We've had some great cruise experiences with Princess, and foolishly expected P&O to be similar. Unfortunately it couldn't have been more different. Everything on the Pacific Aria felt like being on board a tired cross-channel ferry than had been chugging between Dover and Calais for 30 years and truly showed its age.

Some of the chairs in the cinema were broken and you couldn't sit in them. The sound was out of synch with the video - which also happened on some of the TV channels in the room. The DVD player wouldn't open in the room either.

The roof in the pool area leaked and the place was perpetually flooded. Most of the time one of the jacuzzis was out out of action, often both of them, which wasn't great for the 1500 passengers on board. The water in them was tepid rather than warm anyway. The sun loungers were disgusting; dirty and stained and with frayed fabric. Read more