PACIFIC MISADVENTURE? Maiden Cruise Vlog and Review

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Join my private Facebook group for cruise deals, tips and advice - the more members we have, the better we’ll get! www.facebook.com/groups/CTGdeals Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.com/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/thecruiseandtravelguy Head to my website for great cruise and travel deals: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au Pacific Adventure’s maiden voyage was a 3 night cruise to nowhere departing Sydney’s White Bay cruise terminal on October 22nd, and I had planned to be onboard for months. To mark the occasion, I booked a Vista Suite, knowing that the room would provide access to the brand new Byron Beach experience which I was very much looking forward to trying. After just a little bit of filming, it was time to enjoy lunch and I always recommend the Waterfront on boarding day. After the excitement of the morning, it’s nice to take a load off and let it sink in that you’re on a cruise. Everything I ordered was fresh and tasty, the baked berry crumble in particular was a stand out. At check in, guests were informed that Luke’s Bar and Grill and 400 Gradi would be closed on this sailing. As well, The Pantry would only be open for breakfast and lunch, and an early children’s dinner. Angelo’s remains my favourite of the included dining venues. The menu has changed a little, with some of the pasta options swapped out with alternatives. The risotto starter was well cooked and delicious. The flounder likewise was tasty and the sides were the perfect accompaniment. Before bed last night, I placed an order for room service breakfast which is an included perk for P&O’s suites. It was scheduled to arrive between 8 and 8:30 but arrived at 9am. Unfortunately, the food was cold, the bread seemed stale, and the eggs were basically hard boiled. Unfortunately, I saw that the pool was closed. I had noticed the hot tubs were closed yesterday, but at that time, the pool was very much open. We made our way over to the comfortable lounges to soak in the Club vibe. The space is really beautiful, with plush furniture and branded cushions, plus shade sails and private gazebos that are available on a first come, first serve basis. I noticed how quiet it was, and when I asked about music, the crew told me that the stereo system in this section was awaiting repairs. The twin racing waterslide entry is located behind the big screen, with a stairway for the slides and also for the Flying Fox. The structure itself is enormous, and the slides extend out over the side of the ship. The slide exit is conveniently located near the entrance to the upper level of the indoor family pool zone. There’s also a timer so you can even keep track of your fastest time. The Flying Fox sees people zip right over the top of the pool deck. One of the Byron Beach Club perks is that the crew will take your order for food from the poolside Gradi Pronto and Luke’s Burger Bar, and they’ll deliver it to you. As has become the norm, the paid food options on P&O are really exceptional. There’s no doubt that Dragon Lady is a beautiful venue. The menu looked much the same as what we recently experienced onboard Pacific Encounter, and as a group of 4 we decided to try everything on it. Honestly, at this point I stopped filming, and I didn’t even realise until I went back to look at my footage. The food was not up to par. I like to think that I’m fair and I always try to be diplomatic and constructive in terms of my feedback and reviews, but in this case, it was simply not good. I was disappointed. One thing that lay ahead was the realisation that the shower had one temperature, scalding hot. I had noticed there was an issue the day prior and reported it to reception, but it hadn’t been fixed. As I hope most of you know, I’m a passionate proponent for the local cruise industry and in particular, I’ve come to really enjoy the unique Australian twist that P&O continue to bring to local cruising. From beautifully designed public spaces, to incredibly friendly crew, P&O offer a very solid cruise holiday experience for new and seasoned cruisers. From the bar and wait staff, and the room stewards to the entertainment crew, the people onboard really made the experience. Still, I just can’t overlook some of the issues - a scalding hot shower, a toilet that wouldn’t flush, a leak in the bathroom, generally disappointing complimentary food and food options as well as the non-functioning pool and hot tubs in the Byron Beach Club. I know that many of these issues were experienced by others onboard, so it wasn’t a unique situation but I also know that for everyone of us that had a problem, there were probably 10 that didn’t. Ultimately, my view is that Pacific Adventure was not ready for service. Though I have no doubt that P&O will iron out these kinks, my view is they should have given themselves more time. Thanks for watching!