Pacific Jewel or Cubic Zirconia??

[Sandielle]

That looks like a mini-suite as they are called on the Pac Dawn. According to the P & O brochure you get some perks in a mini-suite, but not as many as you get with a suite. (As you may guess I have read the brochure from cover to cover :) )

[petzl]

That looks like a mini-suite as they are called on the Pac Dawn. According to the P & O brochure you get some perks in a mini-suite, but not as many as you get with a suite. (As you may guess I have read the brochure from cover to cover :) )

What you read is not what you get even though paid for?

Prefered check in and disembarkation (to them means FOAD while you wait at end of a never ending disordered queue with everyone else)

Bath Robe and Slippers (means walk around bare foot with no bath robe)

No Champagne ever

Fresh fruit arrived by the time we were heading back

Not bothering with this trash again (Those in adjacent suites won't either)

:eek::eek:

[newtocruisenett]

That looks like a mini-suite as they are called on the Pac Dawn. According to the P & O brochure you get some perks in a mini-suite, but not as many as you get with a suite. (As you may guess I have read the brochure from cover to cover :) )

Well, I have to say I thought the mini-suite looked much nicer when I saw a flash of it on ACA last week! :( also I thought it looked better when I viewed it prior as OV2 :confused: oh well, I'll be in one in 7 days I'll let you all know when I return :) all I know for sure is I can't get a fairy upgrade :p 'cause there are no 'suites' like on the Dawn but I 'm excited anyhow :D Nett.

[Kat22]

Petzl, clearly you are accustomed to being pampered when you cruise. Me - I'm just happy to be going on a cruise at all. My mother and I booked the cheapest cabin on Jewel we could get and couldn't be more excited. We are so looking forward to our perhaps one and only ever holiday together.

 

I agree with Dennis, let's lighten up. I've been over on the Ocean Village forum and you should read all their posts about "whingeing Aussies". Coming on here and reading posts about slippers and robes makes me almost agree with them that we are just too hard to please.

[petzl]

Petzl, clearly you are accustomed to being pampered when you cruise. Me - I'm just happy to be going on a cruise at all. My mother and I booked the cheapest cabin on Jewel we could get and couldn't be more excited. We are so looking forward to our perhaps one and only ever holiday together.

 

I agree with Dennis, let's lighten up. I've been over on the Ocean Village forum and you should read all their posts about "whingeing Aussies". Coming on here and reading posts about slippers and robes makes me almost agree with them that we are just too hard to please.

I expect to get what I pay for nothing more and nothing less

I have no problem with other lower priced cabins

On this ship they were complaining also. Only cruise I've been on where I have ever heard complaints

P&O will not get return custom EVER

[cruisin-m]

Agree wholeheartedly Den. The cruise is what you make it. You know before you go that P&O run 3 star ships - heck, that's even what you pay for! You also know how many people constitute a ship sailing at capacity, & must expect that - esp in Australia in summer. It's got a lot to do with one's attitude & whether you determine to enjoy yourself no matter what the glitches may be.

All you had to do was read the small print & have the "hotel charge" removed. It's totally discretionary. And I would have asked for all the suite perks too if I was expecting them. :)

 

I agree with you completely with cruises been what you make of them, but with the pricing thing and paying for a 3 star cruise, its actually cheaper or around the same to book princess or royal caribbean for an identical length and cabin right now, especially during holidays and has been this way for about the past 2 years. Not to mention how ridiculous P&O Aust pricing is when you compare it to US based cruise lines.

 

In saying that I'm still surprised even P&O Aust manage to make money out of what you pay and what you get back.

[bazzaw]

There WAS a separate line for "preferred" boarding - BUT it was inside the OPT terminal, upstairs and close to the desk where the staff were doing the checkin. The problem was that SO MANY people turned up for boarding at exactly 3PM (advertised boarding time) that the upstairs area immediately filled up and created a long queue downstairs outside the building. Anybody turning up and expecting preferred boarding (after all, they have paid for it in their ticket price) could not get to anywhere near the areas assigned to preferred booking. In fact, they couldn't even get through the main door of the terminal.

 

The main problem, as I saw it, with boarding at OPT is that they do not have any management system in place to provide an orderly staged boarding process.

 

This really isn't a matter about "whinging" - the embarkation at Sydney OPT was a shambles, and I am very surprised at this - considering the LONG experience P & O has using this terminal.

 

Barry

[karmac]

I know boarding was advertised as 3pm but friends of ours that were on it decided to go earlier & check it out. I sent him a text message at 1:30 and they were already on board:).

[petzl]

process.

 

This really isn't a matter about "whinging" - the embarkation at Sydney OPT was a shambles, and I am very surprised at this - considering the LONG experience P & O has using this terminal.

 

Barry

 

We arrived early about 10:30 am, to get rid of luggage then have a look around the rocks. Saw that boarding was happening but no option for preferred booking (my partner is legally blind and why I paid for it)

ended being directed to a plastic school chair in terminal to sit and wait with the others, we were "lucky" about 20 or 30 had to stand and wait and wait and wait and wait. about 1:30pm we made it on board (which took 5 minutes from chair would of been quicker if the didn't try to rake money out of passengers by Photographing them for sale later)

[Skyrules]

I agree with you completely with cruises been what you make of them, but with the pricing thing and paying for a 3 star cruise, its actually cheaper or around the same to book princess or royal caribbean for an identical length and cabin right now, especially during holidays and has been this way for about the past 2 years. Not to mention how ridiculous P&O Aust pricing is when you compare it to US based cruise lines.

 

In saying that I'm still surprised even P&O Aust manage to make money out of what you pay and what you get back.

 

Certainly in the case of Princess, the cruise might be cheaper but once you get on board, the hotel charge is dearer ($10.50 on Princess), you get hit 15% on every drink purchase (including non-alcholic drinks and tea/coffee) and the drinks are more expensive.

 

And from what I've heard about RCL it's a similar situation and RCL operates in US$ on board - so pay more on the exchange to AUD$. I heard that a pre-booked transfer from the ship to the airport in Sydney cost someone AUD$80 per person.

 

So it's really swings and roundabouts.

[fishtaco]

P&O called it a Twin Suite/Balcony (the balcony is behind in pic)

Three Stars? Death stars maybe.

 

 

Wow you really copped out!

 

My Mini suite on the Pacific dawn was "free" but so much better that pretty blue colour!:D

 

Reddish!MMM think i would have turned it down myself!

 

I have been one of the worst for moaning during my time on CC!

 

This is mainly about not being able to take your own booze or get it duty free on board?

 

But you must have enjoyed a little bit more of your cruise than just the shows without seats?

 

I dont care if I am on a sailboat because i cant afford my own boat, in fact i am going on the Pacific sun in Jan but dont care about the drop down from the Pacific Dawn,it even cost more than most other cruises!perhaps its because I like lots of beer and thats the market P&O is aiming for:D

 

 

Den

 

 

 

[Megagirl]

My hubby and I cruised on Princess for the 1st time this year after umpteen P&O cruises.

 

My humble opinion for what it's worth.:D

 

Give me P&O every time, for food (mainly), service and entertainment:p

 

Jenny

[MattyBarlow]

I think the biggest problem here is that you all thought Jewel was going to be the same as Dawn. Although sisters, both ships have gone down different paths and been changed for different pax. Having been on both OV1 and OV2 i would say that OV1 seems to be much closer to Dawn than Jewel is. Strange that two sisters could be so different but OV1 will be more up your street.