Pacific Dawn Review

4.0 / 5.0
0 reviews

Very Disappointed

Review for the South Pacific Cruise on Pacific Dawn
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Captain Chef
10+ Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Aug 2017

Having done our first cruise with P&O (ten already with other lines) for a 3 day on the Aria we were pleasantly surprised. We had a suite which was very good and the food generally acceptable or good depending on where we ate. We decided on a second 3 day this time it had to be on the Dawn again out of Brisbane. Suite was fine, cabin steward friendly but really that's where it stopped. Immediately on boarding we were the first to book speciality dining. Salt & Pepper, Chefs table and Fish & Bones. First night at Salt was fine (cover charge), second night fairly expensive chefs table. Terrible food, wine all from one small producer so very mixed quality. At the end even the lady chef and the wine producer who both presented the meal had a falling out! It was a complete waste of money. Others at the table who had done previous Chefs tables agreed this one was bad. I would not do another.

Last night was Fish & Bones. My wife had the hot seafood for two, for one, as i don't touch seafood. That seemed ok. I ordered the ribs. The old saying never order meat in a seafood restaurant was never more true than this awful rendition of supposedly slow braised ribs. It was not cooked in a sauce, it was dry and tasteless with a strange sauce in a separate dish. I complained, sent it back, the chef came for a chat and admitted the company tell them how to cook and apologised. It was obviously pre cooked, kept in the fridge and re heated in case some nut like me doesn't eat seafood. Very surprised to see I was still being charged on the bill (another cover charge but by dish not a set fee). I refused to pay and then they removed the charge for my ribs. Breakfast we had every day in the cabin which was ok, Lunch in the waterfront was pretty bad. Service was non existent, the staff just did not engage with the passengers at all. I suspect its 3 dayism. Short cruise so they make little effort, plus no tips as an incentive. Same in the bars and theatre. Hard to get drinks and a very odd attitude from bar staff. After so many cruises where the crew are great this was a rather a let down. The food in the pantry looked ok but we just couldn't cope with the overcrowding, pushing and shoving and no tables available. We either suffered the Waterfront or went without. This is by no means a cheap cruise when booking a suite plus paying extra for food. I will never sail on the Dawn again, just not a worthwhile experience. I was just so glad I hadn't booked a longer cruise on this ship.

Cabin Review

Cabin Suite

Good size, well appointed and reasonably modern. For some reason we got a disabled cabin which actually was quite nice. Bigger door, level floor to the shower and right by the lifts which I personally quite like for the convenience.

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