This was our 11th cruise and 3rd and last with P&O. It was not value for money and there was certainly constant pressure from P&O staff to part with it. The items available were limited in range and overpriced. But I get ahead of myself.

The embarkation at White Bay aka Woop Woop was ok but why are we boarding in Balmain? Off to Brisbane and again we dock at the grain terminal 25 kilometres from the city centre? I thought that was where grain ships dock. Why there when there is a perfectly good cruise terminal many kilometres closer to Brisbane which is adjacent to the Rivercat Terminal and shops offering normal prices. Perhaps that is why?

Off from there up to Alotau in PNG and the Cultural Village. That was great, the people were welcoming and warm and this was a highlight. We took this cruise to see some WW2 history. Frankly it is too early, the good stuff is still locked up by the landowners and good luck to them. We were shown a mound of bulldozed metal which could have been my grandmother's FJ Holden for all I could tell. A guest lecturer on the history of the campaign would have been great rather than some of the others talkers who were of little relevance or interest. Read more