Pacific Pearl Cabin Selection Question

[Debsta]

..love talking about Pearly..:p Fiona

 

Can ya do a little Horny Dawny 3 night talky reviewy pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese :D

[rockie]

It was great in Brisbane getting back on the Pearl and seeing all the towel animals in the windows. :DI never thought of putting my monkey there. :(

[tassie cruiser]

Can ya do a little Horny Dawny 3 night talky reviewy pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese :D

 

What would you like to know Petal? I didnt think 3 days really needed a review :D Ok, here I go...

Weather was really good, hot even.....lots hotter than I thought it would be,.spent a lot of time at Oasis... I know Pearly and Horny Dawny should be the same but this was our 3rd time on Dawny and in the buffet, Pearly won hands down... I have read reviews when people have said buffet food cold, I have never found that and as you know i am not one bit fussy but on this cruise we got in the dining room only once, other two times was booked out completely (checked the day before and all) so we had to buffet and it wasnt real flash and was actually quite cold... We ended up buying the 1kg chille prawns from the grill outside and had with salad from the buffet..We couldnt even get into the 7 course digestation (spelt that wrong i know) on the last night it was booked out and we went to book about 8 the night before.

The shows were ok...

Our room steward was very ordinary, quite a lot of people said the same so maybe for just 3 nighters they arent that fussed..

We left at 4pm on the wed had sailaway, was great as usual....cruised till Thur 3pm, anchored off Hervey Bay, stayed there till 12pm Friday and cruised Fraser Island and back to Bris, arriving about 7 Sat morn.

It was so different to normal cruises, when the safety drill thingy was on there were people wandering around ship, they werent fussed if you went or not, I kind of didnt go either.

There were women everywhere, it was a real girls cruise, at a guess I would say there were 50 women to 1 man..lol...

Went to Salt Grill for lunch, was as yummmmmmmy as ever.. (The boys got an apron..remember the drama before when they wanted one on Pearly and they didnt have) They had heaps..

The casino was kind to us to start with, then was mean :D

I thought it was quite strange that they had bingo on (remember we only had 2 sea days) and first day it was over $1000 and 2nd day (last day) 2 people won and they got $2,700 each. So the jackpot for 2 days was $5400-00???? Go figure.. (we didnt bother going this time at all)

Shops were all open, could buy duty free cosmetics etc... but not alcohol..

Could buy cigarettes at bars(not duty free) $11 a packet..

Was great seeing some of the staff that were on last time we were, familiar faces everywhere..

We had a great time, so relaxing and great weather and would go again if there was a bargain or friends going as any cruise is great,, if not prob wouldnt venture on Horny for while...

I am sure there are other things to tell but cant think of at moment.

Hope this is enough for you Miss Debsta :D

Fiona

[didanz]

Thanks Fiona,

This is what we will do, the first night could be the only problem, but we will work it out! I am thinking that if we pick a time say around 6.00 - 6.30pm, their could be less congestion and this might work out!

Just another question.......Tipping......I understand there is no daily charge? Do you just tip as you go, and is there a tip put on the drinks?

Thanks Cheryle:confused:

We were on the Pearl in May.Tipped at the end of the cruise $40.00 cabin steward,$20.00 Waterfront waiter,$10.00 wine waiter,And $3.00 to the guy that stands at the resturant door dishing out the hand sanitizer.He thought he had won lotto.I don't think anyone had tipped him before.

[rugbypopsie]

Excuse ignorance but I thought the removal of the extra charge for tips meant that they tip component was included in the fare so that people could stop stressing about it. Now it seems it is included in the fare and people are still stressing and tipping!

 

"Tips" or more properly called "hotel charge" were really a crew subsidy a "tip" is reward for extra service. If you get good service by all means tip but not anybody and everybody it actually works against good service.

 

 

[dougo in oz]

Thanks Fiona,

This is what we will do, the first night could be the only problem, but we will work it out! I am thinking that if we pick a time say around 6.00 - 6.30pm, their could be less congestion and this might work out!

Just another question.......Tipping......I understand there is no daily charge? Do you just tip as you go, and is there a tip put on the drinks?

Thanks Cheryle:confused:

 

 

We didn't have a problem getting the same table everynight at the Waterfront. We did what others did - had a couple of great waiters, liked them and stayed on that table. After the 2nd night, we found that it had been booked automatically for us.

 

Re tipping. Some people on the next table used to tip the two wait staff every night.

 

We tipped at the end of the cruise for our wait staff and cabin steward.

 

Edit - Rugbypopsie, I don't think the tips are included in the fare - I've never seen any mention of them on any receipt / tax invoice for the Pearl or the Sun (the next cruise we'll be on) and as far as I'm aware, the wait staff and cabin stewards didn't get any extra $$ from P&O when the auto gratuity was removed from passengers statement / on board account.

[resordanis]

We didn't have a problem getting the same table everynight at the Waterfront. We did what others did - had a couple of great waiters, liked them and stayed on that table. After the 2nd night, we found that it had been booked automatically for us.

 

Re tipping. Some people on the next table used to tip the two wait staff every night.

 

We tipped at the end of the cruise for our wait staff and cabin steward.

 

Edit - Rugbypopsie, I don't think the tips are included in the fare - I've never seen any mention of them on any receipt / tax invoice for the Pearl or the Sun (the next cruise we'll be on) and as far as I'm aware, the wait staff and cabin stewards didn't get any extra $$ from P&O when the auto gratuity was removed from passengers statement / on board account.

Thanks for the information on the Dining.....we just hope we have no problems, as soon as we board we will try and check it all out and book dinner times for the next 9 days!:)

[jovigirloz]

We stayed in an obstructed ocean view cabin on Pearl at Easter....No probs at all, still had pretty much all the view, depending on your cruise length and tender ports though as if it is a tender boat obstructing they are quite noisy when they lower (early hours of morn) Our cruise only had 2 ports and only one was a tender so didnt worry us but if it was a longer cruise with a lot of tender ports it may worry you... I should check, is your obstructed view a tender boat or a life boat, if its a life boat, heres hoping they wont lower it at all :p Fiona

 

Hi Fiona, we are booked on the Pearl in April 2012 for Easter with my husband and 11 year old daughter. Do they do anything special for Easter?

I love hearing all about the Pearl. Thank you :)

We are really excited as I haven't cruised in almost 20 years (Fairstar) and this is hubby and daughters first cruise/overseas trip. She even has a countdown on her bedroom wall.. 299 days to go ;)

 

Safe travels xx

Sue

[tassie cruiser]

Hi Fiona, we are booked on the Pearl in April 2012 for Easter with my husband and 11 year old daughter. Do they do anything special for Easter?

I love hearing all about the Pearl. Thank you :)

We are really excited as I haven't cruised in almost 20 years (Fairstar) and this is hubby and daughters first cruise/overseas trip. She even has a countdown on her bedroom wall.. 299 days to go ;)

 

Safe travels xx

Sue

 

Hi Sue,

How exciting, she will have the best time. There should be lots of kids her age onboard.. You will rarely see her.. lol... That happens with our kids, they love the kids club, meet heaps of other kids and dont want to get off. My girls have made the best of friends onboard cruises whom they still keep in touch with... They will have decorations throughout the ship, heaps of Easter egg decorations etc.... We actually cruises before Easter, well kind of.. lol... We disembarked Easter Sat, so it was called an Easter cruise but we really only had the Easter Fri/Sat....They had beautiful huge big Easter eggs/cakes etc...on show at the dining room and throughout the buffet.. On the Friday they had church services onboard, few different religions (Unfortunatly I missed them all :rolleyes: lol) On the Easter Friday it wasnt big on fish, the normal menues applied, of cause you could get fish but the usual meats etc... were on menues..

You will have the best time.. I loved Pearly, my favourite ship to date :D

Fiona

[jovigirloz]

Hi Sue,

How exciting, she will have the best time. There should be lots of kids her age onboard.. You will rarely see her.. lol... That happens with our kids, they love the kids club, meet heaps of other kids and dont want to get off. My girls have made the best of friends onboard cruises whom they still keep in touch with... They will have decorations throughout the ship, heaps of Easter egg decorations etc.... We actually cruises before Easter, well kind of.. lol... We disembarked Easter Sat, so it was called an Easter cruise but we really only had the Easter Fri/Sat....They had beautiful huge big Easter eggs/cakes etc...on show at the dining room and throughout the buffet.. On the Friday they had church services onboard, few different religions (Unfortunatly I missed them all :rolleyes: lol) On the Easter Friday it wasnt big on fish, the normal menues applied, of cause you could get fish but the usual meats etc... were on menues..

You will have the best time.. I loved Pearly, my favourite ship to date :D

Fiona

Than you so much Fiona :) We are all pretty excited.. especially when my screensaver keeps popping up with pictures of the islands :)

Just a kids club question? I know they only take a certain number of kids per cruise and being school holidays is there any chance that she would miss out on the kids club? As she is an only child (but makes friends very easily) I would hate her to miss out and have to spend the whole holidays with her "folks" haha..

One of the main reasons we booked a cruise was so she would have lots to do and other kids to hang out with.

Thanks again. Any info is greatly appreciated :)

Sue

[tassie cruiser]

Than you so much Fiona :) We are all pretty excited.. especially when my screensaver keeps popping up with pictures of the islands :)

Just a kids club question? I know they only take a certain number of kids per cruise and being school holidays is there any chance that she would miss out on the kids club? As she is an only child (but makes friends very easily) I would hate her to miss out and have to spend the whole holidays with her "folks" haha..

One of the main reasons we booked a cruise was so she would have lots to do and other kids to hang out with.

Thanks again. Any info is greatly appreciated :)

Sue

 

When you make a booking and put in childrens ages, this is how they gage how many kids. They only allow a certain number of kids and their ages, they make sure there is the right amount of ages etc.... once they meet their quantity they wont allow any more bookings with families with children.

Once we wanted to book cruise, there was plenty of cabins left but the kids allocation for a certain age (one of our kids age) was full so we couldnt get on, even though the other childs kids club was fine and plenty of cabins left, so we could either leave one at home or not go. Even if you have no intentions of using the kids club, doesnt make any difference.

So after me prattling on, sorry about that....If you are booked, she is in. When you first get into your cabin there will be a form in there telling you their first meeting (kids club) you take her up and fill in forms (they will ask if you give permission for her to come and go as she pleases or if you want a parent to collect her each time) It is important to go to this first meet (for your daughter) as this is often when they meet other kids and often get chatting and form friends from that, if you leave it till the next day sometimes they have already made little groups and is a bit harder to join in, they still will it just may take a bit longer..

Fiona:)

[jovigirloz]

When you make a booking and put in childrens ages, this is how they gage how many kids. They only allow a certain number of kids and their ages, they make sure there is the right amount of ages etc.... once they meet their quantity they wont allow any more bookings with families with children.

Once we wanted to book cruise, there was plenty of cabins left but the kids allocation for a certain age (one of our kids age) was full so we couldnt get on, even though the other childs kids club was fine and plenty of cabins left, so we could either leave one at home or not go. Even if you have no intentions of using the kids club, doesnt make any difference.

So after me prattling on, sorry about that....If you are booked, she is in. When you first get into your cabin there will be a form in there telling you their first meeting (kids club) you take her up and fill in forms (they will ask if you give permission for her to come and go as she pleases or if you want a parent to collect her each time) It is important to go to this first meet (for your daughter) as this is often when they meet other kids and often get chatting and form friends from that, if you leave it till the next day sometimes they have already made little groups and is a bit harder to join in, they still will it just may take a bit longer..

Fiona:)

Thanks again Fiona. You have been a huge help. I really appreciate it :) That's why we booked so far ahead because we knew it was school holidays and easter.

 

Take care xxx

Sue

[Riffraff]

Thanks for the information on the Dining.....we just hope we have no problems, as soon as we board we will try and check it all out and book dinner times for the next 9 days!:)

 

When you book dinner for the first night, you could ask for a table for two and see what happens, and if not then a table for 4. And if you find you like it, then as other have said just check with the person at the desk on the way out and book it for the next night. You can't book it for more than one night ahead at a time, but you will find they'll probably carry the booking over each night. That's what we found on our Pearl cruise, each night we'd just check and make sure we were down for the same again.

 

We went to Salt Grill for 2 nights, so we just told the person as we left the Waterfront, not to put us down for the next night.

 

And I have to agree with tassie cruiser, Pearl is the best ship :)

[resordanis]

When you book dinner for the first night, you could ask for a table for two and see what happens, and if not then a table for 4. And if you find you like it, then as other have said just check with the person at the desk on the way out and book it for the next night. You can't book it for more than one night ahead at a time, but you will find they'll probably carry the booking over each night. That's what we found on our Pearl cruise, each night we'd just check and make sure we were down for the same again.

 

We went to Salt Grill for 2 nights, so we just told the person as we left the Waterfront, not to put us down for the next night.

 

And I have to agree with tassie cruiser, Pearl is the best ship :)

 

Thanks for the information, it is all greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to this cruise and will try and get a table for 2 each night.

If you have any more information, it will be greatly appreciated.:)

I noticed that your next cruise is on Rhapsody, I love the ship and have sailed a few cruises on Rhapsody, so if I can help you this time, please ask.

Cheryle