Recommendations Please!!

[*Blonde*]

Hi everyone,

My partner and I are getting married in January 2008, and are wanting to go on our first cruise for our honeymoon. We are needing some opinions as there are so many different options!!

 

We want to depart from either Auckland, or Australia, and we want to go to the South Pacific. We don't mind where we visit but would like to go for longer than 7 nights, and no more than say 14 nights. We are currently looking a cruise departing between 28 January 2008 and 8 February 2008.

 

P&O have released the timetable for Pacific Star and there is an 8 night Summer Daydream cruise leaving Auckland on 29 January - so this is perfect. The outside twin rooms range from $2300 to $2500, and the mini suite is $3990. So we are wanting to hear from people that have been on the Star as to whether we should spend the extra money and go for a suite, or if the outside twin rooms are good enough. The thing we love is that the suite has a spa, and a balcony!! But then again, how much time will we actually spend in our room!!

 

So this leads me onto my second query. As we love the idea of a balcony, should we wait and see what timetable the Pacific Dawn has, as these have "affordable balconies".

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks :)

[mummsie]

Hi, I would also check out the Princess Website for either the Diamond or Sapphire Princess (identical ships) that go between Auckland and Sydney over that period. We went on the Sapphire and had a marvellous time. They are almost new ships and are really big. We went on an inside cabin. Friends of ours went at the same time and had a mini suite. The only time the balcony was good was at sail away. We didn't miss it at all.

Another option is the Tahitian Princess. It sales exclusively around Tahiti and is supposed to be the most scenic of all cruises anywhere in the world. If you go over to the cruise critic Princess website there is a load of information. We sailed on her sister the Pacific Princess (which sales under P&O for part of the year, and we had a balcony and it was just magnificent. Its a 5 star ship with all the trimmings. Mummsie

[karmac]

But then again, how much time will we actually spend in our room!!

 

 

Thanks :)

 

 

Generally not much....but then again....it's your honemoon so who knows?:D . Honeymoon or not, I wouldn't be spending too much time in the cabin. Plenty of time for that when you get back home:p . If you really want a balcony, I'd be inclined to go on the Dawn as they are much more affordable and you have a bigger choice. The Sun & Star only have about 12 balcony rooms & they're not in the greatest position. Althoug P&O havent' released their schedule for the time you're looking at, if you check out the following website, it tells you the dates that the Dawn is in Sydney so you at least know how long the cruises are for.

 

http://www.sydneyports.com.au/Cruising/CruiseSchedule.asp

 

BTW welcome to the boards. People here are full of useful information and a very friendly bunch.

 

Karen

[*Blonde*]

Hi, I would also check out the Princess Website for either the Diamond or Sapphire Princess (identical ships) that go between Auckland and Sydney over that period. We went on the Sapphire and had a marvellous time. They are almost new ships and are really big. We went on an inside cabin. Friends of ours went at the same time and had a mini suite. The only time the balcony was good was at sail away. We didn't miss it at all.

Thanks Mummsie, but we really want to go to the South Pacific, and Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess don't go there!! They only go between Aussie & NZ which we don't want to do! But thank you so much for letting me know about your room - i'm pleased you didn't miss having a balcony as thats what we are thinking too!! :)

[*Blonde*]

Generally not much....but then again....it's your honemoon so who knows?:D . Honeymoon or not, I wouldn't be spending too much time in the cabin. Plenty of time for that when you get back home:p . If you really want a balcony, I'd be inclined to go on the Dawn as they are much more affordable and you have a bigger choice. The Sun & Star only have about 12 balcony rooms & they're not in the greatest position. Karen

 

Hi Karen, thanks for your reply! I like your way of thinking ;) and your right - plenty of time for that when we get home - or after dark!!! LOL! Thank you for the info on the Sun & Star - we would hate to pay the extra $2000 for a balcony and then find its not that great anyway. We are very quickly leaning toward the cheaper option! The website says the Dawn departs on 28 January which is two days after our wedding so that could be a good option too!! Will keep an eye out for their timetable - still have lots of time!! Thank you :)

[sweet_successes]

Hi Blonde

 

We recently sailed on the Star (27th May - 9th June) out of Aucklandand had an outside cabin. It was fine for the 2 of us with enough room. I spoke to people who were in the suites and they said that they couldn't use the balconies on sea days as it was too windy and not very private. Also one couple mentioned that the spa wasn't big enough for 2!!! LOL

 

Check out my photos on the Pacific Star on http://community.webshots.com/user/rarljay for photos of our cabin (we were in a 4 berth but only 2 of us) and some of the suites.

 

Good Luck

 

Rach

[*Blonde*]

I spoke to people who were in the suites and they said that they couldn't use the balconies on sea days as it was too windy and not very private. Also one couple mentioned that the spa wasn't big enough for 2!!! LOL

 

:eek: Thanks Rach!! Wow never thought you wouldn't be able to use the balcony!! Thank you so much for sharing your photos!! Looks like you had a ball!! :) The cabin looks like its a reasonable size!

[Skyrules]

This one would be a good one;

 

http://www.pocruises.com.au/html/r807-south-pacific.cfm

 

It goes to a couple of Ports in Tonga that don't get visited very often, and certainly not on cruises departing from Australia.

 

It Departs Auckland on February 14th, a good way to spend your first Valentines Day as a married couple.

 

Personally, I wouldn't bother with a balcony suite on Pacific Star - for most of the reasons that everyone else has said - too windy for the cabins - not much privacy (particularly in the suites towards the front of the ship).

 

Kym