Tonga and Fiji - New to P&O Australia Questions

[Dididi]

Our Tonga and Fiji (out of Auckland) cruise will be our first on P&O Australia. Although I've read plenty of threads about life onboard, I still have the following questions:

 

1.  From what I've read, the ship assigns you a dining venue (Waterfront, Dragon Lady and Angelo's) and time for the first three nights.  For the rest of the cruise, you get to pick.  Where do we go to get that sorted on boarding day?  Can it be done on the App?  If we want to go to Luke's or 400 Gradi, how do we make reservations?

 

2.  Princess cabins have shampoo/gel dispensers in the showers.  Does P&O Australia?

 

3.  On Princess, the self-service laundry room has dispensers for washer/dryer tokens and for detergent/fabric softener.  These machines used to work with the cruise cards, now with the medallions, but there's no need to go to the Service desk to get tokens.  How about P&O Australia?

 

4.  We'll be on the Pacific Explorer.  I don't see a library on the deck plans....  Any craft classes?

 

5.  Lastly, if anyone has recommendations for ship tours in Tonga (Vava'u and Nuku'alofa), we would much appreciate it.

 

Thank you.

 

 

[ceeceeDee]

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.

[dazadelaide]

Hi we have been on the Explorer 6 weeks ago so I can answer a few of your questions.

1. P&O don't make dinner reservations for you in advance. You either use the app once on board or go to Dragon lady when you board and make reservations for the first 3 days after that just use the app it is very easy to use and that is coming from a tech dinosaur like myself.

2. Yep body wash etc but take your own if you wish my wife does as she also likes her own brand.

3. You need to get tokens from guest services. we always take our own liquid but guest services will give you powder if you want. Cost is $6 for wash and dry.

4. No library sadly but they do have a book trolly in the atrium not many books though. I always take 3 or 4 books with me on a cruise and just leave them in the trolly when finished.

5. Can't help you with the destinations as we have not been to any of them.

Have a great trip the Explorer is an older ship but it's a lot of fun and we enjoy the P&O product it's relaxed and not pretentious like some other lines we have been on.

Daz

[Dididi]

Daz and CeeCeeDee,

 

Thank you both for your detailed replies.  We'll be traveling from Washington DC for this cruise so are familiar with Princess but not with P&O Australia.  Older ship is fine; we're ready to have a good time.

[dazadelaide]

Hi Dididi,

coming from the US you will find things different on the Explorer.

It is very much oriented to the OZ lifestyle and culture.

The entertainment is geared towards Australian music in most of the bars.

The dress standards are very relaxed and casual compared to most other cruiselines.

No formalwear to be seen mainly polo tops and shorts in dining rooms lots of thongs (flip flops) men and women.

Only time you see a man wearing a tie will be on gatsby night when alot of guests dress up in 1930's period dress.

Things are just generally more relaxed all over.

We have done 4 cruises on P&O and have never met an American on board! 

Have fun

Daz

[ceeceeDee]

BTW, Pacific Explorer is an ex Princess ship Dawn Princess

[Dididi]

Daz and ceeceeDee,

 

Thank you again for your advice.  We met more than a dozen wonderful Australian passengers about the Star Princess (now a P&O Australia ship) on our Christmas 2019 cruise to Hawaii.  Based on their recommendations and on reading the Australian/NZ cruisers board, we've decided to give P&O Australia a try.  How many other cruises go to Tonga and Fiji?  

 

We're well aware that it will be more casual than Princess and geared toward the Australian market. So closer to a Carnival ship in the Caribbean (although it's a ten-day itinerary so perhaps not as wild) than our worst-ever in terms of passenger interaction: a stuffy Cunard cruise to Norway and Iceland.  Might not get all the jokes, but how can we not have a fun time drinking a beer at sea while wearing a sarong and flip flops?

 

We don't expect to meet other US passengers.  Making the booking was complicated as the online booking tool won't readily accept US addresses and phone numbers because it's set up for AUS and NZ passengers (as it should because that the line's customer base).  Had to call Australia but a wonderful booking agent helped us with the reservation and more recently with check-in.  

 

Only 50 or so days to go....

[ceeceeDee]

In the Australian summer RCL, Carnival, P&O and I think Princess do South Pacific cruises of varying lengths and from different embarkation points. They probably do Tonga (I suspect mostly out of New Zealand, but I could be wrong) but I haven't gone into the various itineraries and we invariably sail from Brisbane unless we are doing an overseas jaunt like the Caribbean (last time from Miami).

On the P&O Encounter (ex Star Princess) there is a formal night, but from our recent cruise it would appear some people do dress up, others don't. We always throw semi formal gear in our luggage and usually take the opportunity to put the glad rags on. Of course we go all out for Gatsby, it's a blast. Love roarin' 20s fashion!

I'm sure you will have a wonderful cruise and we'd love to hear all about it upon your return.

[Haoie]

I'll tack on a question:

1.  From what I've read, the ship assigns you a dining venue (Waterfront, Dragon Lady and Angelo's) and time for the first three nights.

 

So this means for nights 1-3 you're set in the venues, these can't be changed? Ie day 1 = WF, day 2 DL, day 3 ANG.

 

What about times?

[ceeceeDee]

Yes, you should be able to change the venues and times once on board subject to availability. Make ringing the maitre d on the cabin phone your first priority if you need to change anything. Or I believe you can do it in person at Dragon Lady.

On our recent cruise we hadn't made any reservations and the maitre d rang us not long after we boarded to sort out our dining for the week. Of course, that may have been a perk of being in a mini suite.

[dazadelaide]

You can just change any of the dining venues and times on the app or in person at Dragon lady when you board.

It was all very easy to do on our recent cruise on the Adventure.

Daz

[Tripmode33]

Completed our first P&O Australia cruise earlier this month (Encounter). Usually sail Princess.

Re Dining, we had selected 'Early' on our details page via their cruise control webpage. We had not made any reservations.  On arrival in our cabin there was a well set out letter stating that they had made reservations for every day of the cruise, not just the first three days. It set out the venue and time, and rotated through the three included evening dining venues.  If you wanted to change, simple matter to pop down to Dragon Lady and discuss changes on embarkation day. This is also advised if you have a preference for sharing or private table.

This system worked well for us and we really enjoyed all three venues.

We were impressed with our first P&O cruise.

If seeking further information, also consider posting on the general CC Board for Australia and New Zealand - it is used frequently by a great group of cruisers willing to offer helpful advice.

[Vader1111]

On 6/19/2023 at 7:20 PM, dazadelaide said:

You can just change any of the dining venues and times on the app or in person at Dragon lady when you board.

It was all very easy to do on our recent cruise on the Adventure.

Daz

Angelo's & Dragon Lady are both much, much, much bigger on Adventure than they are on Explorer.  I highly recommend booking these as soon as you board the ship, to avoid disappointment - as they do fill up.  This is a complete non-issue for Adventure, where P&O like you to book, but the restaurant capacity is such that there is absolutely no need whatsoever to do so.

 

Part of the problem is that some groups book large numbers of tables, and then don't turn up.  I guess this is a problem for small restaurants everywhere, not just Angelo's & Dragon Lady.  You can probably take your chances in turning up without a booking, but don't be surprised if you are turned away.

 

Explorer's Waterfront is larger than Angelo's & Dragon Lady combined.  Bookings are definitely recommended if you have a large group - but small parties of 1 or 2 can usually be accommodated if you just rock up to the restaurant.

[Vader1111]

On 6/19/2023 at 7:20 PM, dazadelaide said:

You can just change any of the dining venues and times on the app or in person at Dragon lady when you board.

It was all very easy to do on our recent cruise on the Adventure.

Daz

Assuming the app is working correctly, which it often doesn't.  The P&O app is notoriously flakey.

 

On my recent Adventure cruise, I was unable to make restaurant bookings through the app - but my friend had no such difficulty.  Go figure!

[Vader1111]

As for having bookings pre-made for the first 3 nights of the cruise...  I'm guessing this must be a Suite thing? It's never happened to me when I've been sailing plebian class.

 

It's worth noting that Angelo's & Dragon Lady only have 2x menus, which they alternate every 3rd day.  This means that menu #1 is used on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, while menu #2 is used on days 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12 (and so forth).  This is probably why suite passengers are booked 3 days in advance.

 

 

[Linz48]

On 6/13/2023 at 12:51 PM, Dididi said:

Daz and CeeCeeDee,

 

Thank you both for your detailed replies.  We'll be traveling from Washington DC for this cruise so are familiar with Princess but not with P&O Australia.  Older ship is fine; we're ready to have a good time.

What date are you cruising?. We are on the explorer 8th August to Tonga & Fiji 

 

[Linz48]

On 6/17/2023 at 3:57 PM, Dididi said:

Daz and ceeceeDee,

 

Thank you again for your advice.  We met more than a dozen wonderful Australian passengers about the Star Princess (now a P&O Australia ship) on our Christmas 2019 cruise to Hawaii.  Based on their recommendations and on reading the Australian/NZ cruisers board, we've decided to give P&O Australia a try.  How many other cruises go to Tonga and Fiji?  

 

We're well aware that it will be more casual than Princess and geared toward the Australian market. So closer to a Carnival ship in the Caribbean (although it's a ten-day itinerary so perhaps not as wild) than our worst-ever in terms of passenger interaction: a stuffy Cunard cruise to Norway and Iceland.  Might not get all the jokes, but how can we not have a fun time drinking a beer at sea while wearing a sarong and flip flops?

 

We don't expect to meet other US passengers.  Making the booking was complicated as the online booking tool won't readily accept US addresses and phone numbers because it's set up for AUS and NZ passengers (as it should because that the line's customer base).  Had to call Australia but a wonderful booking agent helped us with the reservation and more recently with check-in.  

 

Only 50 or so days to go....

 

On 6/6/2023 at 6:14 AM, Dididi said:

Our Tonga and Fiji (out of Auckland) cruise will be our first on P&O Australia. Although I've read plenty of threads about life onboard, I still have the following questions:

 

1.  From what I've read, the ship assigns you a dining venue (Waterfront, Dragon Lady and Angelo's) and time for the first three nights.  For the rest of the cruise, you get to pick.  Where do we go to get that sorted on boarding day?  Can it be done on the App?  If we want to go to Luke's or 400 Gradi, how do we make reservations?

 

2.  Princess cabins have shampoo/gel dispensers in the showers.  Does P&O Australia?

 

3.  On Princess, the self-service laundry room has dispensers for washer/dryer tokens and for detergent/fabric softener.  These machines used to work with the cruise cards, now with the medallions, but there's no need to go to the Service desk to get tokens.  How about P&O Australia?

 

4.  We'll be on the Pacific Explorer.  I don't see a library on the deck plans....  Any craft classes?

 

5.  Lastly, if anyone has recommendations for ship tours in Tonga (Vava'u and Nuku'alofa), we would much appreciate it.

 

Thank you.

 

 

What date are you cruising? we are on the explorer 8th Aug to Tonga & fiji

[Dididi]

We were on the August 8th Tonga and Fiji cruise.  I unfortunately missed your posts so couldn't say hello while on board.  We had a fantastic time, very pleased.

 

A week later, we're still getting used to our time zone (16 hours behind Auckland).  I posted some information about our onboard experience on the Australian/NZ Cruisers forum.

 

Because of the low tide, our Nuku'alofa snorkel safari was canceled and Vavau's culture and swim tour was culture and walk on the rocks (got to see sapphire blue starfish).  But I drank coconut water and scrapped the inside of the coconuts in both Tongan ports so all was good.  

 

In Nuku'alofa we went to take a close look at the Palace (after we went to the blow holes and the three-headed coconut tree), then went to Talita Store (where my daughter found a couple of inexpensive yet good fabric quality dresses) and the local market.  Friends we made on the ship told us they enjoyed visiting the caves in Nuku'alofa (not so the ones in Vavau).

 

As mentioned above, we took a ship tour in Vavau (umu cooking, traditional dancing and tapa weaving demonstrations; visit to a vanilla farm; rocky beach on low tide) that offered a glimpse into local life.  We went on one of the snorkeling tours in Port Denarau.  The best excursion we took was river tubing tour in Suva (with rivertubingfiji.com, booked directly with them although it was also offered by the ship): a ride upriver on a long wooden boat, a visit to a village, lunch by the river, a dip in a waterfall and a bit of river tubing.  Pristine waters, untouched nature (with the occasional cow by the river's edge).  Wonderful.

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Dididi
minor edit