Since I had not been on a cruise before, a friend asked me would I like to go to see if I would like it. I absolutely enjoyed it very much and I would like to go again. Having a disability which requires me to use a walking stick and some limited movement, I was worried how I would manage, but I managed very well. From embarking to disembarking everything was Great, even the weather was perfect. All staff and crew were friendly and helpful. The stateroom was ideal for me., especially having grab rails in the shower and near the toilet. I enjoyed taking my time walking around the ships and I had no difficulty get on and off the tender when going ashore. I enjoyed the entertainment, movies and the wonderful food and I even got to see dolphins , the one thing I wanted to see. If you have a disability or mobility issues, I recommend checking out going on a cruise. Rough seas I think would be a challenge getting around, but I think I would stay in my stateroom, order room service and when the seas calm down, I would head out to enjoy everything the ship had to offer. Read Less

We chose this cruise simply for the itinerary. We didn't make it to the fiordlands due to weather, which we understand. The ship seemed understaffed and I've definitely been on happier ships. Late embarking led to harried crew ordering us to our muster station, where we were told to move when we tried to put our heavy carry on luggage and stroller down. So sitting on a step which was the only available seating, we waited 40mins for the muster briefing to begin. Time enough I would have thought to drop our hand luggage and stroller in the cabin. When we did get to our cabin, it was to find a dirty plate with cold food under the bed along with a dirty sock and paper. I won't mention what was near the drinks tray, suffice to say the room felt vey dirty. Again I blame understaffing. The attitude of the crew improved toward the end of the first week however, the emphasis on 'cruise status' and the colour of your ships card was obvious all through the cruise. Very disappointing. The upper bunks in our cabin were incredibly uncomfortable, with mattresses like cement. We initiated a roster system so the adults could take turns having a comfortable nights sleep in the lower bunk. Princess it seems have iniated a Third Class system, keeping tradition with the Titanic. While there were some fun moments, those aimed at a younger demographic for a change, they were far and few between. Our grandson loved kids club, and was cared for beautifully by them. Sadly there were no really child friendly outdoor areas, and instead of an adults sanctuary, which was in fact the whole ship, we could have done with a family sanctuary, one to keep out the grumpy older passengers. We are a fit 63 years old, yet on this ship I felt 30 years old still the overly loud music played near the pool was a poor effort to acknowledge younger minded passengers. I'm a retired RN, and I understand the special needs of the elderly however, almost an entire ship devoted to them alone is too much. If the line only wants that demographic on board they should be fair and state as much in their marketing. Traditional dining in the Rigaletto restaurant was fantastic. Our waiter Rod and assistant waiter Joel were unbelievably caring and attentive. Service was impeccable. They were incredibly patient with our grandson and intuitive of our needs. We can't thank them enough. Buffet dining was relatively bland and hot foods were especially lacking in variety at breakfast and lunch. Food options it appears were sacrificed for a larger seating area, which given the number of passengers who ignored signs designating tables for the disabled, it seems there still weren't enough. We had no trouble finding a table somewhere everyday though. We paid over $600 to go to Hobbiton on a bus with non-existent air-conditioning for an hour both ways, were rushed back to the bus because the driver gave us the wrong time. Too huge a group meant standing for too long in the heat, with a couple of people close to fainting. Not worth the cost. Price of alcohol on board was phenomenal. A bottle of wine on board selling for $55 can be bought for $30 in Australia. Wine by the glass averaged at $15 a glass. Cocktails averaged at $15 a glass. Our cabin was noisy on port days as the ship docked and the disembarkation equipment was erected. On one night at 10.30pm a balloon drop party with loud rock and roll music was held 100 metres from our room and went on until 11.05pm, waking our grandson and his designated babysitter - grandfather, but then again third class doesn't count. Considering the complaints we had to hear from certain upper deck passengers when forced to queue at ports, I understand the need to inflict the party on us. If I sound a little unhappy it's because I am, an expensive, long anticipated holiday was a disappointment. Princess line please be honest in your marketing approach, and try to remember the colour of your cruise card just depends on how many repeat cruises you make. Mine will forever remain the colour it is. Read Less

Booked two Suite cabins #11117 and #11116 - Cabin was ok but a little dated - clean and reasonable size - bed was comfortable, but pillows cheap and hard. Cabin attendants were really good. When you book a suite with P&O you have no recognition or any worthwhile benefits at all and certainly don't feel like a VIP. They need to take note of what Royal Caribbean do for guests who book suite's. We were suppose to have priority boarding, but apparently there was a wedding party that they decided had priority above suite guests. It started to rain and only when bitterly complaining (as i had my mother in a wheel chair outside) that they finally allowed us in to register and board. The common areas were over crowded at all times (except when we docked at Airlie Beach) and you could never get seats around the pool. Dining areas were also way overcrowded (what i would refer to as a pig trough) and constantly bumping into people and queuing for meals. It would take nearly 20 minutes or more to get a meal then line up to get a drink at the bar - by then my food was cold. Food on the whole was really average and in some cases disgusting. The main restaurant was really old, boring and nothing more than a Coles cafeteria. If your disabled and in a wheelchair then forget it as it's so not wheelchair friendly. Had so much trouble pushing the wheelchair around and doors that were constantly closed made it impossible. Even corridors that seemed blocked all the time, which meant i had to go all the way back and around the ship. Lifts were a real pain and spent so much time waiting to get to different levels on the ship. Entertainment and activities were just average. I would never step foot on another P&O cruise ship. Read Less

We travelled in a group of 4 couples on this short cruise from Brisbane and had a very good time. The main entertainment was several comedy shows, some rated PG which were (usually) ok for children, and some R rated for the adult themes and language. We preferred the PG rated shows, which showcased the quick minds of the comedians without the swearing. I think that the nature of the cruise meant that there were very few children on board. The shows were generally very good, and we really loved the gong show, where fellow passengers could have a crack at stand up comedy - what a surprise that was! But by far the best entertainment was the range of extremely talented musicians on board. A fabulous singer/guitarist at the Oasis setting the relaxing mood, the girl with the haunting voice at the Lido, the piano player in the Blue Room and the band (Alter Ego?) at Oceans Bar, who took requests and could play and sing anything! The musicians were all superb. Now the food - we all thought that the 'food court' style of The Pantry was a positive step up from the usual buffet and the food there was simple and tasty. It is hard to get a table here though and tables are not cleared very quickly. Breakfast at the Waterfront was pretty good, but other meals were a bit hit or miss. Angelo's (the Italian) was average and Salt was disappointing (both our fish dishes were overcooked). Service is generally slow. We were unable to get into The Dragon Lady even though we tried booking after lunch on the first day - so get in quick if you want to eat here. Drinks: Coffee is best in Oceans Bar. The mocktails were way too sweet so we ordered them with soda water to dilute them. (Refreshment package was well used). Favourite cocktail - Pink ginger cosmopolitan! Drinks seemed to be diluted later in the evening. Suggestion to management: Move the trivia to a larger venue - maybe the Dome? People were sitting on the floor! Read Less

This ship was not gay friendly! As soon as our cabin crew realised we were a couple they started to treat us in a significantly withdrawn manner. Several incidents occurred, including snickering at me in the hallway as I walked past. When this was raised with P&O head office, the response after it was investigated was that we were seen on the CCTV smiling at times when we were on board and this meant we had a good time. It was a very poor response. I did not expect to be treated this way on a ship that sailed from Australia. We have been on Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises and we were treated just like every other customer. Very disturbing P&O. To be fair, the entertainment on board was better than any other cruise we had been on. The food and the rest of the service was sub-standard, but I did enjoy having a drink at the rear of the boat, Bingo, the affordably-priced cocktail course etc. Read Less

So my partner and I went on a 7 night cruise to Hamilton Island and Cairns. I really want to start off by saying if you're going on the Aria have an open mind! Before we left I read all of the reviews and obviously some of them are awful! The few good ones left me with some hope. I went on with an open mind wanting to have an amazing time and we did! I couldn't fault anything! The staff were so attentive and helpful. Other said there weren't enough staff and it took a long time to get a drink but we never had an issue! There was always staff walking around offering. The food was also excellent. The pantry is similar to a food court but much nicer and hyngenic. All the food there was great! We also went to the waterfront restaurant numerous times and everything was super delicious and the service was so fast and like a 5 star restaurant. It was the same at Angelos. We didn't try the dragon lady because I'm a bit fussy. Our cabin steward were so helpful and always remembered our names whenever they saw us. We only saw 2 shows because I kept forgetting they were on. The first one I thought was average and the second one was great but they also aren't really my thing but other guests said they thought they were very good! There was always lots to do the entire time, we played trivia, bingo, name that tune and movie mania. We weren't very good but they were definitely a good laugh! Disembarkment at ports and when we arrived home was all very fast and smooth. Over all we didn't encounter any issues and we had such a wonderful time so really I have no idea why others complained! I hope this helps others to go on this boat! Positive mind = positive cruising! :) Read Less

Flew from Melbourne & stayed overnight at Hacienda Motel opposite the docks. Adds nearly $1,000 per couple to the over all holiday. Real pain for us Melbournians. Apart from that, Brisbane Portside Precinct is lovely and within walking distance of several motels, it was hot, we called a taxi -$8. No real problems boarding, except so many people arrive hours before time. Brisbane is quite organised, there is seating but thank goodness we walked down the precinct again and had a coffee and looked at the ship from the balcony viewing area, before checking in (Platinum). Not been on Sea Princess before, the upgrade/refit in Horizons is lovely, appears much lighter than on Dawn Princess. More room around the tea & coffee area and sweet & savoury snacks and treats behind glass, does seem somewhat cleaner in these times. Rooms - we had an inside as we booked late and took what was available, near the back but all good. We like fine dining, had problems in Rigolletos as we had booked for table for 2 and on table for 10, two men very unpleasant and argumentative. Tried to get smaller table, on 4th night we had a table to ourselves, 5th night arriving at 8.10 (7.45 was our booked time) the Maitre de (rudely) said we were "too early"! Really! I offered to look at the shops, he then said he had no room for us, try Traviata's - really! This was our 9th cruise so were quite taken aback by his attitude. Traviata's were also surprised but accommodated us with no problems. Note: A passenger told us there are only 4 tables for 2 in the Fine Dining Restaurants. I can't confirm this. Anyway, all good from there on, I even had a birthday cake one evening, very nice. The PNG Cruise itself - hot, humid, fun, very good company most people our own age, we are 72 + 76. Shows were good, islands were fun. Cultural Show at Alatau is a must and take a chance and ride a canoe, the people will look after you. Sure there's not a lot to see but we got off at every stop, swam in the beautiful pristine waters, took another chance and with the help of local finally got on a sailing boat to the little island only 5 mins away. $5 each. Locals are lovely, they do have markets but have little idea of pressuring you to buy. THINGS YOU MUST HAVE: Plenty of $5 notes, lollies for the children. Other items you could take are books, pencils, clothing. Read Less

Papua New guinea is a must go destination for everyone no matter what age and background you are. Returning expatriates, returning ex-service personnel, children of those who once lived in PNG, inquisitive travelers etc. Our first time with Princess Cruises and they excelled in every area. In Alotau we did the Cultural Festival on board tour which was worthwhile. We noted that independent travelers still had to pay the same as passengers if they wanted entry. Good range of cultural dancers and the arts and crafts were very nice and affordable. We noted that the sellers were not used to haggling and when we were dropped off at the local market on the way back to the ship we could see why. All the produce in the markets was marked with a price and that was what was paid. There were other tours to suit other interests such as WWII or local village and cooking tour. Off to Kitava Island where we were greeted by three young ladies in traditional dress who we felt were only doing it because their mum had insisted. We saw her taking note of the numbers of passengers getting off the tenders so I'd say she billed the cruise line for the privilege as many of the other children had signs "K5 a snap" in front of themselves. The primary school children were there to greet us and put on small performances and were a delight. More carvings, shells, string bags (bilums) for sale. Lovely place for a swim and snorkel. Off to Rabaul where we took a full day tour with Kokopo Tours (wish I could insert their flyer here so others could benefit!) AU$150.00 each including water and lunch at the Gazel Peninsular Hotel. Saw everything there was to see, Yamamoto's bunker, Bita Paka War Cemetery, Kokopo War Museum and Cultural Center, Hot Springs, Volcano, WWII Zero crash site etc. The devastation of the last major eruption in 1994 is still very evident. Sea day before reaching Doini Island for more snorkeling, dance groups etc. More arts and crafts to buy. What a great little 'resort' island. Check out www.doiniisland.com and if you're cruising there pre-book snorkeling or trips to Samarai Island etc. Love to come back and chill!!!! 2 more sea days and back to Brisbane. On the way up to PNG and on other sea days we were entertained by very knowledgeable speakers who obviously loved their work. All in all a very pleasant visit to our next door neighbours. Read Less

I really wanted to take the time to write this review about the pacific dawn after reading so many negative comments. We have just enjoyed a fantastic holiday which for is after travelling the world extensively, was all positive. I was actually quite scared after reading all the comments here about pacific dawn yet we loved it. My three year old was treated like a prince, I actually had blissful moments alone just staring at the sea and my husband had a great time around the pool deck listening to live music with a beer. We met a great variety of people - all lovely - no yobbos at all as I have previously read on this site. The entertainment was fantastic- ports of call were as expected after doing my own research and the food was brilliant. I'm celiac so can not be more grateful for the beautiful gluten free food the chefs and wait staff bent over backwards to provide for me. There was a variety of people from young to old and I'm between. My little boy wouldn't stay in the kids club yet not from lack of the gorgeous staff and fun activities. It was a family holiday so we were happy to be together. After all the negative reviews I really have to say you simply get what you pay for. We grabbed a bargain with a free upgrade to level 9 with an oceanview cabin and it was great. The whole shop is immaculate regardless of the fact it is older and no it's not five star or brand new. This did not affect our time on this boat at all. The beds are comfortable. The staff are extremely happy, beautiful people who will do anything for you and even made my little boy towel animals every night. A glass of wine is $8 for a house merlot yet that's the same price you pay at a restaurant. Plus for a bargain holiday with all food provided what do you expect. The theme nights are good fun. The photos are ok yet expensive plus a hassle to find but hey. That's part of the deal. The whole cruise was actually a really beautiful experience. Something I recommend everyone to do young old or in between. There really is something for everyone. I loved the freedom of being at sad and having no phone or internet yet if you want it there is an Internet cafe. All the food outlets that charge a fee are extremely reasonable. We were so happy with the restaurant food we only went for an ice cream or coffee here and there. The activities on board are what they are. Either get involved or don't. We loved the children's family nightclub dance and the pool deck parties. And no we didn't go wild yet I really loved we could hang out together as a family in the fresh air as we sailed off from noumea with a glass of red. It's a really happy holiday and the fact you can just get in and relax with children is heaven. So for me no whinging to share. We will grab another trip on p&o anytime. Thank you for everything pacific dawn. We truely appreciate your efforts to make our holiday a great one. Stop thinking about it and just book it. You might even grab yourself a last minute pack and go deal like we did. Oh and the tours on the boat are expensive so do your research and plan ahead or book your own. Enjoy. Read Less