Hi,
Was wondering if fellow OzBargainers can tell me their experiences on the PACIFIC PEARL.
With a family of 6 I'm needing to know what to expect from the ship.
It's going to. Vanuatu and Numea.
Anyway, appreciate all comments.
Thanks
GLO
P&O Cruise - Pacific Pearl
GLO on 16/10/2014 - 22:22
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thanks ms_caz
thats perfect.
I agree with Ms_caz. Did a Pacific cruise with P&O 2 years ago and got bored with the days at sea. There is only so much trivia one can do. My advice is to load up the tablet with some books, get some Avomine for sea sickness (better to be prepared as Pacific is rough and getting this from the doctor on board will cost you heaps) and check out David Buckingham website http://www.gdbucko1.magix.net for heaps of great information to help prepare you.
Good luck and I hope you enjoyed it better than we did.Thanks!
Lots of good reading on Davids site.
I had thought that non alcoholic drinks were included but read on the P&O page that you can take 10 cans each!
If non-alcholic beverages are not included outside of meal periods, would there be any objection to the kids using and filling their drink bottles with Juice from the breakfast bar for example?
I think that is possible, but you'll have to fill it using the glasses provided so the widest mouth drink bottle you have makes it easy. We filled ours with water and ice this way. I read all of David's information and even some on the facebook page for P&O and then was prepared for everything. I made luggage labels similar to David's, except I used an old pencil tartan pencil case and had the strap part attaching with the use of a button. Even made extras for other family members going on cruises.
Research wel and then enjoy!
If you have not booked already then go with Princess. Best cruise line all round IMO.
Can get good prices if you look around.
Not sure if you have cruised before and want specific info about the ship or about cruising in general.
The ship is perfectly okay - we didn't encounter any issues or problems. We were midship, deck 6 I think. Our Oceanview cabin was nice and spacious and quite stable. My husband really enjoyed the feeling of being rocked to sleep at night.. and in fact spent much of the day in the cabin also, sleeping!
I didn't really enjoy the cruise all that much to be honest - I don't think I'm one of those fanatical cruisers who think that this is the best holiday on earth. Frankly we found sea days to be incredibly boring, especially the three days homeward bound. But it's a very easy way to holiday - don't really have to think about anything. I do recall thinking at the time that this would be a good way to go on holiday with a group of friends or extended family. I think for those with children it would have its advantages since you can put them in the kids club to keep them entertained whilst you have a break for yourself.
A couple of things to know:
* I found inside the ship to be overly airconditioned so make sure you take a jacket/wrap etc.
* It's a value holiday aimed at a mass market. Don't expect it to be anything more than that.
* The formal evenings are really just people getting dressed up to go out to dinner - there wasn't anything particularly formal about anything else on board (and frankly, not even really anything particularly formal about dinner in the restaurant).
* Dinners in the main dining room are supposed to be just that - dining - therefore they take longer. If you just want to eat, go to the buffet - or if you have kids take them to the buffet to eat so then they can get back to kids club
* take cold medicines/sudafed etc and other over the counter things you might get at a pharmacy since they are expensive on board
* we ate at the specialty restaurant and it was worth the $40 per head extra we paid. I don't know if you regularly dine out at hatted restaurants. We don't so this was something special for us
* have as many photos taken as you like but you don't have to buy any at all. Wait to the last night and compare them all.
* join Cruise Critic - an online community dedicated to cruising. Find out more specific info about your cruise/cruise line, and if you are lucky there may also be fellow cruisers on the "roll call"
Finally, although I didn't LOVE our first cruise on Pacific Pearl, we are in the process of planning another one - this time on the Panama Canal. I guess I'll see if my initial impressions of cruising were correct!