Monday, October 19, 2009 - 08:45 pm, by: Ben Daniel(Lexustt)
I went on a P&O Cruise 3 years ago with one of my mates (we tried rallying a group together but everyone piked when crunch time came) and we had the best time ever. It was $1700 each for a 9 night cruise which included airfares, excellent value. I ate like a horse, the amount of food they put up is unbelievable and was basically the highlight for me. Every night was a different theme ranging from cowboy night to formal/cocktail/ball with a different culture of food every night. Piss is cheap as, I spent $1200 on alcohol on the boat and was trashed pretty much %70 of the time (they have a sober up policy so no alcohol sold between 6 - 11am). For the younger one's it's pretty much a fest so picking up was never an issue (pretty much why people go on these things?)
We had 2 nights at sea which was just party party party then 5 stops at random islands around Vanuatu. Plenty of tropical beaches to veg out and sunbake on and lots of great snorkeling around Mystery Island. In Vanuatu we did a tour of the cascade watefall's which was unbelievable. It was a warm day, It was pissing down with rain and we were trekking up a mountain stopping at random swimming hole's where 1 waterfall finished and another started. There were natural rock formation water slides which were great and the tour guide's show you all little tunnels and that which have formed over the years.
You gotta be careful on the boats hey, they are VERY strict. For small indescretions you get 2 warning's before you have an interview with the captain in which he decide's your fate. But for more serious offences (fights, urinating outside a toilet, sex in view of people or camera's) you get booted off straight away and have to pay your own way home. The boat I was on, 7 people got kicked off before the boat had left port, what a waste of money. Basically there was a couple honeymooning on the boat, a guy tried hitting on his missus, he threw a bunch, a brawl broke out, all kicked off the boat except the bride.... I bet that would of been MAJORLY awkward when they met up again. I think by the end of our trip 50 odd people had been kicked off the boat and 15 people lost due to not making it back on the boat in time at the stops. When you stop at an island it's a 6pm gate's up, if you miss it, tough.
All in all, it was an experience of a lifetime and would do it again in a heartbeat. Great Value for money, great service from onboard staff, great way to meet people. Would highly recommend it to anyone.
Steven Nanevski Goo Roo New South Wales BF Ford Falcon XR8 MKII
Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 05:13 pm, by: David Tra(Bookie)
What are the sleeping arrangements like? If you fail to obtain 4 of your own people, does that mean you will bunk with strangers?
I am doing it for the experience, sounds like u had a bloody awesome time Ben! I want to get trashed 70% of the time in a safe environment. WOO HOO! I take it that news must travels fast.
Sounds like something I wont be taking the mrs on lol. But i would love to share this experience with her.
What were the age groups? tools, bogans, teens, kids?, mature aged etc?
What can you tell me about the Pacific Sun Steven?
Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 10:22 pm, by: Ben Daniel(Lexustt)
They come in cabin's of 2 or 4 David, you can bunk with stranger's if you like or you can choose not to. The age groups on mine were very mixed, mostly young people but lot's of oldies who should of been on the QE2. Most people are well behaved and not dickheads, the dickheads are the ones who get kicked off the boat.
We had A LOT of guy's who loved to have their shirt's with their collars popped... I think it was pretty gay so me and my mate and a group of people we made friends of spent most of the time just taking the piss out of these people hahahaha.
I went on the Pacific Star but the Pacific Sun is the biggest P&O ship I think ??
Monday, October 26, 2009 - 05:13 pm, by: Steven Nanevski(Imprestik)
The Pacific Sun is a nice ship, I was just on it last friday installing some new equipment onto it. There is stacks of crap to do on it, pretty much whatever you can think of, shopping, drinking, pleanty of clubs on there to get totally cracked, also swimming etc etc.
As Ben stated rooms with portholes are usually 2 x bunk beds to accommodate for 4 people. Now considering you are taking your Mrs i think that would be out of the question.
Your best bet would be to get a inner cabin higher up as they have 1 queen size bed, otherwise if you can fork the cash out go an outside cabin with balcany and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Now again cruising days makes a hell of a difference. If you want to go on and have more fun I recommend a shorter cruise like a 9 night max cruise. You tend to find all your old farts or families go on the longer cruises. Again up to you. If you were not taking your Mrs, oh man life gets alot more interesting expecially with the staff, but that's another story.....
Monday, October 26, 2009 - 07:09 pm, by: Chris Lock(Sledge)
all i can say is.. GOOD LUCK we went on a cruise with their sister company Princess cruises. Only got to 4 out of the 6 ports and got delayed getting on board, was stuffed around by the crew, and didn't get a few 'options' that were promised. The activities on board were boring and repetative. And some of them the crew didn't even bother showing up for. (which they were meant to be there to organise things) All in all.. very unhappy
Monday, October 26, 2009 - 08:46 pm, by: Ben Daniel(Lexustt)
I actually gotta admit with you there Chris, the process for getting on and off the boat is I understand with the way times are that they have to be very dogmatic and strict in how people come on and off but with our cruise we had to be out of the cabin by 7am. Everyone was given a coloured ticket and you had to go to that specific area to wait to get off. We waited and waited and waited and waited and finally got off at about 1pm. I didn't see why we could just wait in our cabin and watch movies or TV until we had to get off rather than just sit in a room with other's to get off. I believe that needs to be re-assesed. Sure the cabin's need to be cleaned etc but surely they could allow for another day without losing too much money to fix this issue.
As for the rest of it tho... absolutely no complaints. Best time of my life.
Monday, October 26, 2009 - 08:47 pm, by: Ben Daniel(Lexustt)
David Grab wrote on Monday, October 26, 2009 - 04:30 am:
hahaha... my sister refuses to go on a cruise ship or when she travel's (which is A LOT) she always book's rooms on the first floor as she sleep walks all the time.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 06:22 am, by: Chris Lock(Sledge)
Ben: getting off wasn't the problem.. getting on was.. due to board at 12pm.. didn't board until 12 AM and left sydney at 1:30 AM !! and was left in sydney with no idea of when we could get on for 12 hours.. with no food and very little drink.. told to go buy some and we'd be reimbursed on board.. (which was then refused)
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 04:34 pm, by: Nina Smart(050ara)
Luuurve it. Have been on three so far. Cash only thing that stopped the fourth earlier this year. Alcohol is a bit expensive but was soo good for time out and relaxing. Great way to see the islands too. best to fly to QLD and leave from Bris. have heard a few bad stories about leaving from Syd.