A review (and attached experience) is always going to be subjective. We just returned from this 3 day cruise and we had a ball. What made this an "Excellent" cruise was that P&O met or exceeded our expectations (which were pretty average from the outset) and the areas that were exceeded were very pleasantly surprising. I was surprised to find that I could sit out on deck and enjoy the sun on my face, live music, and the marvelous view of the wake receding into the distance in the middle of winter just a days travel out of Auckland. We enjoyed the shows and musician's very much. All the performers worked hard and had skill. The shows were not the usual over-hyped or over-the-hill affairs and emphasized great production value and entertainment to really good effect. The impression was that the dancers and singers cared about their craft, and it made the shows really enjoyable. The staff were universally friendly (if not super formal) and a complaint about cabin noise was actually followed up on. Food was as expected (mediocre) but the Salt Grill was the real McCoy. I highly recommend having a dinner there. Probably the best value for money on the ship. We enjoyed travelling with fellow Kiwis, which meant the entertainment could be pitched right and a sort of camaraderie built by the end.

Thank you P&O. We would definitely cruise with you again. My advice to people considering P&O is know what you are buying. Don't expect what would cost twice as much from another cruise line and don't pay a premium price. The mini-suite was fine for what we paid (walls are thin and you will hear the deck chairs being moved about), but remember most of your cruise experience will happen outside your cabin.

Suggestions for P&O: Chocolate chip cookies and popcorn with outdoor movie in the evening please; and OMG I would have paid $200 for a bottle of bad Rum instead of endlessly chasing moderate inebriation with weak cocktails.