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Review Pacific Dawn 812

suey

By suey,
in P&O Cruises ( Australia )

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suey

suey

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Well we arrived home last Sunday after another great cruise. Have been busy enjoying my remaining week of long service leave so I haven't had a chance to get on line before this.

 

Embarkation.

We arrived at Sydney airport at 8.40 am after an early flight from the Gold Coast where we stayed the night before. Jumped straight into a taxi, arrived at the wharf and checked in our bags. A lady told us they were just about to open the check-in desk so we immediately checked in and received our cruise cards (all before 9.30am). We then went for a walk to a little sandwich bar cafe a couple of streets away and bought brekkie (a bargain of egg and bacon rolls for $2.50 each). Wandered back to the ship and had coffee sitting outside watching the ship. Saw a few people start to line up so went inside terminal to sit and sent kids to line up. We were on the ship in our cabin by 11.30am. I think the easiest embarkation ever for us.

 

Staff and entertainers.

Captain Lorenzo Paoletti ( alot more talkative than our last one in Jan), Cruise Director Josh (who was OK). Both were leaving the ship at end of cruise, Josh was going back to Princess, said it was his last cruise for P & O. Entertainers Shannon Bacall (Irish singer who also played the violin/fiddle and recorder) who I thought was very good, Peter Dean (Comedian) who was sick and only did a late night adult show which I did not attend) and Cameo Rascale (already written about on another thread) who are fantastic. Peter Byrne also joined ship at Noumea and did His Hot August Night show on deck one night. Both Peters and Cameo Rascale also performed in the last show, all excellent. The pacific entertainers were terrific as usual with their shows.

 

Food

No complaints at all about the food. Daughter and No 1 grandson dined in the steakhouse one night while No 2 g/son and I ate at the grill. We all also had lunch one day in the Trattoria. All well worth the expense. We had brekkie both in the dining room and on deck (on different days not bothon the one day), lunch at the buffet and dinner each night in the dining room. One annoyance was that although we were told that you could only book in the dining room after 9am each morning, we found out one morning at 9.04am when all 4-seater tables were booked for that night that you could actually book after dinner the night before. We preferred to sit at 4-seater tables as our mealtimes were our family catch up times.

 

Teen club and shark shack

One grandson attended each and they had a ball. Made some good mates to hang around with and we rarely saw them except at meals, night and shore days. No 2 g/son won so many prizes in the Shark shack, every day he had a new lanyard, keyring, hat or stuffed toy.

 

On board activities

We attended trivia but without Chaz, frog and Mum, we didn't win. Although we did come close a couple of times. We won eight morning show trivia questions between us (well the boys and I did Bek won none). Also did all the other normal activities eg. Bingo (jackpot over $6600) horse racing, champagne waterfall.

One of the best things we got to do is a Bridge Tour. I wrote the Captain a letter when we got on board and then saw the notice in the Daily not to ask for a bridge tour (oops too late). One afternoon his secretary phoned us and said that the Captain would like to invite us for a bridge tour giving two times for us to choose from while we were in Noumea. We chose 2.30pm and went to the designated meeting spot with our written invite in hand and waited, and waited, and waited........ for 40 mins , then we went to the Pursers Desk finally were told security was coming to get us which they did, they had forgotten about us. We had the 1st Officer show the four of us around and he was great. Explained everything and showed us pictures off the ship being built. Also talked about his experiences on other ships. He was shocked that we were given a tour and asked us how we got one as 'this Captain does not give tours, only the 25 kids from Shark Shack the company makes him do' I told him I had just written to the Captain and he told us we were the only ones on board (besides the kids) that were given a bridge tour. What a priviledge!! Made us feel very special.

 

Ports of call

1st stop Isle of Pines, which was lovely as always. But Bek and the boys said water visibility for snorkelling not as good as normal so they were a little disappointed. 2nd stop Ouvea a lovely spot (it must be to entice me into the water). 3rd stop Noumea the one tour we have been trying to get on for the last couple of trips, the Trike ride, was cancelled due to the bike being broken down and waiting for parts. Oh well, maybe next time. One thing I did notice was that although I have seen the city tours offered before, for the first time I saw them offering the Train tours (3 times) for $20 so much cheaper than the ship. We were tempted as we do enjoy the train but times did not fit with our prearranged bridge tour.

 

Disembarkation

A little different than before as no colours are called over loudspeaker at all you just have to meet at a predesignated spot at a certain time (no earlier) and all taken to disembark as a group. Easy and we were ashore by 9.10am.

 

Sorry about the length of review so will finish now and add anything missed later.:)

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Tyche

Tyche

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Good review Suey, I'm relishing these reviews so close our turn (so near now :)) We should get to Sydney at a similar time to you, barring plane delays, and hope to embark early too. Kudos on the bridge tour :)

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suey

suey

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Hi Suey,

Great review. quick questions

Was it anytime dinning ? A few people have been talking about it.

and what cabin did you have?

Deb

 

Anytime dining as in you can book early or late eg between 5.30pm -6.30pm and then later. Board was often out saying no walkins until after 9.30pm. Early sitting when we went always seemed pretty full.

We were in cabin 217 on Baja deck, a great position, just down from the laundry which I might add was great. It is so easy to do a load now that the laundry is open all the time not just at sea as on previous ships. Big dryers too that only take $1 to dry clothes. :)

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suey

suey

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Hi we were on 811 and for disembarkation we were given a colour and called over the loudspeaker it was a breeze,hope this way works well.

 

Seemed to work Ok especially if it was their first time this way. A few people came into longe late and were told they should have been off ages ago. They were also very strict on people not being in their designated spot (showlounge for us at 8.40am) early and you were sent packing if you turned up before your set time. :)

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spakman

spakman

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Posted
Good review Suey, I'm relishing these reviews so close our turn (so near now :)) We should get to Sydney at a similar time to you, barring plane delays, and hope to embark early too. Kudos on the bridge tour :)

 

 

Have a nice cruise, make sure you leave the ship clean for us :)

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southern120

southern120

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Great work scoring a bridge tour!!

 

When I was on PD I got dressed in my most respectable clothes and went down and begged at the Pursar's desk, and they told me (nicely) 'Bridge tours are out of the question!'. Oh, well - I sill had a great cruise! :)

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