Back from P&O Pacific Eden - finished my review with photos, menus and Daily's!

[LuckiePuris]

Hi All,

 

I'm back from P&O Pacific Eden 3 night cruise, and have just finished my review with photos, copies of menus and Pacific Daily's.

 

Please feel free to ask if you have any questions I can help with :)

 

Enjoy! :)

 

Review link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2327093

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing your review.

 

keith

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your review.

[cruisine21]

That's for the review. Especially the cabin photos. We have booked the Pacific Eden for Papua & New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in October. I was offered an obstructed overview cabin on Deck 6 but ended up booking an ocean view on Deck 4.

[Fletch1]

WOW.....what a fabulous review. That would be one of the most comprehensive reviews I have read.......you have gone to a tremendous amount of trouble to put that together. The photos are great.

 

Thank you!!!

[LuckiePuris]

Thank you all for your kind words :) I really enjoyed putting the review together!

 

I especially enjoy reviews with photos so wanted to do the same.

 

Feel free to ask if there are any questions I can help with! It really is a beautiful ship :)

[skyas]

Thank-you for the fantastic review.

It was great to read and gave heaps of information!:)

[goodycruising]

Thanks for taking the time for a great review. It was very well laid out.

 

I have a question, and I am totally prepared to be corrected, as I have lots of time looking at RCI and Celebrity pricing, but only looked a bit here and there at P&O.

 

We like balcony cabins, and it appears to me that sometimes the balcony category is just as expensive, if not more, than RCI and even Solstice. I am looking at longer P&O cruises, around the 9 to 12 nights that we usually prefer to do, and I often seem to find them at $200 to $250 per night each for a balcony room.

 

I am prepared to pay that sort of price on Celebrity, with a drink package and some OBC thrown in, and great food, and free room service. On RCI, we tend to be keen on around the $170 to $190 each per night for a balcony, and again, it seems a lot more is included for free, particularly room service.

 

I appreciate that on these older ships there are not as many balcony cabins, but this seems very expensive relative to much newer ships with better stability systems. I would appreciate your views, as we are looking to try another cruise line, and Princess is not cheap, and Carnival research I have done is also very basic, but the all inclusive perks on Solstice are really hard to go past when trying to compare pricing. I was expecting P&O to be cheaper for a 3 star very old ships.

 

I really wish RCI/Celebrity would look at cruising round trips based from Melbourne!

Edited March 12, 2016 by goodycruising

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for sharing the review, just wonderful.:D

Edited March 12, 2016 by MicCanberra

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for taking the time for a great review. It was very well laid out.

 

I have a question, and I am totally prepared to be corrected, as I have lots of time looking at RCI and Celebrity pricing, but only looked a bit here and there at P&O.

 

We like balcony cabins, and it appears to me that sometimes the balcony category is just as expensive, if not more, than RCI and even Solstice. I am looking at longer P&O cruises, around the 9 to 12 nights that we usually prefer to do, and I often seem to find them at $200 to $250 per night each for a balcony room.

 

I am prepared to pay that sort of price on Celebrity, with a drink package and some OBC thrown in, and great food, and free room service. On RCI, we tend to be keen on around the $170 to $190 each per night for a balcony, and again, it seems a lot more is included for free, particularly room service.

 

I appreciate that on these older ships there are not as many balcony cabins, but this seems very expensive relative to much newer ships with better stability systems. I would appreciate your views, as we are looking to try another cruise line, and Princess is not cheap, and Carnival research I have done is also very basic, but the all inclusive perks on Solstice are really hard to go past when trying to compare pricing. I was expecting P&O to be cheaper for a 3 star very old ships.

 

I really wish RCI/Celebrity would look at cruising round trips based from Melbourne!

 

I agree with most of what you have said.

I have found that RCI and X are quite competitive considering the standard inclusions as well as the extras that they provide and despite them being in USD. I do find that the pricing for all the lines seems high, especially as they tend to drop significantly closer to final payment, as seen with all the price drops in March and April this year. It tends to happen with a lot of cruises but not to the same extent.

As for cruising out of Melbourne, I have no idea when they will do that.

[LuckiePuris]

I agree with most of what you have said.

I have found that RCI and X are quite competitive considering the standard inclusions as well as the extras that they provide and despite them being in USD. I do find that the pricing for all the lines seems high, especially as they tend to drop significantly closer to final payment, as seen with all the price drops in March and April this year. It tends to happen with a lot of cruises but not to the same extent.

As for cruising out of Melbourne, I have no idea when they will do that.

 

Thanks for taking the time for a great review. It was very well laid out.

 

I have a question, and I am totally prepared to be corrected, as I have lots of time looking at RCI and Celebrity pricing, but only looked a bit here and there at P&O.

 

We like balcony cabins, and it appears to me that sometimes the balcony category is just as expensive, if not more, than RCI and even Solstice. I am looking at longer P&O cruises, around the 9 to 12 nights that we usually prefer to do, and I often seem to find them at $200 to $250 per night each for a balcony room.

 

I am prepared to pay that sort of price on Celebrity, with a drink package and some OBC thrown in, and great food, and free room service. On RCI, we tend to be keen on around the $170 to $190 each per night for a balcony, and again, it seems a lot more is included for free, particularly room service.

 

I appreciate that on these older ships there are not as many balcony cabins, but this seems very expensive relative to much newer ships with better stability systems. I would appreciate your views, as we are looking to try another cruise line, and Princess is not cheap, and Carnival research I have done is also very basic, but the all inclusive perks on Solstice are really hard to go past when trying to compare pricing. I was expecting P&O to be cheaper for a 3 star very old ships.

 

I really wish RCI/Celebrity would look at cruising round trips based from Melbourne!

 

I agree as well. Often P&O isn't any cheaper than RCI and Celebrity especially when it comes to balconies.

 

A long cruise would need to be very very cheap on P&O (1/4 the price) than RCI or Celebrity for me to consider it.

 

P&O is very basic, Princess and Carnival are both a step above but aimed towards different demographics.

 

You are very right that especially Celebrity with their perks are better value.

 

My first Celebrity cruise was $1500 for a balcony twin share, for 12 nights with the drinks package. Better value than anything I've seen on other cruise lines.

 

I think you'll find RCI and Celebrity best priced for balconies, as there are so many more balconies.

[MicCanberra]

Another issue is once you have some loyalty status with one line or another the additional perks add yet another amount of value to that particular line (Internet, laundry, drinks, etc) that P&O cannot match as they have no program or perks for loyalty.

[goodycruising]

That is part of our adding up too, paticularly now that we can go to two lounges and will get more internet and other offers. But I have tried to be fair and base the comparitive prices on not adding in the loyalty benefits.

 

The next thing is itineraries. I do like some of the extra Tassie and Vic stops some other lines have and would like to try boarding in Melbourne as it is a couple of hours closer for us.

[MicCanberra]

That is part of our adding up too, paticularly now that we can go to two lounges and will get more internet and other offers. But I have tried to be fair and base the comparitive prices on not adding in the loyalty benefits.

 

The next thing is itineraries. I do like some of the extra Tassie and Vic stops some other lines have and would like to try boarding in Melbourne as it is a couple of hours closer for us.

 

Port Arthur, KI, Eden, Mornington Peninsula, and even Port Lincoln as some of the smaller ports that get visited.:D

[dizzy1948]

Another issue is once you have some loyalty status with one line or another the additional perks add yet another amount of value to that particular line (Internet, laundry, drinks, etc) that P&O cannot match as they have no program or perks for loyalty.

 

I chatted on line with "Jeremy" from P&O on Friday to check if our "membership" with Princess would earn us points if we cruised with them - he said yes they are interchangeable. I checked this because our first P&O Cruise earned us something - because when I booked our first Princess Cruise - we were silver - so I asked why - and it was because we had sailed P&O. So I was double checking - sure enough - Jeremy confirmed that points from Princess would count and vice versa. Might get a bottle top :rolleyes:

[MicCanberra]

I chatted on line with "Jeremy" from P&O on Friday to check if our "membership" with Princess would earn us points if we cruised with them - he said yes they are interchangeable. I checked this because our first P&O Cruise earned us something - because when I booked our first Princess Cruise - we were silver - so I asked why - and it was because we had sailed P&O. So I was double checking - sure enough - Jeremy confirmed that points from Princess would count and vice versa. Might get a bottle top :rolleyes:

 

But apart from the colour of a card there are no rewards /perks on P&O are there?

[dizzy1948]

But apart from the colour of a card there are no rewards /perks on P&O are there?

 

Nope. But for pure mischief - how about they might have "rewards" for the extra food you have to buy to supplement the meagre serves mentioned in most postings :eek::p (I'll jump back in my box now) :)

[LuckiePuris]

Nope. But for pure mischief - how about they might have "rewards" for the extra food you have to buy to supplement the meagre serves mentioned in most postings :eek::p (I'll jump back in my box now) :)

 

The servings were very small!!!

[goodycruising]

One other thing I did get from your review was that it didn't seem to have the "booze cruise" thing happening like the RCI ones have been getting slammed for with the 3 nighters. Possibly due to them being themed cruises? Also they offer many short cruises so it not a "sampler"?

[MicCanberra]

The servings were very small!!!

 

Personally I don't mind the small portions, it allows me to have an appetiser, a soup and a salad along with a man and dessert.:D

[LuckiePuris]

Personally I don't mind the small portions, it allows me to have an appetiser, a soup and a salad along with a man and dessert.:D

 

I completely agree however when asking, we got a strong feeling that this many dishes was not acceptable to order. It was a three course meal in all the restaurants with no additional courses offered, and we were made to feel a little uncomfortable when we asked for an extra dish to share.

 

RCI & Celebrity are definitely more than happy to serve you as many courses as you'd like.

 

I felt this was a bit of cost cutting on P&O.

[erewhon]

Thank you for your thorough review.

I think the Eden was the old Statendam on which we spent 28 days, so interesting to see all the changes.

[kobecat]

The Pacific Eden was the HAL Ryndam

[grummy]

I chatted on line with "Jeremy" from P&O on Friday to check if our "membership" with Princess would earn us points if we cruised with them - he said yes they are interchangeable. I checked this because our first P&O Cruise earned us something - because when I booked our first Princess Cruise - we were silver - so I asked why - and it was because we had sailed P&O. So I was double checking - sure enough - Jeremy confirmed that points from Princess would count and vice versa. Might get a bottle top :rolleyes:

 

Please to hear this, as when we first started cruising, Princess points did NOT count on P&O points.

 

hmm! I wonder now if we'll get any perks on our 2nd P&O cruise in a few weeks (just booked)if this is so as we are ELITE with Princess?????

I feel an upgrade a comin'

 

 

anyone have any ideas please?

[the english lady]

Please to hear this, as when we first started cruising, Princess points did NOT count on P&O points.

 

hmm! I wonder now if we'll get any perks on our 2nd P&O cruise in a few weeks (just booked)if this is so as we are ELITE with Princess?????

I feel an upgrade a comin'

 

 

anyone have any ideas please?

Unless things are different with P and O Australia, with P and O uk...points earned with P and O do count towards Princess. We are elite with princess and have never set foot on one of their ships. However it does not work the other way round. What you earn on princess does not count on P and O.

There are tiny perks with the P and O uk loyalty scheme, however from surveys that have been sent out, it is thought that they might be reviewing the loyalty scheme.