Pacific Jewel is great if you like Rugby or RSL Clubs
We recently took the 3 night cruise just to have a weekend away. No more with P &O - they describe this as a sampler - if we were first timers this would be the first and last cruise we would be taking.
Ship is below 3 stars in ambience, decor, furnishings and service. It certainly has the Luke Mangan Salt Grill restaurant on board and this was excellent and fantastic value for another $30 per head but getting a reservation was like winning the lottery. It could only take 35 or so at a time because of the kitchen's capability so can you imagine what it was like with a good percentage of the 1900 passengers trying to book. The same thing happened at the main restaurant also - below capacity because of the kitchen's ability to cope, and sending people up to the buffet instead. ( A much cheaper way of catering to the masses too I might say). No flower arrangements, no grand staircase and a lot of singlets, tatts and thongs on board. Queues at everything all the time. Martini classes were excellent but again could only take 45 people so one had to get there about 45 minutes before to ensure getting in. Staff were most obliging but there are not enough of them. Cabins are serviced once a day only. Also had a problem in being downgraded from a guaranteed balcony cabin to an ocean view as the cruise was overbooked. This was apparent at check in which took 45 minutes to an hour and remember, no customs or immigration required. Never again with P& O.
