Pacific Sky NZ Season slipping away ??

:confused: For the last year my family has looked forward to our sailing on p526 Ex Auckland on 28th of July around the pacific on a 12 night cruise aboard Pacific Sky.

I have read as much as I can on the net in postings like these about whats going on with this Lemon of a Cruise Liner.

I was relieved to hear it was making its way over for a Lions Rugby tour charter because I figured they wouldn't scrap that . In the end the seem to be sending over the Pacific Sun.

Just this afternoon I got through to P&O getting in on their Agents line as they don't reply to numbers left with their answer service.

Anyway the happy sounding chap assured me the ship was cruising towards Sydney for a pick up of passangers.

I clicked later on the only link that shows Pacific Sky's Web cam due to P&O dissabling it on their web site and sure enough it was still parked up looking towards some Bridge in Brisbane at June 20 05.16 GMT

So I can only assume the staff at P&O are telling porkies.

I do so much want to take my daughters 5 and 9 on this cruise but can see it slipping away.

If anyone has inside knowledge that can sooth my fears I would dearly like to hear from you.

Thanks:confused:

Have you got your tickets yet???? We are going on the 7th July cruise from Auckland and have our tickets. I did read somewhere that they were sending the Sun over for the lion supporters and haven't heard anything else so am half expecting the Sun to be there instead of the Sky. There is an Auckland P&O number you can ring. I cannot find it at the moment, it must be put away carefully somewhere. If I find it tonight I will post it here. I think the office is in Parnell and I have had more luck ringing them than the 0800 number that gets you through to Oz. I will also ring them tomorrow IF I can find the number. Let me know on here how you get on. We went on the Sky last year and it was fabulous.

This an extract from a posting I saw on the net.

P&O has suffered another setback as repairs to Pacific Sky has been delayed, forcing it to be replaced by Pacific Sun.

The delay in repairs to Sky’s gearbox is expected to take an extra five days, preventing its departure.

Pacific Sun will replace the scheduled two-week Lions rugby tour charter in New Zealand between June 21 and July 6. This has resulted in the 11-night cruise out of Sydney (N518) on June 14 being shortened to seven nights and concluding in Auckland.

Passengers will receive a pro-rata refund, a $300 onboard spending credit and air transfer from Auckland to Sydney.

The same applies to the July 4 10-night round-trip from Sydney which will also be reduced to seven nights.

Pacific Sky is set to replace Pacific Sun on the scheduled June 25 departure (N519), which will be shortened by one night in order to be positioned to Auckland by July 3.

Pacific Sky will then be able to begin its New Zealand winter deployment on July 7.

So Touch wood it will be here by the 7th.

We haven't seen any tickets yet or even got any correspondance. Would be completely in the dark were it not for my ability to search the net.

Here is the view from the bridge of the Pacific Sun so we can monitor where it is

Best of luck;)

Can you tell me what other message boards there are pertaining to the Sky??? I am not a good searcher for these things. I found one at one time and cannot find it again.

http://www.travelbiz.com.au/news.asp?type=cruise

:o

According to Brisbane port information on its way to Sydney this afternoon.

PACIFIC SKY23 Jun 2005 13:30 Cairncross No 2Sea

Hope it doesn't fall apart on the way.

Then according to Sydney Port due25/06/2005 05:30</FONT>Wharf 8 -( DH8 )</FONT>PACIFIC SKY </FONT>Passenger Vessel </FONT>Brisbane </FONT>

We are due to board Pacific Sky on Saturday in Sydney for a 9 day cruise, getting back on Sunday 3rd. Keeping fingers, toes etc crossed that everything goes according to plan. We were originally due to go on the Sun but as you know everything was changed for the Rugby charter. Thank you for your informative posts re the movement of the Sky! Hope we all have a great time on her.

Saz. Could you post here after you get back and let us all know how it went.

YES I would be worried, I was booked on a cruise that is supposed to be leaving Sydney on Sat 25th. Was informed at 3:30pm Thursday 23rd that my cruise was cancelled. Thanks P&O, we wont be getting out refunds for a couple of weeks, and weve got 1 day to make alternative plans. My partner has taken long service leave for this cruise, and where is he going to spend it now. At home doing nothing.

The cruise was originally on the sun, then changed to the sky to nothing.

Surely they would have known if it was going to be ready or not.

I feel for you lot that have again had the rug pulled out from under you.

This just isn't good enough.

No mention of any movement of this ship from Brisbane in the port info this morning.

Its not as if we get much choice for alternate cruises down here in the Pacific or P&O would suffer from bad press and a exodus of customers. Sure you get flasher ships but the average Auzzie or Kiwi who has ayoung family in tow doesn't get paid the $'s the American's do so we get treated like the second class passenger of yesteryear.

I hate to even hold out hope that my cruise will go ahead.

Bugger !!!!

I received this correspondance today. I hope it is true.

"We have been informed P524 and onwards is due to sail as no further problems are anticipated...

I know it is frustrating but please bare with us!

It will be worth it when you get on board..."

So Rockie I trust your 7th Sailing goes well.

We picked up our tickets today.

Hi,

we are booked on the pacific sky's 7th-17th July cruise and have been frustrated also with all the cancellations we have seen when searching on the net. I have emailed P & O this week, after seeing the Sun in Lyttleton harbour instead of the Sky. We have also had no news from the company itself regarding events.

I received this reply

Thank you for your response.

I understand your concern and appreciate it is frustrating.

It is on going gearbox problem holding the Pacific Sky up. We have been informed P524 is set to sail as per schedule.

In the event of something happening we try and give as much notice as possible.

(I had actually asked exactly how much warning we would have if there was another problem, but didnt get a straight answer!! I see now from your threads that it can be only a couple of days warning for cancellation !%@!!!)

Our concern is, that since it is a school holidays cruise, we will have no show of finding another package eg/ Fiji in the school holiday period, as it is always booked well in advance.

Fingers crossed bigtime

Denise :-)

I checked the "undisabled" webcam yesterday - Pacific Sky was in Brisbane.

Today Pacific Sky is at sea - presumably mobile and presumably going to Sydney.

Hope all goes well.

You are right!! The Pacific Sky is a lemon!! We were informed only 10 minutes before we were to head to Perth before catching a flight to Sydney for the June 25 cruise. Talk about diappointed particularly as we were to board the Pacific Sun, only to have that sent to NZ for the Rugby and us put on the Lemon Boat. P&O dont even update their website and let the world know that they still have problems.

Not Happy!!

:mad:

Can confirm the ship left Brisbane 8.30 am Saturday heading for Sydney.

Due to berth.

28/06/2005 16:00</FONT>Wharf 8 -( DH8 )</FONT>PACIFIC SKY </FONT>Passenger Vessel </FONT>ex-Brisbane

Not sure what plans it has after arrival and pre 7 July sailing.

At least we can assume its rubber band propulsion still works.

Bye:confused:

I have just looked at two different pages trying to find the web cam for the Sky and one was dark and said it was in Brisbane, the other had Camera Currently Unavailable. AAARrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! This is frustrating. Has anyone seen this ship?????????????? Anywhere????????????

Its sort of like during WW2 tracking the Bismark somewhere of Norway. But this time I keep checking the resources available on the net.

Anyway Rockie check the web page above during daylight hours unless the ship is in port.

You can do your nut if you see any sort of fish swimming by the web cam as we could assume it would be at the bottom of the Tasman Sea.

I however am so bloody relieved to see that it is not camped in Brisbane any more.

Bye

Oh yes can anyone tell me how you put a countdown calender at the foot of ones posting

Hey,

I received this email today 27/6 from P & O

The Pacific Sky left Brisbane yesterday (sunday the 26th June 2005) - if they ship was at all experiencing any problems she would not have left Brisbane so all is looking very very positive now

Only bummer is that the webcam is still down ????? what does that mean

Hey Rockie - send us a pic so we can recognise each other on board the 7th july cruise - we can all have a drink together and toast her starboard gearbox!!!

Denise :-):p

Try this link

http://www.kroooz-cams.com/pacific_sky/pacific_sky.htm

Ship due to sail to Auckland from Sydney

02/07/2005 16:00</FONT>Wharf 8 -( DH8 )</FONT>PACIFIC SKY </FONT>Passenger Vessel </FONT>Auckland </FONT>

I have just had a look at the Pacific Skys webcam (Saturday night 2nd July) and she has left Sydney and is on her way to Auckland :eek: - yehah!:D

Imagine how happy the staff and tourist operators/stall holders will be to see the ship finally back after nothing for months!:cool:

Still keeping our fingers and toes crossed for no further problems!

Will so those concerned on board on the 7th July!

I just had a look at the cruise cam and it still looks like it is on last nights. I wonder if they have filled it up with last minute passengers or are bringing it over empty which you wouldn't think they would do. I won't believe it untill it is in dock in Auckland and we are onboard. I just hope it doesn't break down again on the way back out.:eek:

Bon Voyage Everyone!!!!!!!!

Trust you all have a really great cruise.

Please come back ,after your cruise and give us a review.

The ship has been repainted and is looking great after it's refit.

Lets all hope the new gearbox works well.......

All the best

David.

Hi Guys

Thanks for the good luck David - hopefully we wont need it!!!!

Will certainly let you know what it was like when we get back, even if we have to row!!:mad:

Rockie- what is your first name?? In case we bump into each other??

Anyone else also on the 7th July cruise??

Denise:p