P and O Cruise "review"/info

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xpd

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#306623 8-Aug-2023 12:15

Got back from a 13 night cruise on P and O Pacific Explorer recently, had a ball and looking forward to our next cruise :)

Some info/review here https://xpd.co.nz/blog/index.php/2023/07/31/cruise-2023/

If have any questions, fire away :)

And before anyone asks, YES there is internet on board (at a cost), but is expensive and can be slow as hell. ;)

XPD / Gavin

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#3113219 8-Aug-2023 12:22

The last line of your review is the crippler for any cruise for me !!

Oblivian

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#3113227 8-Aug-2023 12:37

I did a 14 day island hopper daily diary and tips like this for others too.

Pays to know a few tricks before boarding (like softdrinks, multiboards, earplugs etc)

Reminds me, must sort insurance.. next one is when this little lass hits akl in Sept.. and not short.

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Coral-Princess-545

Stu

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#3113230 8-Aug-2023 12:42

We've only cruised with Princess (same crowd as P&O), and experienced similar issues as you mention in your review. Still enjoyed cruising and have done a few. Don't plan on doing any more any time soon, primarily due to your last sentence, but also had enough of pushy and impatient punters who think they're far more important than everyone else on the cruise. Next time will hopefully be river cruises in/around Europe.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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#3113231 8-Aug-2023 12:47

I did a family cruise for 10 days around the South Pacific on the Carnival Spirit about 4 years ago.

Loved it. Kids were mid-teens. They had a blast. We never saw them on the ship.

Lots of little things that are handy to know, like multi-boards and knowing where on the ship to be etc.

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Oblivian

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#3113276 8-Aug-2023 12:53

Don't quite get cruisers. They like the airport regulars.

Rather go pushing in to sit longer than you and screw up isles than uniform and save everyone mucking around time

They ain't leaving without you.. unless you're on a cruise and late lol. But for most stuff and getting on

Elitism shines

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#3113282 8-Aug-2023 13:13

We cruised Princess recently, had a mix of your comments but overall felt a far more positive experience -

Princess operate with wearable medallions (lanyard, necklace, watch) that acts as your cruise card. Is locatable on the ships system (so you can order drink/food through the app and it is brought direct to your location), can also connect guests and locate them using the medallion / app). Had no issues whatsoever with the system.

Dining venues - could book a time sometime during the same day most of the time, or just turn up, there were enough options to not have to que.

We had the full drinks package, all part of our cruise fare. If you have a sea intensive cruise (more sea days, less port days), some sort of package will be even more beneficial. We aren't big drinkers but enjoyed sampling drinks we otherwise wouldn't have.

I'm not put off by Covid in the least. Our cruise was all clear first week, 2nd week they announced "a raspatory illness" and recommended caution, but the C word was never uttered. Wife is already nagging when we can go again....

We don't have young kids, but Princess may not be the line if you do, no waterslides, go karts etc like others.

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johno1234

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#3113393 8-Aug-2023 14:35

xpd:

Got back from a 13 night cruise on P and O Pacific Explorer recently, had a ball and looking forward to our next cruise :)

Some info/review here https://xpd.co.nz/blog/index.php/2023/07/31/cruise-2023/

If have any questions, fire away :)

And before anyone asks, YES there is internet on board (at a cost), but is expensive and can be slow as hell. ;)

I certainly will read. Have been thinking about an ex Auckland Pacific Island cruise and P&O are prominent in this market.

Other cruises I've done have almost all had a package inclusion option and I usually get the beverage and internet options which have worked out well. I can imagine if the internet package becomes too popular then the ship's satellite data bandwidth will be saturated.

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#3113395 8-Aug-2023 14:38

Oblivian: Don't quite get cruisers.

That's what everybody says before they've been on a cruise, me included. Most people that try do end up really enjoying them and go back for more, me included.

It's just a giant floating hotel and resort with the bonus that it moves around different ports and destinations.

Oblivian

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#3113446 8-Aug-2023 15:14

johno1234:
Oblivian: Don't quite get cruisers.

That's what everybody says before they've been on a cruise, me included. Most people that try do end up really enjoying them and go back for more, me included.

It's just a giant floating hotel and resort with the bonus that it moves around different ports and destinations.

Cruis ERs. Not cruises

You missed the bit where I've been one and on a 34 day jaunt next month ;)

Not the thing, the people who do crazyness due being frequent fliers and expecting to first Everything ;)

trig42

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#3113452 8-Aug-2023 15:51

We did a Fiji trip on 9 July - School Holidays. The ship was at capacity and this showed trying to get into the restaurants. I've never had to book an included restaurant before, they've always just got us in on the night.

It was our 4th P&O cruise, so we knew what to expect.

This time round, there was a big group of us (I think we knew about 20+ other people on the cruise), we were cruising with the kids and grandkids (7 and 10).

We had a great time, and I agree with everything in your post.

Just my additions:

Drinks Package - this is $100 per person, per day (unless you can score it as part of your deal, but you'll find the price of the cruise goes up during those 'promotions').

We didn't get the drinks package this time (it would have been $1600 for the two of us). We just ordered drinks as we felt we wanted them, and we didn't skimp. I went through the account after we got back, and we spent a lot less than $1600 on alcohol on the cruise. If you're going on a cruise, and are tempted by the drinks package, do some calculations before you go - Beers are about $9 each, cocktails about $15-19. Wine by the bottle starts at about $40 (these are all AUD). You have to have quite a bit of alcohol to make the drinks package pay (and you cannot buy one drinks package if there are two adults (or more) in your cabin - each adult on your booking has to buy it, or none. The drinks package only covers drinks up to $15 (if you order a Negroni, which we did a lot, at $16, you pay the $16 - they don't deduct the $15 from your drinks package off that), and they'll start charging you for drinks after your 15th of the day (and may, or may not, tell you that you've hit the limit).

We found Pacific Explorer to be getting a bit tired. The public areas are great, and the crew awesome. Our cabin was starting to show signs of age (it was creaky and noisy, the shower needed attention and the TV entertainment is a bit tired (as mentioned, pretty poor quality). It's a good cruise if you can pick up a decent deal.

Our next cruise is from Dubai to Barcelona next year - looking forward to trying a different cruise line, and super looking forward to cruising through the Suez Canal.

Kookoo

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#3113463 8-Aug-2023 16:19

Imagine that on your next vacation you went to a fancy hotel, but you can't leave because we surrounded it with a moat.

If cruises were honest

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xpd

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#3113464 8-Aug-2023 16:20

We were "bad parents" and took kids after the school holidays... 17th to 30th. :)

Apparently the Explorer is being retired "soon", so something else, hopefully newer, will take its place.

XPD / Gavin

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#3113474 8-Aug-2023 16:49

Kookoo:

Imagine that on your next vacation you went to a fancy hotel, but you can't leave because we surrounded it with a moat.

If cruises were honest

Yep, that's my view.

Did a few grey-funnel cruises in my time and enjoyed those, but the thought of being surrounded by several thousand people every time I step ashore is a big no. And COVID has just made that more so.

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#3113480 8-Aug-2023 17:09

Dammit I forgot about Covid. *sigh* rethink needed.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Oblivian

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#3113486 8-Aug-2023 17:34

If you think of them in tiers

Princess is your seasonal folk. P&O more budget friendly commonly known for australian-based booze cruise or family

And carnival. Are all the same group

Most of the P&O fleet now are ex princess. As your more flashy brand get a nice new liner the old ducks go down the chain.

Part the reason my next one is on the coral class, is it is fresh off the world tours in the northern hemisphere which goes through the canals and are smaller to accommodate that

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