After experiencing 9 previous cruises with different cruise lines/ships including other P&O Aust. ships this aussie coastal cruise was not great mainly due to the ship, Pacific Eden. Previous P&O ships were far better both in quality & service. I did expect ship to be better than previous P&O ships due to the fact that I had travelled on a sister ship when it was sailing under Holland America banner.

P&O's 'australianisation' of the ship has not worked with often a paint job hiding a tired ship and the alterations to dining areas has not been well thought out with passengers having to go up & down decks to get to dining areas generally affecting flow of pedestrians at peak times. The 'anytime dining' system needs to be rearranged as dining room and crew cannot cope with seating varying group sizes apart from 2 & four diners.

The Pantry dining area is a disaster with staff not knowing anything about the dishes being served, food being always luke warm at best, and having to go to 3 or 4 different counters to get food items, e.g. bread rolls at one but butter at another. No trays available causing passengers to make multiple trips from table to server and back to complete there male requirements. Quality of food generally was very ordinary and always not hot including the Waterfront restaurant. One of our group required Gluten Free diet and this had been previously flagged at booking. Senior Steward did try hard to oblige but kitchen either wouldn't or couldn't oblige (or didn't know how). Read more