Nice to see really unusal ports of call in our near neighbour PNG. The food was a standout on this cruise, all outlets were efficient , well presented and friendly staff willing to keep the location spotless, helping those with disability. The dining room was fantastic, the foods were great, the staff very professional, and the decor a delight. The stateroom was a BD veranda, oh so small, with a tiny unusable veranda, and it is not a joke that you need to dress outside of the bathroom following your shower. The room was well presented, and with modern decor, and a fridge.

Entertainment traversed the usual trivia, bingo, music was everywhere and spanned classical, contemporary, show tunes and jazz. The movies under the stars was most pleasant, with concerts from popular artists at the pre movie slot. A huge disappointment was the inept and inappropriate shore information sessions, which were useless orientation to the culture and points of interest and were rudely presented. The internet was terrific speed and at a good price, the Princess app was also very useful to chat to friends on board and to see daily events, and to check the account.

I realise that the Dawn is nearing its run with Princess, but you do notice the clumsy layout, with undulating floor levels providing a fall risk and the impossibly slow lifts, which were a source of irritation for the very elderly passengers on this pacific war trip over the Anzac Day commemoration. Better by far than P and O but not as good all around as HAL.