Pacific Aria Review

You'll have fun but don't expect to be too wowed.

Review for Australia & New Zealand Cruise on Pacific Aria
User Avatar
Cottonwool
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Jun 2016

We have just returned from a 3 day cruise to nowhere with 6 friends aboard Aria.We are middle aged and just wanted a long weekend away with friends that was a bit different. We'd booked THEN read the reviews so were slightly terrified about plumbing overflowing etc. Thankfully, to that end, our fears were allayed. No plumbing problems for us at all. We had 3 balcony cabins and 1 suite. Everyone was very happy with the quality of cabin.

Food and beverage quality and service is where Aria falls down. We ate in all of the restaurants at some point. You certainly can't rave about the food, but I'm also not going to cane it too harshly. It was RSL quality. Nothing fabulous. The service in Dragonlady was friendly enough, however drinks orders were not taken till after entree had been served and then didn't arrive till our last mouthful of mains. Not acceptable. Restaurant service 101, sit patrons, take drinks orders whilst they peruse the menu. The Pantry is very much RSL bistro style. Nothing fabulous, a bit of a free for all, collect toast (pre cooked and then reheated) then go to another window to order eggs etc. Sit inside, out on the back deck or around the pool. All a bit messy. The Waterfront was half full, yet people were being told of a 20 minute wait for a table?? Again, food nothing to write home about. Angelo's firstly, dim the lights guys. Way too harsh. Service in here was certainly better. The food was OK. The standout was Salt grill. From the moment you walk in, the bar is raised. The service is excellent. Friendly, helpful and attentive. The food was beautiful. The wine list comprehensive. Don't think we could fault it.

Activities onboard - we attended trivia, bingo, dance classes, yoga (extra charge!) comedy, the main show, carpet bowls etc. We figured when in Rome, what the heck. All a bit of silly fun. The Gatsby theme night was a bit of hit and miss. They could have really gone to town, with 1920s music in the bars etc. There was 1 dance for the flashmob (lots of fun) and then straight to Michael Jackson, Prince et al. Why did we bother to dress up? They could have really made this a standout night and transported people back to the 20s for a night. Overall, Aria was fun for 3 days. I don't think I'd want to be on Aria much longer than that. For what it was, it was fun,

Cabin Review

Cabin Balcony

Quiet, comfortable bed and comfortable pillows. Enough space and nice little balcony to get some fresh air. No noise from adjoining cabins or hallway. Plenty of storage space. we also had friends in a suite on deck 10. Beautiful, lots of space but they did comment about the noise of high heels and chairs being moved around on the pool deck above at night. Not a deal breaker however.

7 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a cruise

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.