News - Alleged Assault & Drugs on Pacific Star

[krazy1]

I wonder how rigouroulsy pre-cruise screening is done on Coastal crusies - and if any screening done at the domestic ports of call (Whitsunday's, Cairns, Port Douglas) on the coastal cruises? I imagine it wouldn't be difficult to get drugs in Cairns and take them back on board if no screening is done.

 

Maybe someone who's done a costal cruise can comment on the security on reboarding at these Australian ports.

 

 

Kym

 

Exactly, as I mentioned earlier there is just inserting ur cruise card and going through the metal detector, no sniffer dogs in sight when boarding back in Cairns. To be honest, I think this is the most common way drugs got on board.

 

A bit off topic but we were slightly pissed at times when were asked to show our cruise card numerous times, like at some ports, we showed it to get onto our tender just like everyone else but then when about to board the boat 50 metres down, a security officer made us, and us only show it again, either due to our racial appearance or age if u ask me.

[Skyrules]

A bit off topic but we were slightly pissed at times when were asked to show our cruise card numerous times, like at some ports, we showed it to get onto our tender just like everyone else but then when about to board the boat 50 metres down, a security officer made us, and us only show it again, either due to our racial appearance or age if u ask me.

 

Was this to get back on board the ship Krazy?? I don't think it they were specifically targeting you - I would say they were just being careful that they weren't picking up any unauthorised passengers. In the Whitsundays where there are a lot of non cruise tourists it would be easy for a non-passenger to get aboard the tenders and try to get aboard the ships.

 

Kym

[krazy1]

Was this to get back on board the ship Krazy?? I don't think it they were specifically targeting you - I would say they were just being careful that they weren't picking up any unauthorised passengers. In the Whitsundays where there are a lot of non cruise tourists it would be easy for a non-passenger to get aboard the tenders and try to get aboard the ships.

 

Kym

 

Happened once at Airlie getting back onto a tender and then again at Cairns when we already passed through one gate. There were dozens of ppl around and yet both times we were pinpointed and no, it wasnt because we didnt have lanyards, others didnt have either and they were not asked.

 

We got on the tender at Airlie and kept looking down at the security outside to see if he asked others and sure enough didnt ask any of the next 100 ppl folks!! Its not a nice feeling knowing that u show ur card to get into an authorised area already and then have to show it again 50 metres down the walkway! How the hell did u think we got here dimwit! Especially cheesed as we put our cards back into our bags.

 

Im sorry but I have NO hesitation in saying it was an age or racial thing... I love Australia but im sick and tired of some being singled out based on age or race in certain facets in life, it makes u feel like a criminal...

[Skyrules]

Im sorry but I have NO hesitation in saying it was an age or racial thing... I love Australia but im sick and tired of some being singled out based on age or race in certain facets in life, it makes u feel like a criminal...

 

Krazy, sorry feel that way, but if it's any consulation, my Dad is a white anglo saxon male, over 60, and yet everytime he goes through security at our Airports he is "randomly" selected for further screening..... I think he'd undesrtand where you're coming from :)

[Riffraff]

I am not familiar with other cruise lines but I am sure there are incidents on the boats as well?? Do we no just hear about them??

 

Chez

 

There are similar incidents on other cruise lines too, but we don't seem to hear about them. Looking on the net, on January 2nd a 13-year old girl was alledgedly assaulted by a 21-year old male on Disney Cruise Lines' ship Disney Wonder. And on the QE2 last year a crewman was murdered by another crewman.

[jessica3152]

Whichever way you look at it this is bad publicity for P&O. Quite unfortunate that it happens the same week they are rolling out the TV advertising for Pacific Dawn. 3AW in Melbourne was giving away 6 cruises on Sun today and they almost seemed apologetic after the publicity.

 

Whilst I can understand people getting upset at the term "riff-raff" I understand what was meant by the term and I certainly don't mean that everyone who takes the discount fares is undesirable; most are great, unfortunately some not so great. On my last cruise I noticed that there was a fairly large group of people onboard who were not exactly desirable, tattoos and Jim Beam if you know what I mean. I knew we were in trouble when they were yahooing at the bar throughout the safety demonstration. Don't ask me why they were allowed to be served at this time but they were.

 

The question is how do P&O get around this. They have to fill their cabins and some of them are deep in the bowels of the ship so offering deeply discounted fares is the only way around it. The problem is that this bad publicity exacerbates the situation with those willing to pay a bit more choosing other holidays such as dearer cruises (Princess etc) or Club Med type land resorts. First time cruisers are also scared off and choose the alternative holidays. I know my family are looking at a cruise next summer and we are looking at Sun Princess and Sapphire Princess rather than Sun, Star or Dawn even though the Princess ships will cost us $3-4K more.

 

I don't have the solution. It would be easy to suggest moving away from the bigger ships and going to smaller ships where you could charge premium fares such as the old R ships (Pacific Princess etc) but they are few and far between and in great demand for exotic cruises. Bigger more luxurious ships are not the answer because they can't be filled without the very discounts that are attracting these customers in the first place.

 

P&O do have a problem and it is not dissimilar to the image issue Carnival has in the States. Over there Carnival is seen as the booze cruise line and despite sparkling new ships is still seen as downmarket from Princess, RCI etc. Obviously enforcing a regime of zero tolerance goes part of the way but it is a fine line to tread.

 

One thing that may be being considered by Carnival Australia is a rebranding. P&O has a long and rich tradition in Australia but the past year or so has seen the brand severely damaged at the exact time it should be growing. Carnival may look at using one of its other brands in lieu of P&O as a way of getting a clean start. Maybe your next cruise will be on the Carnival Sun!!

[Skyrules]

Whichever way you look at it this is bad publicity for P&O. Quite unfortunate that it happens the same week they are rolling out the TV advertising for Pacific Dawn. 3AW in Melbourne was giving away 6 cruises on Sun today and they almost seemed apologetic after the publicity

 

Funny you should say that - I just came back from Melbourne, and up until Saturday Magic 1278 (radio station) down there had also been running a competition giving away a cruise on Pacific Sun - every hour they were putting people into the draw - suddenly that stopped on Sunday. Now it may just be that the comptetion was only running up until Saturday - but I think it more likely they stopped the competion in light of the article they were running on their news bulletins.

[Skyrules]

One thing that may be being considered by Carnival Australia is a rebranding. P&O has a long and rich tradition in Australia but the past year or so has seen the brand severely damaged at the exact time it should be growing. Carnival may look at using one of its other brands in lieu of P&O as a way of getting a clean start. Maybe your next cruise will be on the Carnival Sun!!

 

I really hope they don't go down this track, but if they do, Pacific Sun would problaby revert back to her true identity - Jubilee, and Pacific Star would revert to Tropicale (their former names when built for Carnvial).

[AuzzieCruiser]

Maybe what is needed is a permanent Princess ship based out here sailing as a Princess vessel. It will give the option of a 'Premium' cruise or the more 'traditional' cruise. I'm not talking a huge ship such as Crown or Diamond, but more like Sea/Sun/Dawn Princess.

Perhaps the Pacific Dawn will help them shake off some of the negativity.

People at work are asking me about my next cruise, and I tell them that I'm considering P&O. You should see their reaction. They ask me why I would even consider it. They make comment such as "You'd be slumming it with them" and "Have you got a death wish?"

Sure it is not what I'm used to with the American ships, but at least i'll be away from home for a few days.

We have asked my Uncle and his partner to see if they'd like to come with us. We hope to hear from them soon.

[Tropicalshowers]

Getting back to the original topic....where are your kids?

 

We expected our kids to 'call in' at designated times....or there would be consequenses....not desirable in the least. Our kids, both males, complied, and we are proud of them. They did not abuse their 'freedom'....which they definitely had on their/our cruise.

 

Talk to your kids! They are better off knowing the boundries than not.

 

Cheers

[krazy1]

Getting back to the original topic....where are your kids?

 

We expected our kids to 'call in' at designated times....or there would be consequenses....not desirable in the least. Our kids, both males, complied, and we are proud of them. They did not abuse their 'freedom'....which they definitely had on their/our cruise.

 

Talk to your kids! They are better off knowing the boundries than not.

 

Cheers

 

Its good to see that most parents were quite alert on where their kids are.

 

On the last night as the club closed a bit early, 230am, early for some! We were having a chat on the deck with a few fellas who had their wives and daughters with them too at the time, the daughters were 16-17 and mingled there with the other daughters and we found it good that if the parents are still up that they allow their kids to stay up if they want to, as long as their in the same area.

 

One night after we left the nightclub/starlight lounge quite late (3-4am), we were asked by a concerned mother whether we had seen her daughter who was over 18. We told her last we saw her in the club 2 hours ago and from what we knew she was quite keen on one of the blokes and she used to go back to his room quite frequently.

 

I guess it shows that basically most parents were quite sensible and these reports of underage drinking, what a load of crap, first of all under 18s have pink cards compared to adults blue and to say that parents were buying their kids liquor, well if there was such a thing, those parents should of been thrown overboard.