Have you travelled on the Pacific Dawn?

[elena7seas]

Pacific Dawn used to be the Regal Princess, and now is owned by P&O Australia.

 

Has anyone here sailed Pacific Dawn in the last year, and how would you compare it to a Celebrity experience? Friends of mind are sailing on the Pacific Dawn as their first cruise (for a sighting of the solar eclipse in November), and I've been reading some interesting details, such as: room service incurs a charge; they no longer keep your unfinished wine until the next day, but you also cannot take the unfinished bottle to your cabin; medical assistance and basic meds are extraordinarily expensive, and so on.

 

My friends have asked me some questions about cruising, and I would like to give them some background, but I don't want to set them up to be disappointed if the way that P&O Australia operates their ships is radically different from my experiences with Celebrity, HAL, RCI and Princess.

 

The Pacific Princess was retrofitted in 2010 and she looks very nice. My concerns are more in the operational area.

 

I am going to ask some questions on the P&0 Australia forum, but I would like to get a comparative perspective from someone who has also sailed Celebrity.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide :).

[timtam2]

I have not sailed on Pacific Dawn ( and wouldn't want to as I have lovely memories of Regal Princess). However, I do know a lot about the P&o Australia product as I work in travel. I would not know how to compare any Celebrity ship with that one. Nothing alike at all. Pacific Dawn has more in common with it's parent company Carnival....

[mummsie]

Pacific Dawn used to be the Regal Princess, and now is owned by P&O Australia.

 

Has anyone here sailed Pacific Dawn in the last year, and how would you compare it to a Celebrity experience? Friends of mind are sailing on the Pacific Dawn as their first cruise (for a sighting of the solar eclipse in November), and I've been reading some interesting details, such as: room service incurs a charge; they no longer keep your unfinished wine until the next day, but you also cannot take the unfinished bottle to your cabin; medical assistance and basic meds are extraordinarily expensive, and so on.

 

My friends have asked me some questions about cruising, and I would like to give them some background, but I don't want to set them up to be disappointed if the way that P&O Australia operates their ships is radically different from my experiences with Celebrity, HAL, RCI and Princess.

 

The Pacific Princess was retrofitted in 2010 and she looks very nice. My concerns are more in the operational area.

 

I am going to ask some questions on the P&0 Australia forum, but I would like to get a comparative perspective from someone who has also sailed Celebrity.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide :).

 

We did a 3 day on the Dawn a couple of years ago. There is absolutely no comparison. Dawn is 3* at best. You will find the experience much much different but then if its a choice of going on a holiday or not going on a holiday - I know my answer. The staff are still as friendly and the rooms are still clean. I didn't use any of the facilities you have mentioned - have never used room service in 13 cruises and never leave an unfinished bottle of wine :) They have put in a lot of extra family rooms as it caters for the Aussie market so you may find it quite crowded.

 

The entertainment is still first class and the bar staff are great. The food may not be quite the same standard are Celebrity but its still good and hey its better than cooking and cleaning yourself.

 

Tell your friends to go with an open mind and just go with the flow. :Dmummsie

[elena7seas]

Thanks to both of your for your helpful replies. They will help me to get a sense of the difference and to be a bit cautious when I discuss some of what we take for granted on Celebrity.

 

Their focus is on the solar eclipse, so I am sure they will enjoy their cruise.