Cruise Review-
3 day Food & Wine Sampler Cruise from Melbourne, on board P&O’s Pacific Jewel.
A short cruise is a great weekend or mid week getaway. Accommodation, meals, and entertainment are all included, making it much better value than getting a hotel room in the city for instance. Drinks are extra but very reasonably priced, with wine from $8.50 a glass and cocktails from $11.50. This short cruise for me was a girls weekend away, we left our husbands and kids at home and sailed away for a bit of fun and relaxation.
The passengers on board were mainly adults of all ages. The days were very full of optional activities and entertainment.
Being a Food & Wine cruise, there were various wine & cheese tastings along with cocktail mixing lessons and cooking demonstrations. The majority of these were at an extra cost, from approx $10-$25. This was on top of the regular cruising activities list which comes out daily offering a lengthy list of options to keep you entertained. From just relaxing and listening to live music, to exercise and stretching classes, as well as various health seminars. There is bingo, trivia and games plus interactive shows. They have themed parties like Gatsby night for a chance to dress up, plus there are staged performances in the Theatre (Marquee) often performed by the talented entertainment team. However, on this particular cruise we were lucky enough to see a comedy routine by Steady Eddy. He is a very funny and well respected comedian who performed to a full house. The activities and entertainment is extensive and will never see you bored.
The guest participation in activities on this cruise was very high. I think given the colder weather experienced on board, those who intended on lying by the pool found themselves seeking out alternative options whist onboard. The last day saw the sunshine come out and getting a lounge by the pool was very difficult, as I think everyone had the same idea. That's what you get Cruising from Melbourne, very unpredictable weather and seas. There is a huge sundeck on top of the ship, with 2 pools and 2 spas. There is also an adults only sundeck at the rear of the ship, over several levels called the Oasis, so plenty of room to take in the sunshine when it chooses to appear.
Dining options were also very full at peak times. The Pacific Jewel offers the pantry which is a food court type design, here you can pick from several different types of food, search for a table and go back as many times as you like, for as many courses. Another option is a restaurant style venue called the waterfront, where you are seated and served from a selection of meals offered on a set menu. On this cruise I preferred the pantry, as I got to see the food before I order it, ensuring it looks like something I might like. I also found the food to be hotter as unfortunately I found the meals I got in the waterfront to be cold. I’m not being critical of the food though, as if you find something is not to your liking there is no reason not to get something else. There was also the option of paying extra and dining at Salt. Dinner was an extra $49 each and high tea was $19 each. I personally did not indulge this cruise but a friend of mine gave wonderful reviews. There are also other food outlets where you can purchase coffee and cake, New Zealand ice cream or even gourmet pizza. There is no way you will ever go hungry on board.
photo credit @liztrumble
The Pacific Jewel has a small array of shopping options, a jewellery shop, a Pandora shop, a confectionary shop, a couple of souvenir and essential grocery item shops. The travel calm tablets on this cruise were probably a best seller as the waters were much rougher than I have experienced before. According to some of the staff on board the waters of Bass Strait are notorious for being a little rocky. I personally did not get sick but I know of a few that did. Cruises to New Zealand are also known to be rocky, so my recommendation in these areas would be to be prepared. Travel calm has natural ginger tablets and well as a stronger more active ingredient version. There is also wrist bands you can get to ease travel sickness.
Travelling with a group I got to check out a few different room options. Rooms did not differ much in size over the different levels and categories. The biggest room was the wheel chair accessible room, which looked huge in comparison to the others. Quad share and twin share both offered large areas to hang clothing and place suitcases. I personally like a room on a lower level in the middle of the ship as it seems more stable there. Rooms on lower levels are also cheaper, so that’s a bonus!
The staff on board were so lovely. The room stewards were very helpful, the dining room staff tried to be very accommodating. They do 8 month contracts on board, so they don’t see family and friends for a long time. They work hard for their money and deserve guests gratitude and respect. The team who run all the activities on board are also fantastic. You get a real sense that they love what they do and guests respond well and love what they do too. Special mention to Rory, Sandy and Marisse who did a great job onboard this particular cruise. They were very entertaining, they made activities that might sound a little mundane like trivia, always a barrel of laughs.
Great effort was put into making the themed parties fantastic, they had special props and special cocktails. We had the White party and Gatsby party whilst on board. Lots of guests made the effort to dress up but if you did not have an outfit you were not out of place. Music was also geared towards the theme for the night with Gatsby having Jazz style music. Musicians themselves were also very good, taking requests and playing songs that are loved by all the generations. With a choice on board of which venue you would like to frequent/ drink/ dance or party at, again everyone is catered for. There was the connexions bar, the orient music lounge, or the dome night club of an evening. The Theme parties were either on the main deck or in the atrium area.
Other popular places onboard were the casino and the day spa. Both were very big. The casino had several pokies plus roulette and cards tables. The day spa offered many services. The facilities included a well equipped gym and a therapeutic area which consisted of several steam and sauna rooms (besides the gym, these were at an extra cost).
Several cruise lines are now offering these short cruises. Some have themes like Food & Wine or Comedy or some just go to one destination. I personally think they are a great idea. Great as a short getaway or relaxing break or great just to ‘test the waters’ for those who have not cruised and wonder if it is for them or not.
They are a cheap mini holiday. You really do come back feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. There are several embarkation ports making them very accessible all over Australia. Talk to a travel agent like myself (KB 4 Travel & Cruise) who has experienced what it is like.
Ask questions and book a room at a time of year that suits you.
Short cruises are often discounted and sales are always on with the cruise lines.
It is a lot of fun!
So go on give it a go, you know you want too!
Contact kylie@kb4travel.com.au or ph. 0408030964 to book your next cruise.
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