Review - NZ cruise Pacific Sun, 31st January

Overall

It was a fantastic cruise :):) with superb weather until the last few days when it was showery. The staff and crew were great as usual, and the entertainment and activities were good, although we felt that at least one of the old entertainers is past his ‘use-by’ date. Maybe we have heard his jokes too many times, because he seemed to go down with the majority of the audience.

There have been a few changes since we were last on the Pacific Sun in May 2008:

1. The dinner menu has three courses instead of four. (We get enough food anyway!)

2. Dishes like Beef Wellington are no longer on the menu.

3. The dining room lunch menu is excellent, although it is the same every day. There are so many choices that you do not have to order the same thing every day. The steak is good.

4. Glasses of champagne are no longer offered at the champagne waterfall.

5. A ticketing system operated for disembarkation even when we were tied up at the wharf as we were at every port on this cruise.

6. The bathroom had shampoo in a fixture, not sachets of shampoo and conditioner.

7. The refurbishment of the Lido deck around the pool and also the Promenade deck after the removal of the gazebo look good.

8. The new position of the gym is good. While passengers use the exercise equipment they look over the back of the ship. On one occasion we watched albatrosses soaring over the wake of the ship, and on another day we saw a large pod of dolphins.

General comments:

1. The scones at afternoon tea are still like cricket balls. I reckon that if pirates attacked the ship they could arm the passengers with scones and have them pelt them at the pirates to drive them away.

2. Friends in a cabin on deck 4 behind the central lift (R120) could hear engine noise. We could hear this when we stood in the corridor.

3. The new Oasis section is hardly being used. The charge is $10 for a half day and $15 for a full day and I think people feel disinclined to pay that when they might only want to relax on a deck chair for an hour or two. We noted that the closest toilets are two decks below.

In the rest of my review, I won’t go into details of what we did each day on the ship, but will focus on the ports of call.

Evon.

Overall

It was a fantastic cruise :):) with superb weather until the last few days when it was showery. The staff and crew were great as usual, and the entertainment and activities were good, although we felt that at least one of the old entertainers is past his ‘use-by’ date. Maybe we have heard his jokes too many times, because he seemed to go down with the majority of the audience.

 

There have been a few changes since we were last on the Pacific Sun in May 2008:

1. The dinner menu has three courses instead of four. (We get enough food anyway!)

2. Dishes like Beef Wellington are no longer on the menu.

3. The dining room lunch menu is excellent, although it is the same every day. There are so many choices that you do not have to order the same thing every day. The steak is good.

4. Glasses of champagne are no longer offered at the champagne waterfall.

5. A ticketing system operated for disembarkation even when we were tied up at the wharf as we were at every port on this cruise.

6. The bathroom had shampoo in a fixture, not sachets of shampoo and conditioner.

7. The refurbishment of the Lido deck around the pool and also the Promenade deck after the removal of the gazebo look good.

8. The new position of the gym is good. While passengers use the exercise equipment they look over the back of the ship. On one occasion we watched albatrosses soaring over the wake of the ship, and on another day we saw a large pod of dolphins.

 

General comments:

1. The scones at afternoon tea are still like cricket balls. I reckon that if pirates attacked the ship they could arm the passengers with scones and have them pelt them at the pirates to drive them away.

2. Friends in a cabin on deck 4 behind the central lift (R120) could hear engine noise. We could hear this when we stood in the corridor.

3. The new Oasis section is hardly being used. The charge is $10 for a half day and $15 for a full day and I think people feel disinclined to pay that when they might only want to relax on a deck chair for an hour or two. We noted that the closest toilets are two decks below.

 

In the rest of my review, I won’t go into details of what we did each day on the ship, but will focus on the ports of call.

 

Evon.

hi evon, waiting to hear your reveiw as we go to NZ next sunday on the DP

did you do the chocolate factory in Dunedin by yourself and if so was it good value

bob

hi evon, waiting to hear your reveiw as we go to NZ next sunday on the DP

 

did you do the chocolate factory in Dunedin by yourself and if so was it good value

 

bob

hi Bob,

With you going so soon I will make sure I post a review of each port fairly quickly.

We went to the choc factory on our own. It was certainly worth the NZ$18 (adults) and NZ$16 for seniors, but I would not have liked to pay AUD$59 for the ship's tour. We pre-booked before we left home and when we arrived a bit early, they asked if we would like to go on the earlier tour. Tours go every 15 minutes and other people just walked in off the street and paid for a tour. We parked in the street outside on a four hour meter. There is a supermarket parking area immediatley across the road, but a sign states that parking is limited to 1 hour. I don't know if they enfore the time limit.

I'll put more details of my review.

Evon.

Welcome back Evon!

Sounds like another lovely cruise - very interesting, the changes you noticed! Hmmmmm.

Looking forward to the full review!

(BTW --- so sorry to hear about your cat!)

Thanks Linda. :):)

Evon.

Hi Evon,

Welcome home and so happy that you had a wonderful cruise.

Reading about the changes on Pac Sun, re only 3 courses and no free champagne at the Champagne Waterfall, and I wonder if these changes will apply on the Pac Dawn as well...... My guess would be Yes!!!:eek:

Look forward reading your thoughts on the ports of call on your cruise. :)

Great read Evon

Cruising To and around NZ never really apealled to me, but it is definately growing on me.

Would love to read more about it and maybe see some photos.??

Great start Evon i always love reading reviews from a cruise i have been on written by fellow pax.......they remind you of what you have forgotten....and this cruise was very memorable........:eek: laundry rage lives :eek:.....:D;):D

Stacey i have a couple of photos up.....a poor start but at least a start:D

I have written the first section of a review and Peter and I have just been going through photos of the 'Milford Sound day'. I am limiting pics because Peter says I shouldn't bore everyone s...less!

Evon.

yes well great cruise glad you hade a good time, the ps was like that when we went on her last time, it was just before anytime dinning and was 4 courses but verythin else the same, they dont make very much from the new Oasis section was the same no one used it nad to be honnest who would, on the pstar the same place was adults only and free and had a spa as well, the entertainers sound the same, hope you didnr have the fat controler as your cruise director (Adam) and captain goodway what dowmers

We were disappointed to find that Adam had left the ship the week before we boarded. We really liked Adam. The CD was David Pepper, an Englishman. He was quite OK.

Demo was on board for three days and he did a late night comedy show. Unfortunately the jokes were recycled and we felt there was unnecessary bad language. I know it is to be expected when the show is R rated and put on at 11.15pm, but there was an unnecessary amount. Just our opinion.

Ash Puriri did one show. We think he is one of the best entertainers we have heard on a cruise ship. Another superb entertainer emerged on the passenger talent night - John (Badgerbill). Absolutely great.

Anytime dining started on the cruise after us.

Evon.

Evon did i hear right that Sandy has made it to cruise director.....perhaps David was only filling in.... i mean from the Queen Mary to the Pacific Sun is not upwards....hehe......i remember when Sandy first started if its correct he will be brilliant..........cheers Shiona.... ps: fanks for the kind words on John i will organize a special CD and a DvD to send to you be in touch soon...

Our first sight of New Zealand was of the mountains of Fiordland in the south-west of the South Island, a spectacular part of this beautiful country. The mountains of Fiordland National Park are slashed by numerous fiords that were named Sounds by the early British explorers.

Our first experience of Fiordland was the most famous fiord in the park, Milford Sound. It was around 6am on a chilly cloudy day that we approached the hidden entrance to Milford Sound. Captain Cook didn’t discover the spectacular 16km fiord because he thought it was just a bay. Looking from the sea you cannot see into the curving fiord.

The weather gradually cleared during the morning, but it remained chilly and windy. We were told that when the Pacific Sun had been here last December it was so cold that some snow fell on the deck. Be prepared for cold weather at any time of year.

We sailed slowly into Milford Sound where steep mountains rise on both sides of the ribbon of water. An occasional waterfall tumbles down the mountainsides, and in a couple of places, a hanging valley shows evidence of a glacial former age.

There were even a couple of pockets of snow high on the slopes. We saw the oft-photographed mountain, Mitre Peak then turned around in sight of the resort at the end of the fiord.

The only way for a ship to leave Milford Sound is the way it came in so we were treated to a second look at the beautiful scenery as we cruised back to the open sea.

We sailed south within sight of the Fiordland coast and this gave everyone time to have a break for lunch.

We reached Thompson Sound around 1.45pm and cruised to the end, and then via the Pendulo Reach to Doubtful Sound. This was named by Captain Cook who thought it was doubtful that the bay he sighted was actually a sound. Obviously he was wrong. The mountains here are not as steep as in Milford Sound, but it is also very beautiful.

Our next excursion was past Breaksea Island and into Acheron Passage, then past the Many Islands to Dusky Sound.

It was such a sensational day that I think everyone on the ship was smiling.

Evon.

so who is on now as in crusie director and catain?

Here is a pic of myself, Peter, Barry (Bazzaw) and Christine on the back deck of the Pacific Sun in Milford Sound.

Evon.

Here is a pic of myself, Peter, Barry (Bazzaw) and Christine on the back deck of the Pacific Sun in Milford Sound.

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Evon.

By putting pics up I am trying to help people make up their minds on what they can see in certain places and also show others how very beautiful NZ is.

The Captain is Peter Philpott, an Englishmen. He has worked for P & O/Princess for many years but has not worked on ships out of Australia before.

The Cruise Director is David Pepper, an Englishman on his first contract on an Australian ship. He arrived only a week or so before our cruise began. I think his manner will go down well with the Australian passengers.

The dancers/singers are all English and are on their first contract on a cruise ship. They have been on board a couple of months.

Evon.

Pictures were beautiful, felt very peaceful. Loved your hat. A New Zealand cruise is definately on my list.

Thanks so much for the photos, they're lovely. We'll be doing NZ cruise next year so I'm looking forward to hear about the ports. It looks pretty cold, did you wear jumpers much of the time?

Thanks so much for the photos, they're lovely. We'll be doing NZ cruise next year so I'm looking forward to hear about the ports. It looks pretty cold, did you wear jumpers much of the time?

When we were in Dunedin, Christchurch & Wellington we needed a light jumper or warm shirt. Definitely long pants. We wore shorts most of the time on the ship because it is airconditioned. It seemed to be a bit cooler in the cabin at night than we are used to.

One night Christine and I went to a movie in the Atlantis Theatre. We froze and our backsides became numb from sitting on the hard seats for so long. Anyone familiar with the Pac Sun Atlantis Theatre will understand what I mean!! A warning to anyone who hasn't been on the ship: The seats in the Atlantis Theatre are rather low so you tend to 'drop' into the seat. Bad idea. Although the seats are upholstered, they are very hard and you feel that you might break your tailbone.

Evon.

i didnt say dont put the pics up i think there geat i just dont look at them to long. what the cruise director and captain like?

Pleased to hear you had a lovely cruise :) I am enjoying your reviews very much and your pictures are great, thanks. I arrived back on the

28th January off PD, had a wonderful time...so good we have already booked again!!!:D had to share this with you...as you and Marg (and some others)were a great help of advice and sharing my excitement to the lead up of our first cruise ever, thanks once again and looking forward to reading all of your review...Nett:)

Overall

It was a fantastic cruise :):) with superb weather until the last few days when it was showery. The staff and crew were great as usual, and the entertainment and activities were good, although we felt that at least one of the old entertainers is past his ‘use-by’ date. Maybe we have heard his jokes too many times, because he seemed to go down with the majority of the audience.

 

There have been a few changes since we were last on the Pacific Sun in May 2008:

1. The dinner menu has three courses instead of four. (We get enough food anyway!)

2. Dishes like Beef Wellington are no longer on the menu.

3. The dining room lunch menu is excellent, although it is the same every day. There are so many choices that you do not have to order the same thing every day. The steak is good.

4. Glasses of champagne are no longer offered at the champagne waterfall.

5. A ticketing system operated for disembarkation even when we were tied up at the wharf as we were at every port on this cruise.

6. The bathroom had shampoo in a fixture, not sachets of shampoo and conditioner.

7. The refurbishment of the Lido deck around the pool and also the Promenade deck after the removal of the gazebo look good.

8. The new position of the gym is good. While passengers use the exercise equipment they look over the back of the ship. On one occasion we watched albatrosses soaring over the wake of the ship, and on another day we saw a large pod of dolphins.

 

General comments:

1. The scones at afternoon tea are still like cricket balls. I reckon that if pirates attacked the ship they could arm the passengers with scones and have them pelt them at the pirates to drive them away.

2. Friends in a cabin on deck 4 behind the central lift (R120) could hear engine noise. We could hear this when we stood in the corridor.

3. The new Oasis section is hardly being used. The charge is $10 for a half day and $15 for a full day and I think people feel disinclined to pay that when they might only want to relax on a deck chair for an hour or two. We noted that the closest toilets are two decks below.

 

In the rest of my review, I won’t go into details of what we did each day on the ship, but will focus on the ports of call.

 

Evon.

Evon, we were on the Pacific Sun cruise immediately before yours and we had champagne at the Champagne Waterfall, so not sure what happened to it on yours.

Funny, until you mentioned it in your review about only having three courses, I thought it strange, so I had a look at the menus from our cruise, and guess what - we only had 3 courses on ours too, and I didn't even realise it! And I didn't notice that Beef Wellington wasn't on offfer at either of the formal dinners!!

Hi Evon,

 

Welcome home and so happy that you had a wonderful cruise.

Reading about the changes on Pac Sun, re only 3 courses and no free champagne at the Champagne Waterfall, and I wonder if these changes will apply on the Pac Dawn as well...... My guess would be Yes!!!:eek:

 

Look forward reading your thoughts on the ports of call on your cruise. :)

Marg, see my reply to Evon.... I think the Champagne thing was just a glitch on that cruise, we certainly got Champagne the week before on Pacific Sun. And with the 3 courses, we didn't even notice it!! Some of the dishes that were previously listed seperately as Entree's now appear in the Soups & Starters course.

three courses is plenty realy at dinner what do you think?