Pacific Princess - Princess Cruises
Fast Facts - Pacific Princess
Vessel: Pacific Princess
Cruise Line: P&O Cruises
Star Rating: 4 stars
Tonnage: 30,277 GRT
Max Passenger Capacity: 670
Entered Service: August 1999 (R Three), November 2002
Description: All 344 cabins are air-conditioned and have television, radio, safe, hairdryer, direct-dial phones. All have private bathrooms and all beds can be configured as twin or queen beds. Of the cabins, 92 percent have feature portholes or picture windows, while more than two thirds have private balconies. There are 10 owner's suites of up to 89 square metres with forward or rear views, whirlpool tubs, living area, dressing area, guest powder room and the bed faces the sea through floor- to-ceiling windows.
Facilities include one swimming pool, two whirlpools, a cabaret lounge, three restaurants and one casual self-serve buffet.
Fares for the 2005/06 season for an inside twin for an eight-night Tasmanian cruise start from $2245 per person. $2558 for a 10-night cruise of the South Pacific; and $3356 for a 13-night New Zealand cruise.
For further information; see your travel agent or call P&O Cruises on 132 469.
Pacific Princess
Back for her fifth season, Australia's favourite ship is offering 11 voyages in southern oceans ranging from eight to 28 nights.
Clearly you Cruise Passenger readers are a savvy lot. You know when you've found a good thing. In the magazine's recent Readers' Choice Awards you voted Pacific Princess Best Small Ship. Other highly regarded travel publications and industry observers reinforced this opinion.
Later, many people shed a tear when it was announced Pacific Princess wouldn't be making a return engagement for the 2005/06 season. Instead, she would be replaced by the very much larger Dawn Princess.
But now, our own Princess is coming back! Such has been her popularity Princess Cruises has announced Pacific Princess will return for a fifth season. She will offer 11 voyages to the South Pacific, Queensland, Tasmania and New Zealand between November 2006 and April 2007 with cruises ranging from eight to 28 nights. Two circum- navigations of Australia have been scheduled for November 2006 and March 2007. These will offer Australians a rare opportunity to explore their stunning coastline in spring and in autumn.
Although Pacific Princess is not a full-time Australian resident, she has been spending six months of the year in the southern hemisphere ever since 2002 when she pioneered premium cruising. The cynics said it would never work. Australia wasn't ready for it. Wrong!
Since Pacific Princess made her debut here, she has built up a strong following. As the most luxurious cruise liner to grace these waters on a semi- permanent basis, the passengers have kept coming back for more. On-board surveys have consistently shown 100 percent of passengers would recommend the ship to others. And with 97 percent vowing to sail on her again, she simply had to come back. The demand was clearly there. This season 2005/06, (her fourth), Pacific Princess will visit a record 32 destinations, including three new ports, Ouvea in New Caledonia, and Napier and Wellington in New Zealand.
With a passenger capacity of 670, Pacific Princess is sized just right. She's neither too big nor too small. Boutique is probably the best description. Yet, she is the most spacious of the Princess fleet.
Two thirds of her cabins have private balconies, an alluring prospect for many cruisers. Nothing beats breakfast on your own balcony at sea or a sun downer with your partner perhaps. Pacific Princess is a beautiful ship with her own special ambience. Intimate and romantic, she is an ideal product for first-time cruisers. She is also versatile in her appeal and is equally popular among couples, the young or not-so-young, as well as older singles.
We arrive at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal at 2.00pm, ready to sail at 4.00pm. It is a glorious summer afternoon and I've found the perfect perch, a corner of the Sun Deck where I can gaze straight into Circular Quay, watch the ferries plying back and forth, and still be awestruck at the magnificent profile of the Opera House. Then I scamper to the other side of the deck and watch people in Sydney's historic Rocks district. Soon we are progressing down the world's most magnificent harbour. Once through The Heads, it's time to explore.
I return to my cabin, see that my baggage has arrived. (I'll unpack later - too excited to do it now.)
I literally have almost all of the comforts of home - a queen-sized bed, television, private bathroom, air- conditioning, reasonable wardrobe and stowage space, but no bar fridge.
I'm eager to explore my new Pacific Princess home, trusty ship's pocket- guide in hand. (Where would I be without it!) I start at the top, the highest point of passenger access which is the Sun Deck and work my way down. It means retracing my steps, but certainly helps me familiarise my bearings. I have a choice of stairs or lifts.
Down a deck, is the upper promenade for walk-a-milers, the two 'first class' restaurants, Sabatini's Italian Restaurant, the Sterling Steak House, and the Pacific Lounge - a quiet retreat by day, but come the cocktail hour and after dinner, the lounge seamlessly becomes a stylish bar-come-nightclub with live jazz.
Also on this deck is the library, a simply lovely space for reading and quiet contemplation. The decor, the wing-backed chairs, butler's tables and beautiful trompe l'oeil ceiling, are reminiscent of a private sitting room in a stately home. No wonder, Douglas Ward, author of the 2005 Berlitz Guide to Ocean Cruising, portrays her as "an elegant country club, perfect for relaxation and the value for money is extremely good".
The Pool Deck is always the first choice for those content to sprawl for hours on the smart navy blue chaises, cocktail in hand, a racy novel at the elbow, interspersed with refreshing plunges into the good-sized pool or jacuzzi. This could be punctuated by a pizza perhaps and then back to the next chapter.
For me, nothing quite equals a deck chair on the Promenade Deck where I can have my ocean dreams, stare at the horizon, peruse the passing parade, or look at boats' bottoms (the lifeboats overhead).
The Pool Deck forward houses the Internet cafe, card room and fitness centre with its impressive gym (express circuit classes, step, power walk and Pilates). Also there is the simply splendid Lotus Spa which offers state-of-the-art rejuvenation and relaxation therapies: body wraps, aromatherapy massage, facials and more, as well as a small, private deck exclusively for spa patrons.
During sea days, if the weather is less than lovely, there is no shortage of activities: trivia quizzes, bingo, dance classes and all manner of novelty competitions. There are also the ship's shops, casino and various deck sports.
While there is no compulsory participation in any of the ship's activities, those who do, are glad they did. It's a great way of forging new friendships. As for the entertainment, the musical productions and cabaret acts impress with their professional polish.
You're never left in doubt with what's happening as a news bulletin is placed on your bed (along with chockies) at turn-down every night.
There will be several formal nights on the cruise, so don't forget to pack a party frock (or pants and sparkly top) and black tie. Dress code for dinner in the Club restaurant, Grill and Sabatini's requires men to wear jackets and for women to wear smart casual.
The Club restaurant (Deck 5) is the ship's main restaurant. The decor alone is first class with handsomely- upholstered, fine brocade, high-backed dining chairs and banquettes. Tables are beautifully dressed with quality crystal, china and polished silver service (in both senses of interpretation).
The restaurant features a five-course, contemporary international menu which changes daily, as well as provision for those with dietary requirements, vegetarians and those who choose to eat 'light'.
The Casino Bar/Lounge on Deck 5 is rated by Berlitz as the nicest, with its handsome fireplaces, plump sofas and clubby chairs. I'd agree, except for the clank and ding of poker machines which I found intrusive. If you don't want the formality of the Club restaurant (ship's dining room), there are two premium restaurants: Sabatini's Italian Restaurant and the Sterling Steak House - a smart city-style grill serving outstanding beef and seafood favourites. These require reservations and a supplement is charged. For Sabatini's it's $25 pp and for the Steakhouse it's $15 pp.
Sabatini's muted grey and white interior, with its Greco-Roman frieze conveys an aura of classical refinement. It is easily the most memorable dining experience of a Pacific Princess cruise. It features sophisticated North Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. There is a caution however. The five-course menu degustation will take approximately three hours to savour every memorable mouthful. Not to be missed! Sabatini's is also the venue for traditional English-style afternoon teas with all the trimmings.
The busiest restaurant on Pacific Panorama restaurant on Deck 9. It's an indoor/outdoor, buffet-style restaurant. It is always alive with meetings and greetings and animated chatter. With its al fresco terrace, it is also a romantic venue for watching sunsets or farewelling or greeting a port.
In view of the volume and frequency of meal service (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon tea) the Panorama Buffet does a sterling job with menu variety. While there are always safe choices for conservative palates, there are plenty of Asian and European favourites we have adopted as our own. Or Chef might just whisk up some clever creation to reflect the region we're cruising in.
No doubt about it, Pacific Princess aims to please and succeeds admirably.
Pacific Princess will be joined in Australian waters by Princess Cruises' mega liner, Diamond Princess which will offer a series of cruises between Sydney and Auckland over the 2005-06 summer.
Written by Maggy Oehlbeck - Issue 21 Spring 2005