Pacific Sun Cruise N518 Paradise Daydream

[Kazza1]

Suuz

 

Picked up the tickets. Well 4 any way. P&O spelt one of the boys name wrong and they will issue a new one today. The ticket did have a cabin number on it and we are in the middle of the Empress deck. When the travel agent called P&O yesterday to find out where our cabin was, P&O told her that the cruise was fully booked out and it had a wait list.

 

P&O said embarking is at 1pm and departure time is 5pm, at the same time as the childrens dinner.

Hope we embark with plenty of time (some people say it takes hours...)to look around and get the children organised before its time to leave, take the children to dinner, put them into child care and go to dinner ourselves.

 

I left a message for neicy and ron to ask about the weather at night and if it gets cool, but no one has got back to me yet.

 

Regards

Kazza

[suuz]

Kazza Neicy & Ron left a reply here saying that we won't need winter pj's on board thanks for that Niecy & Ron. I got in touch with my travel agent and we should get our tickets next week she is checking them to make sure there okay, She was able to tell me that our flights will be qantas so will now book for our carparking. I can't believe it is getting so close after waiting so long hopefully nothing goes wrong this time. Looking forward to meeting you onboard Kazza:) .

suuz

[Kazza1]

Neicy & Ron,

Missed your posting about weather as it went straight to page 3 and missed 2 postings.:rolleyes:

 

Kaseyoz,

The only ports with shore tours are Villa, Noumea and Lifou.

 

Suuz,

Will see you in another 24 days. :D yaaaa.:D

[kaseyoz]

thanks for the reply kazza. Will be eagerly looking for your trip report, so have a wonderful time. you too suuz!!

I am counting days too.

[Kazza1]

Hi Suuz

 

Just wondering if you have received your tickets yet.

 

Do you plan on doing shore tours?

If you are, are you going to pre book by the 9/5/05?

We looked through the tour booklet last night and think we have picked a good one for Villa and Lifou but are not sure about Noumea.

Has your sister recommended any?

 

Regards

Kazza

[suuz]

Kazza

 

Recieved our tickets yesterday not sure if I will pre book or not.

I am looking at the Cliffs of Jokin in Lifou, the Coral Viewing and Snorkel Safari in Vanuatu my sister said that the Ekasup Cultural Village in Vanuatu is fantastic too, in Noumea I am looking at the Countryside, City and Aquarium tour my sister said the Aquarium was good but she didn't think much of Noumea I have heard a few people say that so I will see what I think when we get there. Not long to go now I can't wait:D .

 

see you soon

suuz

[Kazza1]

Suuz

 

We werent going to pre book untill P&O said that the ship was completely full. Still not sure though. You can cancel your booking.

We have picked the "Melanesian Encounter" at Lifou, "Ekasup Cultural Village" and maybe "Jetboat Adventure" at Villa and at Noumea I think the "Countryside, City & Aquarium".

Some friends told me the "Cascade Waterfalls" at Villa are excellent and the "Le Petit Train" in Noumea was boreing.

Would have liked to take the boys to the "Sweet Delights Chocolate Factory" and "Amedee Island" in Noumea. Oh well:(

 

Reiley has made a cruise countdown and every morning he gets up early so he can cross off a day. He woke up in the middle of the night, came into our room and woke us up to see if he could cross the day off...:eek:

 

Regards

Kazza

[suuz]

Kazza

 

The countdown has started at our house to Josh knows that he only has 2 weeks of school left. They love seeing any pictuers of the ship I can find online they think it is wonderful.

see you soon

Suuz

[suuz]

Kazza

 

I have decided to pre book our tours. I have chosen the forest and secret grotto in Lifou, ekasup cultural village in Villa and in Noumea the Country side city and aquarium also the city highlights tour. I would have liked to do the lagoon cruise in Vanuatu but it was not on our booking sheets.

regards

suuz

[suuz]

Kazza

 

Have just heard from my travel agent that our itinery has been changed now we will have a seven night cruise finishing in Auckland then they will fly us back to Australia. My travel agent is checking to see if we can stay a bit longer in New Zealand. :( Very dissapointed after what happened in November but at least we are still going on a cruise.

Regards

suuz

[Kazza1]

Suuz

 

If you go to www.pocruises.com.au/html/update.cfm it has some Q&A's there.

 

We were initially upset about the changes till we went and saw our travel agent.

(Still upset that we dont do the cruise that we specifically picked) but you still get

* a 7 night cruise

* $1500.00 onboard credit

* a refund of 4 nights (over $2500.00)

* a stay in New Zealand and

* a free air fare (the kids havent been on a plane before).

 

We are also staying in New Zealand We are going to stay for 5 nights and will be coming back on the 26/5/05. Tonight we are going through brochures to see where we want to stay. After getting all summer clothes organised, we now have to take winter aswell.

Not sure how many formal nights or what theme nights they will have now. P&O were unable to tell me today. Not sure if I will pre book tours now.

 

Any info that you may learn, could you please post it or you can email me at ozcoast1@bigpond.net.au .

 

When I rang my husband to tell him, he thought I was doing a "Gotcha Call" on the radio so he hung up and called me back.

I also called a friend of ours that is booked for N520 to see if she had got the call yet and she also thought I was joking (at first). They fly to New Zealand, go on their cruise and finish in Sydney.

 

Regards

Kazza

[suuz]

Kazza

Our travel agent is checking prices for us at the moment to sta in New Zealand until 24th.

we are lokking at staying in auckland for 1 night then driving to rotorua and staying for one night then back to auckland for one night before we go home. I must admit I am looking forward to seeing the thermal springs. In auckland there is a place called Kelly Tarltons antarctic encounter underwater world that I will go to see here is there web address if you want to have a look http://www.kellytarltons.co.nz/home/. I am still disapointed about not getting my tropical getaway but what can you do but make the most of what you have. The onboard credit is per adult according to the web site and my travel agent so that works out to $600.00

hope this helps

suuz

[Kazza1]

Suuz

 

My travel agent called P&O to make sure that the $300.00 was "per person" (including children). P&O said it was for children too.

When I found the update site it said "per adult", so I called P&O and they said it was an error and it was "per passenger"

 

4pm

After reading that your travel agent said it was "per adult", I just called P&O again. At first he said that it was "per adult" and he would just confirm that with his supervisor. When he came back, he said that because N520 had printed "$300.00 per passenger", they had to make N518 "per passanger" aswell.

 

The boys are disappointed because they wont be on the ship long enough. I told them that we will be going on a plane and that this can be a test run for a cruise in April 2006.

Brought snorkels for the boys yesterday and now they can only use them for one day...

I went to New Zealand about 19 years ago and toured the South and North Island with my parents.

Lovely place, BUT didnt want to go to New Zealand for my holidays. oh well

 

Regards

Kazza

[suuz]

Kazza

 

that will be great per passenger. I am still waitng to hear from my travel agent about extra days in New Zealand hopefully I will find out soon then I know what I will be doing but I am still upset because I didn't get the holiday I wanted I think I am jinxed after what happened in November.

regards

suuz

[Kazza1]

Hi Suuz

We have decided not to stay in NZ anymore. When we land in Sydney, we are jumping back on a plane and going to a kids resort in Surfers Paradise for 5 nights (useing our refund money) and taking them to Movie World, Sea World and Dreamworld.

Received the letter from P&O on Wednesday. Travel agent couldnt believe that we could take the $1500.00 onboard credit as cash if we wanted to.

I feel sorry for the people that are going on N519, as they have to go on the Pacific Sky. After all the trouble the ship has had, I would hate to be the first cruise after being fixed. I wonder what P&O are doing about the families of 5 that cant fit into a Pacific Sky cabin?

Rang P&O today to see how many formal nights and what theme nights we are having. 2 formal nights and they said they now do all the theme (PJ party, fancy dress, country and western and rock n roll) unless it is changed on the boat.

I still feel upset and a little deflated BUT we are getting past it.

There was talk about maybe being able to fly people back to their home city instead of Sydney. Hope they do that for you as then you wont have to pay for the return flight that you would have before.

1 more week for the boys at school. Reileys class friends were talking about the Kindergarten school excursion to the Reptile park today, and Reiley told them "I wont be going with you because I will be on a cruise that day having a Ice Cream eating competition":p

 

See you soon:)

Regards

Kazza

[Whoey]

Kazza,

 

The Kids will love the time in Queensland... Sorry you & suuz are getting mucked around and I hope you still really enjoy your cruise! You can still treat it as a test run for the planned cruise next year :)

 

Whoey.

[Kazza1]

Sorry, forgot to add Island night to the theme nights.

 

Kazza

[Kazza1]

Hi whoey

 

Have been feeling really let down:( and unable to get into the swing of packing and organising since they told us the changes on Monday, BUT I started to get back on track and excited again today.

I know we will have a great time on board:)

I wonder how full the ship is going to be now? Suuz you might get an upgrade now:)

 

Regards

Kazza

[Neicy& Ron]

Have been following this thread now for quite a while and I am sure that the last minute changes are not good.

 

So why have they changed things around and exactly what have they done?

 

Is there a problem with pacific sun?

 

Regards

Ron & Neicy

[Kazza1]

Neicy & Ron,

 

No there is nothing wrong with Pacific Sun, it all has to do with Pacific Sky again...Because Pac Sky is undergoing repairs and has been delayed by 5 days, P&O decided that the 2 week Lions Rugby tour from NZ was more important than 3 Pac Sun cruises. Our 11 night, 6 port cruise (N518) has now been changed to 7 nights, 2 ports (Noumea & Isle of Pines) and we will be dropped off at NZ and flown home. N519 passangers are now going on the Pac Sky with (dont know what they are doing with the families of 5) 1 night, 1 port short and a change in ports. N520 passangers are flying to NZ and the cruise has been changed the same as ours.

 

Regards

Kazza

[suuz]

Well we have decided to spend a few days in New Zealand we are getting a hire car and heading to rotorua for a night i have not seen the thermal pools before so will take the opportunity while I am there. I am still very dissapointed that another cruise has not gone right if I go on another cruise I think I will take one from overseas after all the problems with P&O I don't think I am meant to sail with them.

 

regards

suuz

[Kazza1]

Hi Suuz

 

Was able to pack Blakes bag today and part of Reiley and Joels. The lounge room looked like a bomb hit it. Will try and pack the rest tomorrow as we are busy next weekend.

The kids were really excited today. Crossing off the day and counting how many days left. All day they were singing "9 days left till the cruise". I cant wait to see their faces when they see how big the ship is:eek:

Will see you soon

 

Regards

Kazza

[kaseyoz]

In case I dont manage to get on next week, just wanted to wish the happy travellers AkA kazza and Suuz a wonderful cruise. I have read the messages on here and feel your disappointment but you both also seem resigned now to the changes. You WILL have a great time no doubt about that. Keep smiling and have fun.

Look forward to hearing about your cruise when you return.

karon

[Kiwi Kruzer]

In case I dont manage to get on next week, just wanted to wish the happy travellers AkA kazza and Suuz a wonderful cruise. I have read the messages on here and feel your disappointment but you both also seem resigned now to the changes. You WILL have a great time no doubt about that. Keep smiling and have fun.

Look forward to hearing about your cruise when you return.

karon

 

Have a really great cruise!!!!!!!

[Past it]

:) Bon Voyage Kazza1 and Suuz it seems like we have all waited with you for your trip and now its finally here. Its a shame you are not getting the full south pacific tour but it will still be there, for you to see one day. Hope you all have a lovely time and I will be watching on the cam!!! ;) so give us a wave.