony Laffan (comedy magician), Andrew Nasan (comedian) and Steve Allison (comedian). All very good and I love the late Sit Down Comedy Club in the Dome. Still wondering where the balloon that Tony swallowed is LOL and how he did the razor blade swallow trick!

International Show Lounge entertainment – Welcome Aboard Show, Do You Wanna Dance, Temonora Tahitian Experience (local folkloric show in Noumea), Pirates of the Pacific (on the Pearl they are doing the 2nd one of this), Tony Laffan and Boogie Shoes. As previously said, shows are at 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm with the exception of the first and last night, at 9.30 pm and 7.30 pm respectively.

There’s always something going on, movies, karaoke, demonstrations of various types (or as I like to call it the Hard Sell), art auctions (hmmmm), laser shows/pacific cirque entertainers in the atrium, formal night parade/lazer show/champagne waterfall, learn to dance, trivia, boot camp............and the list just goes on and on and on, something all day and night, for all ages and tastes...............or you can curl up in a deck chair with a book and cocktail J Oh and don’t forget afternoon tea in the dining room at 3.30 – 4.00 pm on sea days! Island night is always a hit and they have now mastered the art of keeping people up and drinking by doing the Conga line into the Dome! Very enterprising!

Casino – Wow what unhappy dealers. I have never seen so many glum faces (and that’s not from the passengers losing their money!) Don’t know what’s going on there but as someone who enjoys the banter at the tables I was very disappointed (and so were others) of their lack of interaction and funness L. First cruise I haven’t won anything either. I’m normally very very lucky!

B I N G O – I only played on the last sea day this time. Usually play every day but decided I never win so why bother LOL I won $117 in the first session hehehe. Now that’s a first! Final day jackpot was $4500 (approx) and a young couple who had come on for a family wedding won it.

Laundry – yes they have a self serve one and it was opposite my cabin but I didn’t even look in it.

OK that’s it, I’ve dribbled on, I’m sure there’s plenty more.....any questions, I’ll try to answer them.

Oh one more thing....I only demagnetized my cruise card once this trip.....that’s an all time cruise record hahahahahahahaha. My bill is still in its envelope, I’ll wait for the CC statement AKKKKK.

Ohhhh another thing – Definition of awkward/hint of bizarre/twilight zone music: Your ex BF is on the cruise with his new financee! Fortunately our split up some five years ago was due to geographical hassles as he was transferred as Chief Captain to a NSW regional hub (he’s a pilot) and we couldn’t keep up the distance romance, so that wasn’t an issue to run into him, but it’s the last place I would have thought I would run into him! Especially cruising out of Brisbane....actually just cruising. We sorta kept in contact but I hadn’t seen or heard from him in over 2 years until a few weeks ago. We chit chatted about the kids, family, bla bla (never mentioned travel or cruising mind you) and he told me he was getting married! I was happy for him but bittersweet sadness as well.....oh well. It has been 5 years though! Can you imagine when I saw them at sailaway and here and there throughout the ship! I successfully managed to evade them until the 2nd last day when face to face in the buffet queue we came! OMG the look on his face was priceless...he stuttered “Deb, Deb....OMG Deb!”.......the look on her face was even better when he introduced me as an “old friend” LOL. I wandered off and left him to explain who his “old friend” was. Bittersweet closure :/

THE END (but repacking for 3 nights on Pacific Jewel on 22 July outta Sydney and 2 nights on Sun Princess on 28 July outta Brissy to Sydney again – Princess elite not far off! hehehe)

[victravellers]

Great review Deb. I will be on the Pacific Dawn in a few weeks and i am sad to hear about the staff being unhappy. Maybe they will perk up by the time i am on board. Lol

I am taking my daughter on this cruise for her 21st birthday, her first time on a cruise and my first time on the Pacific Dawn.

 

 

Linda

[Sandielle]

Very funny to read - thanks Deb! You do attract 'adventures', don't you?? :D:D:D

 

I am alarmed to hear about the crew, though. :eek: They have been great on my 3 PDawn cruises, very happy and all said that they enjoyed the Dawn best and I must say the food we had served (same waiter) was always good, and hot, and served promptly. HOWEVER, I noticed last time that a lot of the good crew have been transferred to the Jewel and Pearl - I heard (from an impeccable source LOL :D) because P&O have been trying to make the Jewel more popular, etc. We'll just have to wait and see how it pans out on our next cruise. After that we have booked another cruise line so I will have more comparisons to make. :)

[leggyliz]

First great review - made me laugh!:D But I have to agree with you when staff look miserable and rude it makes your cruise less enjoyable. I mean I have to put up with idiot customers all year and still smile and be gracious so Im always nice to other people cause I want to be treated the way I treat people and when their rude it really frustrates me. :mad:

Liz

[Debsta]

The staff were never rude.....just not very happy :(

 

I'm on the Jewel on Friday so will be interesting to see as the food was worse last year on Jewel than the Dawn served up. Pearl did it right.

 

By night 5 I still hadn't had a towel animal :o I said to stewart where's my towel animals and he looked at me as if I'd asked for an upgrade to a mini-suite. As I walked off I said there'd better be 5 there when I get back with a wink and a smile. There was two :D

 

I had a great trip, no matter what!

[lizzy77]

Great review Deb.

I can only just imagine how it must have felt at that moment when you saw the Ex's new love !!! LOL:p

Have a great time on the next cruise as well.

[wildweston]

Loved it, especially about your ex, too funny. Tony Laffan was on when I went on PD and while his show was really good, when we saw him around the ship he wasn't very friendly.

[icat2000]

Great entertaining review. Thanks for sharing it.

[rugbypopsie]

Only could happen to you Debs! I would have trouble retaining my dummy too. thanks for the review but I think if I am tempted to the "dark side" i.e. P & O it will be the Pearl.

[rkmw]

good review deb, we have done a few p&o cruises and we found them ok...cabins are so much bigger than our princess ships here

[pacificlover]

Oh Deb........your barf story reminded me of that Princess ad where the hero has a gross guy sitting next to him (I wont go into the vision of him sneezing). Our hero jumps out of the plane and lands in the ships pool. I bet you were tempted to do just that.

 

Lucky you to be able to get away as often as you do for your short cruise fixes.

[Bella cruiser]

Thanks for taking time to write your review, shame to hear about the unhappy crew but I am glad you still managed to have fun. The attitude of the crew makes all the difference, I hope this aspect improves. Looks like the Pacific Pearl is the pick of them at the moment.

 

Have you started packing for your next adventure yet?

[Sandielle]

Deb, did you hear how long Captain Lupo would be on the Pacific Dawn?

 

Has anyone else cruised with him as captain? :confused:

[NSWP]

Nice review Deb, to the point. Might I say I have not been on Pacific Dawn as she is now, but I was on her when she was Regal Princess and she was a beauty. What have P&O done to her ? Yes I know what they have done and it is not nice. The Dome, the movie theatre, the extra bunks, etc, etc.

[Debsta]

Deb, did you hear how long Captain Lupo would be on the Pacific Dawn?

 

Has anyone else cruised with him as captain? :confused:

 

No Sandy, I didn't ask.

[Annabelle100]

Thanks for the laughs, Deb.

We were on the Pacific Dawn in June and agree with your review. The entertainment was good, but I doubt we will ever sail P & O Aus again.

The CD for the first few days of our cruise was Sandy, filling in for Paul Hancox. Sandy was excellent. The first night after Paul returned to the ship, a member of the audience called out "Bring back Sandy ". Oh dear.

[Scurvy Dog]

Good review Debsta :)..wow I am suprised at the Restraunt service..I thought the Jewel did a pretty good job on my recent cruise..maybe the guy who hurled was one of the chiefs on the Dawn lol...or maybe they are transfering chiefs etc as well too the Jewel..there was a lot of transfers of staff across when I was on my cruise..so there maybe some truth to your reliable source :rolleyes:..should of told your ex you turned gay just after you split up lol :D

[kiwipete]

Thanks for the laughs, Deb.

We were on the Pacific Dawn in June and agree with your review. The entertainment was good, but I doubt we will ever sail P & O Aus again.

The CD for the first few days of our cruise was Sandy, filling in for Paul Hancox. Sandy was excellent. The first night after Paul returned to the ship, a member of the audience called out "Bring back Sandy ". Oh dear.

 

Ann don't give up completely on P&O Aus. Norma and I really enjoyed our 10 days on Pacific Pearl. Maybe not up to Diamond standards but still very nice and the crew we very good.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Great review Deb.

Ewwwwwwww, I cringed at the thought of your fellow passenger on the flight. You did well to stay seated. I would have been up and gone from that seat in a flash asking or pleading with the crew to move me to another seat, anywhere, even the Captains knee would have done.... as long as I didn't have to see or listen to that first thing in the morning...ugh!

Our neighbours were on that cruise too. It was their very first cruise so I'll be interested to hear what they have to say when I catch up with them.

You must be knocking on the door of Elite by now.

Jilly :)

[Kinkacruiser]

Very much enjoyed your review, Debsta. I'm grateful we are Princess fans...Elite not so far away now.;)

[Guest zafra63]

I thought I'd post this here as well as P&O forum as I know a lot of people no longer venture into the P&O forum :p It's long :eek:

 

PACIFIC DAWN – W124 - 9 to 16 JULY 2011

BRISBANE – to NOUMEA, LIFOU, PORT VILA

 

Captain – Salvatore Lupo

Cruise Director – Paul Hancox

Assistant Cruise Director – someone who should be shot ohhhh the voice!

DJ Mat

 

I am sitting here writing this with great difficulty due to the awful land rocks I get......the trade off for never getting sea sick, UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG and 7 days is not long enough for a cruise!

 

Off on an impromptu 7 nighter, solo, for a little R & R. 2 weeks prior to sailing I had waitlisted for Pacific Jewel from Sydney on 12 July and this cruise. The waitlist came through for Pacific Dawn and I ummmmmmed and arrrrrrrrred for a day hoping the Jewel would come through a) because it was from Sydney and b) it was for 12 days and I could stay on for the 3 nighter at the end I had already booked. Decisions decisions. At the 11th hour, decided any cruise was better than none so took the Pacific Dawn confirmed booking. Still wondering if the Pacific Jewel cruise would have come through LOL The airfares to Brisbane cost half of the cruise cost! Ugggggg. This is my first time on the Pacific Dawn. I have been on Pacific Jewel (balcony) and Pearl (ocean obstructed) as well as Rhapsody of the Seas (junior suite), Diamond Princess (balcony) and Sun Princess x2 (balcony and inside) in this round of cruising since November 2009, as either a solo, with family or with friends.

 

Cruise morning comes. What idiot books a crack of dawn flight from Sydney when it’s 3 degrees when you wake up! Me! Add another layer of clothing LOL Wasn’t much warmer when I got to Brisbane!

 

The flight. With the new Qantas rules of only being allowed one bag, I had pre-ordered a 2nd bag online for $20 ($30 if you do it at check-in) at 1 am when I figured I couldn’t squeeze everything into my small bag (the snorkelling gear takes up a lot of space! and the 25 pairs of shoes....joking about shoes), so decided to take the suit pack as well. It slips over the case and it’s easy to zoom along without killing my back! Being a Qantas Club member I am allowed 32 kg in one bag. It’s ridiculous you can’t spread that amount between 2 bags. Not that I had 32 kg, but I like to be able to carry my bags, not drag them and do my back in. I’m not that big! So at 1 am I try to do online checkin....no such luck, the system is down. In bed at 2 am with the alarm set for 5 am......and I ask again, what kind of idiot flies early morning?.....me! LOL

 

The taxi trip to the airport on a Saturday morning was in record time with Deepak Ghandi Webber at the wheel. So with the new whiz bang computer chip QF Card, I go to do the kiosk check-in. Ahhhhhhh it hasn’t registered my pre-ordered bag and demands another $30.00. So off to the QUEUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I beg the “I have the power to direct you to the queue without a smile guy” to let me on the empty biz class queue and he says no way. Join that one. I go but but but but, it’s QF fault I can’t check-in at the kiosk. Too bad. But but but I’m a QF Club member. Too bad, you no longer get priority as a QF Club member. Pissed off I join the long queue. So after forever in the queue the check-in chick has problems also and spends more time on the phone. As my blood pressure rises and she says I will have to pay the $30 then request a refund I withhold my dummy for a further 30 more seconds (and it was getting very difficult I might add) her supervisor finally says, let her on! Up to the QF Club for some breakfast, cup of tea and a power nap LOL

 

Finally all comfy in my squishy economy window seat (the seats are getting smaller I swear!), earphones in and hopefully another power nap a young guy falls into his seat.....yes, falls. Stinking of last night’s adventures.....you know the smell, stale alcohol and no shower. I thank Allah it’s only an hour’s flight! Until about half an hour in I should have prayed to Buddha or someone else......he reaches for the spew bag, then puts it back, reaches, replaces, reaches, replaces............I eye off the guy sitting on the other side of him and we both have that terrified look in our eyes........then it happens..............ahhhhhhhhhhhh too late....................chuck chunder grabs the spew bag and misses. Now he sits there covered in spew. And, of course, you know what happens when someone hurls, it’s like a chain reaction. Holding my nose, looking out the window and gagging, I manage to hold my delicious breakfast of wet bircher muesli in! And a full flight so nowhere to move to! And then music to my ears, the Flight Captain announces descent yeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

 

Off the plane, grab my bags, out into a taxi ($30 to portside), at Portside at 9.45 am and they were already boarding! Check-in was a breeze. They were doing a time audit today so at the baggage drop they gave me ticket to hand in on the other side. She explained they were testing out how long each segment takes. I told her I was going to go and have a few cigarettes before I went in to stuff up their test LOL Nahhhh I wanted to get on! So with number 13 in hand (omen?) I wait for my turn.

 

Gotta say, she’s not very impressive when you pull up at the port. No WOW factor, lots of rust marks. Even less impressive when you walk on. Very bland, no WOW factor anywhere. But I’m here for last minute R&R, someone to feed me, drop my towel on the bathroom floor and leave my bed unmade - so not that fussed about the ship per se. I waitlisted/booked the cheapest inside cabin (called povo class I believe LOL) and was upgraded to an ocean view mid ship cabin P155. This was a quad share with the pull down beds, opposite the self-serve laundry (no laundry rage to be seen or heard throughout the cruise LOL). Cabin size is good but the pull down beds jut out when they are up so it’s a squeeze to get into the double bed made up. Yes I did hit my head! Flat screen TV, all the normal stuff, large shower with the loving shower curtains, heaps of storage, hanging and drawer space and 4 (yes 4) safes and not one of them worked hahahahaha Can’t tell you how many times I requested at least one get fixed.......I gave up asking after Day 4. I had a look at the mini-suites on disembarkation day and they looked quite large if you were the type to spend all your time in the cabin, had kids, honeymoon humping or just plain anti-social LOL. They do rope off the pool deck above the mini-suites on the smoking side each night, too bad if you were on the non-smoking side cos those non-smokers drag their chairs and tap dance on the deck too LOL

 

OK back to the cabin, my luggage arrived very promptly (gotta love getting onboard on audit day hahaha) so I was able to unpack and have a wander around the ship before muster. On the lookout for CC roll call people I spotted someone who might have been someone. Isn’t it funny how CC members attract LOL So I met up with “Deano” his family and their friends and ready for sailway at 2 pm. Feels odd leaving so early and without the magnificent Sydney backdrop.

 

Pool deck - There’s no Pacific Cirque swingy/thingy on the pool deck but they do have Pacific Cirque entertainers in the Atrium on certain nights. No big screen. Two pools, one adults only and a couple of hot tubs. There is a distinct lack of deck chairs on the pool deck. The Oasis is free now and gives out blankeys on cold days. The Oasis is supposed to be kid free zone but that was very hit and miss shooing out the little pests. The deck above the Oasis also has two hot tubs. There were 450 kids onboard and they seemed more noticeable on this cruise compared to Pacific Pearl I did in the April school holidays with the same amount of kids (how come I travel without kids and always end up going in school holidays? LOL)

 

For dinner we booked anytime dining......really? OK traditional dining, I mean you have a choice of up to 6 pm or 8 pm onwards LOL Shows are at 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm, so we booked 8 pm and always rushed to get out for a show. Our table waiters were pleasant but it took them days to warm up and really interact.

 

The food? Not going there. Ohhh alright, seeing as you’re wondering. I still can’t understand how they can get it so wrong. Dining room food was often cold, and I now know where all the salt mine salt has gone too. Hit and miss I think the term is. Food was OK but I wouldn’t rave about it. I tried to get to dining room breakfast but never seemed to wake up in time LOL The first morning buffet breakfast the queue’s were horrendous. Fortunately that calmed down through the cruise.

 

This is not a “happy crew” ship! Forced smiles all around. I wasn’t the only person who noticed this. The Captain never made the midday announcements either and it was always his sidekick.

 

Weather – cold for the first 2 days with jeans/jackets the dress code for most although the further away from OZ we went the layers got peeled off. Fully clothed deck sunbaking initially LOL It was about 22C in Noumea when we arrived at 3 pm, about 24C in Lifou and partly cloudy, and 26C in Port Vila and drizzly then clearing to a sunny afternoon. The next sea day on the way back was a beautiful warm day and the last sea day it started to cool down but a lot warmer than on the way over.

 

Snorkel hire is available on the ship for a full kit for $49.95 adults, $29.95 kids for the entire cruise.

 

Shore Tours

 

Noumea – what do you do from 3 pm in Noumea? I hadn’t been to the aquarium before so booked the shore tour as I knew it wasn’t opened on a Monday. A brief city tour on the way to the aquarium, which is really well done, then a trip up to the top of the hill for a look see then back to the ship.

 

Lifou – last time I was in Lifou it took forever to tender off so I decided to book a shore tour, Cliffs of Jokin. First stop a Vanilla plantation which I found very interesting and a cup of vanilla tea or coffee. Then to Cliffs of Jokin and another refreshment break. What a beautiful spot. We walked down the 100 steps and the water is pristine and the coral/fish looked sensational. I wanted to go snorkelling there (others were) but the guide wouldn’t allow it....bugga! If you can get there it is really worthwhile. Only for the fit as it’s a big jump in and a rope to pull yourself out. I then went over to Jinek Bay to snorkel. The old wooden steps are definitely gone after Cyclone Vania went through in January, but they have made a make-shift ladder out of tree branches which is difficult to navigate and very very slippery. There are some rough concrete steps further along with a big jump to get in but manageable also. P&O refuse to fix the steps due to OH&S and don’t want people going there, so the locals have done the best they can I guess. But with the money the locals make the locals should fix the bloody steps up! The water was a bit brisk but still pleasant but I’m afraid to say this area no longer has the “sensation” factor it once did. Cruise ships have wrecked this marine environment. Doesn’t help when idiots stand on the coral and go ‘look at me’. But I did Find Nemo J

 

Port Vila – I booked the Pele Island tour. It is a brand new shore tour and only the 2nd time it has been run. A small group of 18 of us. It’s about an hour’s drive, then a 15 minute boat road to the island. We were greeted by the “chief of the day” and given a coconut and lei (when I went back through the markets the local ladies were all looking at it as they had never seen one like it before to see how it was made). After a serenade by the local band we donned our snorkelling gear and out in the boats to about 300 metres offshore. It was drizzly rain and a bit windy and choppy but sensational snorkelling. It is a marine park. Due to the choppy conditions our snorkelling was cut short L Lunch is provided which was a snack box kinda deal with a ham/cheese/lettuce roll (very fresh), an apple, a muffin and scone and a chicken type spicy pastry wrapped slice (very very tasty), cordial or water. We then went on a walk through the village and they had a small market stall set up also. Back for coffee and tea then time to go! Not long enough but shore tours never are. Highly recommended! The driver stopped at the duty free shop and waited for us on the way back to the ship, with time for a 10 minute smash and grab shop back through the markets just in time for final boarding.

 

Gym/Spa is located on Deck 2. I went to the gym often for a looksee on my way to the spa LOL With all the intentions of exercising I always seem to go “tomorrow”. But “tomorrow” never comes hahaha. Spa was great. I had a few treatments, and although expensive, this is my enjoyment and after all, this is an R&R cruise. Even squeezed in a few afternoon nana naps too J

 

Salt Grill/La Luna – didn’t eat here this time but I always highly recommend both. Salt Grill was open for breakfast on the last 2 sea days at $20.00 pp. I didn’t see the menu or meet anyone who ate breakfast there, so can’t offer an opinion.

 

Onboard shops – I think I’m over onboard shopping. Nothing took my fancy, not even the diamonds! Probably cos I’ve bought it all before LOL

 

Disembarkation – I booked the $29.95 ship transfer until I got my disembarkation time of 6.40 am. Shove that! So I was able to cancel that and change my disembarkation time to a more civil hour of 8.20 am, caught a taxi which cost $27.00 LOL

 

Cruise Itinerary/Dress

 

Day 1 – Smart Casual/Dancing through the decades**

Day 2 – Cocktail/Formal

Day 3 – Smart Casual/Country & Western

Day 4 – Smart Casual/Pirates

Day 5 – Smart Casual/Island Attire**

Day 6 – Cocktail/Formal

Day 7 – Smart Casual**

Day 8 – Smart Casual

 

**Shorts may be worn in the dining room on these nights only

 

Shows/Bars/Entertainment

 

So much to do, so little time! P&O do their entertainment right! Except the band Vertigo (they were on Pearl in April and they’re haunting me). She has the worst voice!

 

Guest entertainers were Tony Laffan (comedy magician), Andrew Nasan (comedian) and Steve Allison (comedian). All very good and I love the late Sit Down Comedy Club in the Dome. Still wondering where the balloon that Tony swallowed is LOL and how he did the razor blade swallow trick!

 

International Show Lounge entertainment – Welcome Aboard Show, Do You Wanna Dance, Temonora Tahitian Experience (local folkloric show in Noumea), Pirates of the Pacific (on the Pearl they are doing the 2nd one of this), Tony Laffan and Boogie Shoes. As previously said, shows are at 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm with the exception of the first and last night, at 9.30 pm and 7.30 pm respectively.

 

There’s always something going on, movies, karaoke, demonstrations of various types (or as I like to call it the Hard Sell), art auctions (hmmmm), laser shows/pacific cirque entertainers in the atrium, formal night parade/lazer show/champagne waterfall, learn to dance, trivia, boot camp............and the list just goes on and on and on, something all day and night, for all ages and tastes...............or you can curl up in a deck chair with a book and cocktail J Oh and don’t forget afternoon tea in the dining room at 3.30 – 4.00 pm on sea days! Island night is always a hit and they have now mastered the art of keeping people up and drinking by doing the Conga line into the Dome! Very enterprising!

 

Casino – Wow what unhappy dealers. I have never seen so many glum faces (and that’s not from the passengers losing their money!) Don’t know what’s going on there but as someone who enjoys the banter at the tables I was very disappointed (and so were others) of their lack of interaction and funness L. First cruise I haven’t won anything either. I’m normally very very lucky!

 

B I N G O – I only played on the last sea day this time. Usually play every day but decided I never win so why bother LOL I won $117 in the first session hehehe. Now that’s a first! Final day jackpot was $4500 (approx) and a young couple who had come on for a family wedding won it.

 

Laundry – yes they have a self serve one and it was opposite my cabin but I didn’t even look in it.

 

OK that’s it, I’ve dribbled on, I’m sure there’s plenty more.....any questions, I’ll try to answer them.

 

Oh one more thing....I only demagnetized my cruise card once this trip.....that’s an all time cruise record hahahahahahahaha. My bill is still in its envelope, I’ll wait for the CC statement AKKKKK.

 

Ohhhh another thing – Definition of awkward/hint of bizarre/twilight zone music: Your ex BF is on the cruise with his new financee! Fortunately our split up some five years ago was due to geographical hassles as he was transferred as Chief Captain to a NSW regional hub (he’s a pilot) and we couldn’t keep up the distance romance, so that wasn’t an issue to run into him, but it’s the last place I would have thought I would run into him! Especially cruising out of Brisbane....actually just cruising. We sorta kept in contact but I hadn’t seen or heard from him in over 2 years until a few weeks ago. We chit chatted about the kids, family, bla bla (never mentioned travel or cruising mind you) and he told me he was getting married! I was happy for him but bittersweet sadness as well.....oh well. It has been 5 years though! Can you imagine when I saw them at sailaway and here and there throughout the ship! I successfully managed to evade them until the 2nd last day when face to face in the buffet queue we came! OMG the look on his face was priceless...he stuttered “Deb, Deb....OMG Deb!”.......the look on her face was even better when he introduced me as an “old friend” LOL. I wandered off and left him to explain who his “old friend” was. Bittersweet closure :/

 

THE END (but repacking for 3 nights on Pacific Jewel on 22 July outta Sydney and 2 nights on Sun Princess on 28 July outta Brissy to Sydney again – Princess elite not far off! hehehe)

 

Hi Debsta, I enjoyed reading your post about your experiences. Great stuff! ;)

[Annabelle100]

[quote=kiwipete;29829711]Ann don't give up completely on P&O Aus. Norma and I really enjoyed our 10 days on Pacific Pearl. Maybe not up to Diamond standards but still very nice and the crew we very good.

 

Hi Pete,

 

Maybe there are "issues" on the Pacific Dawn, not experienced on the Pearl ?

Oh dear, I feel a rant about the dining room coming on.

 

Despite a THREE hour wait in a large shed with insufficient seating, we did embark in a positive mood. We were travelling with friends, and during the long wait we took turns on the plastic chairs, and wandered the pleasant surroundings of Portside Brisbane, outside of the big shed. The vast number of families with children had a more uncomfortable time. Scores, maybe hundreds, of people had to stand as there were insufficient numbers of plastic chairs. It was so crowded that it was hard to judge numbers. Maybe we just got a bad day for embarking?

 

We were happy with the ship, Pac Dawn. Aged, but comfortable. The entertainment was exceptionally good, and varied. The passenger mix was very young to very old, with lots of happy families . It was a fun atmosphere. We met some great people. A Canadian couple spent the post cruise day at our home. So yes we had a good time.

 

It was the management of the dining room, and the food, which impacted on our enjoyment, and our decision to avoid P & O Aus.

 

We came to dread evening dining on the Pacific Dawn as we never knew what to expect. Anytime Dining had been offered at the time of booking and we selected Anytime Dining, expecting Anytime Dining. If an announcement had been made stating “Sorry we can’t offer Anytime Dining”, we would have adjusted. If there had been consistency each night, whatever the system, we would have adjusted.

 

Some nights we were able to just arrive and be shown to seats as per Anytime Dining; other nights we were lectured about not having a booking. We did try booking but after five unanswered phone calls one day, we gave up. Yes we could have gone to the dining room to book, or gone to the main desk , but we were busy enjoying ourselves.

 

One evening we wanted to dine about 7.30pm to fit into that night's plans. Would tonight be a “good” night at the dining room entrance ? The dining room was nearly empty but we were kept waiting until "a cancellation was found" . We were seated in a corner in the vastly empty dining room. No one was interested in serving us. Likewise, no one was interested in our queries “What about Anytime Dining ?”. Finally our food arrived . My fish was curling at the edges and the side of sprouts had a grey hue. My fault for ordering boring food, I chuckled.

 

We were amused that we had scored a table for two. We'd met a young couple who had tried to book a table for two, in advance, and had been told "No. Not possible". When we caught up with them later on the cruise they had managed to get their table for two for their special night but the initial disappointment had left a slight sour feeling. It was not only the young who had problems. At breakfast one morning, one elderly woman was already stressing about how she would cope having to eat so late that evening. She had been bullied into booking but was only offered the late seating.

 

We could just think , “Sod it “,and go to the buffet which we did one night when we were too tired for The Dining Room Games. Elderly people with mobility issues do not have that choice. An acquaintance on the same cruise with her 91 year old mum booked Salt, the pay extra restaurant, for three nights to avoid the dining room hassles. We ate there once and it was fabulous and hassle free.

 

The food was not all bad but the word mediocre comes to mind. The highlights were the curries.

 

Yes, we have written to P&O Aus. But we will not be in a hurry to cruise with P&O again.

This is unfortunate as we liked leaving from Brisbane. Portside is very pleasant with lots of shops, even a supermarket, so one can buy any last minute items. It was batteries for the cameras for us. http://www.portsidewharf.com.au/#brisbane_cruise_terminal.

The cruise out along the Brisbane river was interesting, to a local. Of course it can't compare to sailing out of Sydney, but it's good in its own way.

 

Parking at Brisbane was easy. We left the car at Gateway Parking, about 1km away, for $64 for eight days, outside, using a discount docket. It’s a very efficient operation. We were processed and delivered to the terminal, with baggage, in a speedy, friendly manner. Likewise, when we disembarked, we were collected and back on the highway heading home in what seemed like minutes. http://www.gatewayairportparking.com.au

 

We did have a good time, Pete, but we are not in a hurry to try P & O again :).

 

Regards, Ann

[Annabelle100]

The small font for Pete's words, or the blue font, were not intentional. Cheers, Ann

[Sandielle]

We have never had trouble with dining on Pacific Dawn so far, maybe because we find a waiter we like and book with him every night. That way, we have never had trouble with the food either. I realise not everyone likes to eat at the same table, but we like to build up a rapport with our waiters and people we sit with. It will be interesting? :rolleyes: to see what it's like on our next cruise.

[SailorJack]

Ohhhh another thing – Definition of awkward/hint of bizarre/twilight zone music: Your ex BF is on the cruise with his new financee! Fortunately our split up some five years ago was due to geographical hassles as he was transferred as Chief Captain to a NSW regional hub (he’s a pilot) and we couldn’t keep up the distance romance, so that wasn’t an issue to run into him, but it’s the last place I would have thought I would run into him! Especially cruising out of Brisbane....actually just cruising. We sorta kept in contact but I hadn’t seen or heard from him in over 2 years until a few weeks ago. We chit chatted about the kids, family, bla bla (never mentioned travel or cruising mind you) and he told me he was getting married! I was happy for him but bittersweet sadness as well.....oh well. It has been 5 years though! Can you imagine when I saw them at sailaway and here and there throughout the ship! I successfully managed to evade them until the 2nd last day when face to face in the buffet queue we came! OMG the look on his face was priceless...he stuttered “Deb, Deb....OMG Deb!”.......the look on her face was even better when he introduced me as an “old friend” LOL. I wandered off and left him to explain who his “old friend” was. Bittersweet closure :/

 

 

Very funny!:) But I can also understand the bittersweet aspect.

 

Reminds me of a line an entertainer used on a past cruise:

 

"I met my wife on a cruise...it was very embarrasing...she thought I was at a business conference."

 

Jack