Pacific Pearl, "NZ's new superliner".. Yeah right!

P&O have made a big splash her about Pacific Pearl being New Zealand's first super liner and making much of the fact that it "will be based in Auckland".

What a load of bollocks!!!.

I have been checking the P&O offerings for her next year and what do we see.

She arrives in Auckland in Dec 2010 and does 5 cruises before returning to Oz, then she returns in early May and does another 6 cruises before again returning to Oz.

Big deal, 11 cruises in total, the Sun this year is doing 9, that hardly qualifies her to be NZ based.

And the timings are not good for us, Jan is stinking hot up in the Pacific, and May/June is mid-winter, great up in the tropics, but the winter storms lurk further south.

This time of the year, Mar to Apr, are the best, but she is not here then.

Very, very disappointing.

Mike

I guess the more Kiwi's that will cruise on her will determine how long she will be based in NZ in the coming seasons. I guess Aussie didn't have a ship for 52 weeks of the year when they first started.

Pacific Pearl, "NZ's new superliner".. Yeah right!

Its an old P&O trick that P&O Australia have had passed onto them from the UK:eek:

In 1998 we booked her from Hong Kong to Stdney. She was Arcadia then, and the advertising said she was the newest ship to join the P&O fleet and you could join her , and be part of her maiden World Voyage.

Whoopee we said... a new ship on a maiden voyage, how neat.

Realistaion set in as soon as we boarded....

it was not new , just new to the fleet.

However she is a lovely ship and we really enjoyed the cruise on her.

Careful - they might send you something else. ;)

Yeah, I know - its been a slow morning. :o:D:p

Good one, Dennis - you are clever. :D Who's manning the oars this time?

Careful - they might send you something else. ;)

 

 

Yeah, I know - its been a slow morning. :o:D:p

Hey, where did you get this photo of our new Navy ship Australia is building for us?

Hey, where did you get this photo of our new Navy ship Australia is building for us?

Sssshhhhh!!!

If I told you, I'd have to shoot you - and then shoot myself. :D:p

Actually, its an old P&O cruise ship - converted to a [w]oarship. :o:)

Actually , that pic reminds me of a stunning photo that was taken to welcome Legend of the Seas into Auckland on her Maiden Voyage.

Local Iwi paddled the big waka out from the Orakei Marae , and a photo was taken of just them the ship and Rangitoto as a backdrop.

It was very early in the morning and sea is wrapped in mist.

If you are ever on Legend, do look for it in the gallery of presentations the ships get for the maiden visits to a port.

P&O have made a big splash her about Pacific Pearl being New Zealand's first super liner and making much of the fact that it "will be based in Auckland".

 

What a load of bollocks!!!.

 

And the timings are not good for us, Jan is stinking hot up in the Pacific, and May/June is mid-winter, great up in the tropics, but the winter storms lurk further south.

This time of the year, Mar to Apr, are the best, but she is not here then.

 

Very, very disappointing.

 

Mike

I have to agree with some of what you have said. We have just returned at Easter from a cruise and it was still cyclone season and we had to avoid a storm, and the islands were hot, but it rained....heavily.....every afternoon, in every port (except Norfolk). The tropics.

I would think that a newer 'Superliner' would be better than what is on offer now, a ship with a great crew but constant 'technical' problems. March / April & then October / November / December.

The advertising is making a big deal of it and i really wonder how much % of my fare goes to advertising? They must be sepnding tens of millions. Full page ads in the Herald everyweek and 1/4page daily during the week does not come cheap.

Your fares are sooo much cheaper then what the P&O fares are to cruise from Sydney.

I definitely wouldn't be complaining :)

On top of that, I personally think that you NZ'ers will have the nicest ship or near nicest ship in the fleet as far as layout and facilities.

If there's enough demand for the Pearl there they will leave her there year round, however, with such cheap fares and small stays I'm really questioning the level of bookings been made in NZ.

I found some cruises for late 2011/early 2012 on one of the online TA sites for Pacific Pearl sailings and if correct you Kiwis are going to be even more disappointed, :( only a few cruises and a limited block of sailings in December/January from Auckland, the bulk of sailings seem to be from Sydney.

No Pacific Sun for NZ either, it appears to be extending its season out of WA. Pacific Dawn stays in Brisbane and Pacific Jewel continues to sail from Sydney. Sorry Melbourne!

Don't know how accurate this itinerary is as it has not been published on the P & O site yet....time will tell.

What's the weather like in late March in New Zealand? Is it a good time for cruising?

I just saw a couple of people from NZ in this thread.

Thanks

What's the weather like in late March in New Zealand? Is it a good time for cruising?

I just saw a couple of people from NZ in this thread.

Thanks

Still very warm and daylight savings is still going, so some nice long sunny days. Max temps have been around 28 this March just gone, but depends on where you are cruising.

that the woman is a well known Kiwi!

This Pacific Pearl sounds and looks like a dream boat for Aussies now. Shame it's starting over at New Zealand you lucky people! haha I think we should send the Jewel off to you instead now :P

A 14 metre BBQ will have most Aussies just drooling at the thought of it :P Most of us would book on this ship just for that BBQ not for the holiday haha

V8 supercars simulator sounds cool, whether or not I'd actually use it is a different story... I wander whether or what they would charge for using it? :|

They are certainly making it sound like a pearler of a ship.....hmmmmm? :rolleyes:

They are certainly making it sound like a pearler of a ship.....hmmmmm? :rolleyes:

Just another confirmation that the Pacific Pearl is a Kiwi ship with the Godmother being a famous Kiwi. My pick is Dame Kiri. Who are you putting your money on? :D

My first thought was Helen Black, but then I thought no - Dame Kiri is more famous! :rolleyes:

V8 Supercars, I am sure there will be charge, I would guess say $15.00 for a 5 minute 'spin'.

God-Mother, that will have to be Tariana Turia or possibly Donna Awatere-Huata. Both 'mothers to the country', yes?

On reflection I think its a great idea to split the season into 2 shorter seasons, then maybe we can go on a summer and winter cruise from Auckland.

My first thought was Helen Black, but then I thought no - Dame Kiri is more famous! :rolleyes:

Who is Helen Black?

As for Kiri , I thought of her first as well,

but with further consideration

decided she would be more of a Cunard person..:rolleyes:

My first thought was Helen Black, but then I thought no - Dame Kiri is more famous! :rolleyes:

Just like Russell Crowe, you can claim Helen as being Australian thanks.:D

If it's too much of a problem for anyone in NZ to travel on any of the available cruises that are being deployed from NZ waters, then why not fly to Bris Vegas or Sydney. People in Western Australia pay more for an airfare to this side of the country than for Kiwi's.

Cummon people life to short to moan and groan about petty things and stay happy :D

:D

If it's too much of a problem for anyone in NZ to travel on any of the available cruises that are being deployed from NZ waters, then why not fly to Bris Vegas or Sydney. People in Western Australia pay more for an airfare to this side of the country than for Kiwi's.

 

Cummon people life to short to moan and groan about petty things and stay happy

Hey.. I am a Happy Chappie :D

I just love jumping on a jet and flying across the ditch to Sydney to join a cruise.

We get to bring duty free smokes and booze with us:D

I would be more than happy if Sydney was the only departure hub.As you say Auckland is closer to Sydney than Perth.:cool:

If it's too much of a problem for anyone in NZ to travel on any of the available cruises that are being deployed from NZ waters, then why not fly to Bris Vegas or Sydney. People in Western Australia pay more for an airfare to this side of the country than for Kiwi's.

 

Cummon people life to short to moan and groan about petty things and stay happy :D

We are flying to Western Australia to do 12 night Fremantle Indonesian cruise 30 August -11 September 2011-

Flyiing quite along way for another old ship, Pacific Sun.

We sailed on her out of Auckland last year-

Next years cruises out of Auckland on a newer ship are Even cheaper than last years prices-

so for first time cruisers they should be over the moon as prices are cheap.

Our choice mind you- no one is forcing us- to go on Pacic Sun from Fremantle-

however, the choice from Auckland is very limited.

Looking forward to our up and coming Alaskan cruise from Seattle- Vancouver- 7th September on Cranival Spirit

While I love that Pacific Pearl is going to be sometimes based in Auckland I am disappointed that there are no Auckland cruises during school holidays in 2011 (except for january). We will probably fly to sydney or Brisbane in September but, for five of us, that will add approximately $3000 to the cost of the cruise. Still I guess if New Zealanders keep filling up the ship we will get more and more cruises every year.

My choice for Godmother - Jude Dobson or Petra Bagust would be good.