Pacific Eden Review

4.0 / 5.0
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Pleasantly surprised and relieved

Review for Australia & New Zealand Cruise on Pacific Eden
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cruisechick48
10+ Cruises • Age 70s

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Sail Date: Feb 2016

We booked this cruise on the Eden sometime ago on the basis of wanting to try out the new and improved P&O ship. We had done a short cruise on the Jewel and thoroughly enjoyed it. We have also done several others cruises on a variety of ships, including four on Holland America ships. I must add that, unlike many others we met on the ship, we knew that the Eden was a refurbed Holland America ship rather than a new ship and that the cabins were not going to have been upgraded. However, when the terrible reviews of the Eden began to appear we seriously thought about cancelling. I was particularly unnerved about the high incidence of the Novo virus! As we would not get any of our money back if we cancelled, we decided just to go. Thus, it was with some trepidation that we set off on the morning of the 1st. Within an hour of arriving at White Bay, we were processed and at our deck 9 balcony cabin. The cabin was the same as other Holland America cabins - spacious and well appointed. The bathroom was also typical Holland America. The whole area was clean and comfortable. The steward was welcoming and informative. We breathed our first sigh of relief. Nonetheless, I wiped down surfaces, furniture, bathroom, knobs and light switches with anti-bacterial wipes. I also carried wipes everywhere and used them liberally on tables, handrails and on anything I needed to touch. In the course of the trip, we discovered that many other people were following the same cleansing regime. We did note that there were a lot of sanitiser machines dotted around the ship, particularly at the doors of the eating places and bars but, unlike other ships, there was no-one ensuring that they were used prior to entering the eating places. As a result, there were many people who never used them.

Next stop was the Pantry. Nothing to complain about there. The food was good, there was something for every taste, no long queue, and we liked this concept rather than the buffet. I would rather someone serve my food than have people putting grubby hands all over the food. Couldn't understand the complaints that had been made about the Pantry. Didn't get a chance to try the other eating places other then the Waterfront. After we got used to the buzzer system for seating, we were fine. The food was very good - we had something different and delicious every night, the service was excellent and the wine selection adequate and reasonably priced. Many people have said that the portions are small, but the Waterfront isn't a hamburger joint or fast food outlet - it is a restaurant! In relation to activities, my husband likes to do 10kms walks every day. The walking deck allowed him to continue his regime, barring bits of it being closed off occasionally for maintenance. The unusual thing about the walking deck is that there are designated smoking areas and so walkers or joggers conscious of their health must run the gauntlet through smoke hazes! Go figure. I went to the gym most days. I had initially thought that it was a small space but I never had any difficulty getting a treadmill. On reflection, I did think that the general demographic on this trip was not of the gym or health conscious variety. We also participated in Trivia and went to 3 shows, two of which were edgy, different, and great. Very different to the normal shipboard shows. We also went to the dance parties and had a great time. Overall, the cruise exceeded expectations and we will consider another P&O cruise in future. I think the key is to go with an open mind.

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