1st ever cruise P&O Dawn - Questions for a newbie

[paulineandlee]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and we (myself, hubby and 7yo son) are due to leave on our very first cruise next Saturday on P&O Dawn from Bne to Airlee Beach, Cairns & Port Douglas. Excited and nervous at the same time :confused:

 

I've gone through lots of threads, but thought I might be able to get all my questions answered in this one thread. Apologies if they've been done a million times.

 

Dress Code - I've read about this a bit but am confused as it says smart casual in ALL dining areas (men having to wear a collared shirt after 5.30). Is this the case with the buffet for dinner? Fair enough in the restaurants but the buffet? Can anyone shed some light? Also, is there a dress standard or the kids in the restaurant?

 

Kids club - says first in best dressed. Is it hard to get kids in? do we have to be there waiting when it opens each day?

 

Has anyone been to these locations? We've booked only one shore tour - in Cairns the skyrail and butterfly sanctuary. Everything else at the other locations didn't really interest us or dragged on for too long and my son would go crazy and be bored. Any suggestions for other activities in Airlee Beach and Port Douglas?

 

Travelcalm - I've got 2 boxes. Do these make you very drowsy? When do you start taking them? My hubby gets light headed easily so am worried about his getting sea sick but he works the day before we leave. Tips and suggestions for this appreciated.

 

Any other tips I may need to know? I've ready about taking a power board and all medications like kids neurofen etc.

 

thanks in advance from a nervous first time cruiser :)

[rkmw]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and we (myself, hubby and 7yo son) are due to leave on our very first cruise next Saturday on P&O Dawn from Bne to Airlee Beach, Cairns & Port Douglas. Excited and nervous at the same time :confused:

 

I've gone through lots of threads, but thought I might be able to get all my questions answered in this one thread. Apologies if they've been done a million times.

 

Dress Code - I've read about this a bit but am confused as it says smart casual in ALL dining areas (men having to wear a collared shirt after 5.30). Is this the case with the buffet for dinner? Fair enough in the restaurants but the buffet? Can anyone shed some light? Also, is there a dress standard or the kids in the restaurant?

 

Kids club - says first in best dressed. Is it hard to get kids in? do we have to be there waiting when it opens each day?

 

Has anyone been to these locations? We've booked only one shore tour - in Cairns the skyrail and butterfly sanctuary. Everything else at the other locations didn't really interest us or dragged on for too long and my son would go crazy and be bored. Any suggestions for other activities in Airlee Beach and Port Douglas?

 

Travelcalm - I've got 2 boxes. Do these make you very drowsy? When do you start taking them? My hubby gets light headed easily so am worried about his getting sea sick but he works the day before we leave. Tips and suggestions for this appreciated.

 

Any other tips I may need to know? I've ready about taking a power board and all medications like kids neurofen etc.

 

thanks in advance from a nervous first time cruiser :)

 

welcome to CC

 

with the dress code if you go to dinner in the MDR its smart casual except on cocktail night some people tend to dress up, with the buffet anything goes as long as you have thongs on your feet and no wet costumes on as water could drip off them and someone could fall over

 

with Airlie Beach and Port Douglas they are tender ports so you can please yourself what to do as long as you dont miss the last tender back to the ship

 

i dont have any small kids but you have to book the child into the kids club on the first day....thats what they mean first in best dressed

[cruisingsis]

When I was last in a cruise to Port Douglas we went on a snorkel trip to GBR so I did not have time for any other tour. But my travel companions found people with a paddle boat that were taking tours out from near where we tendered to. They said it was a really cheap price and gd trip. Think they just saw a sign on the wharf.

 

 

Jenny - Cruising out of sunny Tauranga, NZ

[bazzaw]

"Smart" casual means just that -- not just "casual" . Maybe smart casual means (for men) a shirt with a collar (eg a POLO shirt). Smart casual doesn't necessarily mean a long sleeved shirt with collar -- just a short sleeved shirt with collar, pants and shoes -- ie not a T-shirt, shorts and a pair of thongs .

 

However - relax - because on P&O, dresswise, you can get away with almost anything -- but the point is -- do you want to?? On a cruise ship -even in the buffet, think "nice resort" -not think "camping on the Beach at Straddie with the mates " :)

 

 

Barry

Edited January 11, 2014 by bazzaw

[paulineandlee]

Thanks for the feedback. My hubby has lots of dressy t-shirts but will have to pack a few extra polo style tops I guess.

 

We went to hamilton island about 6 months ago and went snorkelling and to whitehaven beach which cuts out those shore tours for us.

[aussielozzie18]

Re the seasick tablets, we took Avomine which is stronger than Travelcalm. Travelcalm is on the shelf and Avomine is kept behind the counter by the chemist. There is a warning that Avomine will make you drowsy but I found this not to be the case at all. We starting taking Avomine the night before the cruise and then every night at bedtime for the duration of the cruise. My son who gets motion sick in cars, didnt experience any seasickness at all on our 9 nights at sea.

[bazshirl2]

At Airlie Beach there is a large enclosed swimming lagoon which is very popular and great for kids.Quite safe and different depths. A pleasant walk into town from the wharf onshore gets you there. :)

[paulineandlee]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I saw a pic of the lagoon. Sounds like the perfect day for us (especially if there is any shopping nearby for me).

 

Hopefully we are all fine and don't get sea sick too.

 

Does anyone know what time the gym opens in the morning? I read somewhere (can't remember where) that it opens at 10am???? We usually train at 5.30am/6.00am!!!!

 

thanks