Pacific Sun November 2008 Cruise Review

With Reuben Goossens

Cruise’n’Travel Journalist / Cruise Reviewer & Maritime Historian

Please Note: Cruise-Australia is a non-commercial and privately owned cruise site. The author has been in the passenger shipping industry since 1960 and is currently semi-retired, but continues to write cruise and ship reviews and articles in order to better to inform cruise and ship enthusiasts and provide information for those intending a cruise in the future.

MV Pacific Sun

Cruise Review – Photo Page

Cruise N841 - 15 to 22/23 November 2008 - Brisbane, Noumea, Lifou, Vanuatu, Bellona Reef, Brisbane

Pacific Sun seen in beautiful Vila Vanuatu – 19 November 2008

This page contains photographs of the delightful Pacific Sun and where taken during my cruise in November 2008. In December 2009 she will be heading for Western Australia where she will be delighting countless cruise enthusiasts as the Pacific Sun has proven to be a fine ship and she offers great value for money, with superb food, entertainment, and the friendliest and efficient service found anywhere! We wish her well and trust that many from Fremantle Western Australia and Auckland New Zealand will continue to cruise on her and enjoy her many ne features!

On this page we will be mostly looking at the public rooms and facilities. If you wish to see the Restaurants or cabins, there are many more photographs on the ship review and the review of this cruise. Links are located at the bottom of this page. However, you will discover that she is a very special ship that has that something extra to offer the cruise passenger. It was my first cruise on her and I came home delighted and I usually sail on higher graded ships, such as Princess Cruises and Celebrity, etc. But P&O Cruises Australia has done a great deal and succeeded to receive my seal of approval!

Reuben Goossens.

15 November, 2008 - Sail’a’Way Party on Lido Deck with the “Pacific Sun Entertainers,” cruise staff and band

Forward Stairwell

Stairwell – note suspended sculpture – there is one on each side

Looking down the suspended sculpture on the starboard side

Atlantic Deck 8

Trafalgar Square portside, a great spot for a quiet read

Trafalgar Square Starboard side, also a good reading location, bust busier because of the shops main entrance

and the area is used as a market place at times

The main Shopping Gallery Duty Free on the left, souvenirs on the right

Trafalgar Square looking aft toward Churchill’s Library and popular night time Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant

Churchill’s Library

The New Orleans inspired Speak Easy Lounge is my favourite lounge and Bar on the ship!

At night it takes on a special atmosphere and the room has its own pianist

This is not a good photograph, but as I said it is my favourite lounge on the ship

Just above the bar you can see part of the built in piano – You also will love this venue!

Forward lobby

Promenade Deck 9

Tivoli Square – The starboard side contains the Internet café, Port side has chairs, good for reading

The Atlantis multi level Showroom is very spacious and unlike most ships it provides unlimited legroom!

Tivoli Square (starboard) looking down to Trafalgar Square below

Tivoli Square portside, another great reading spot for bookworms!

Teenagers Video Arcade

Casino – the slots

Casino: The Tables – Pacific Sun has a huge Casino and from observation it is well used

Casino: The Main Hall

Park Lane (left) and Promenade Lounge – This area can become quite busy at times

The delightful Promenade Lounge

Legends Sports Lounge and Bar seems to be relatively quiet at times, whlst the other side of the bar

Promenade can be rather crowded, thus it is best to come in!

Legends has LCD screens on all three walls, but noise levels are kept down

The Art Gallery, Auctions are held in the Terraces Lounge aft

The Pirate style Smuggler’s Lounge and Bar that seems to be inspired by Captain Jack!

Smuggler’s has a band stand and dance floor and is a regular entertainment venue

Smuggler’s

Oz Nightclub – during the day this venue is used for a range of other activities

Oz Nightclub

Terraces Lounge is located far aft and is both a showroom and dance venue

Terraces bar

Lido Deck 10

Lido Bar - starboard

Try a delicious New Zealand Ice cream

Lido Deck – Starboard (non smoking – port side = smoking)

The Pool

Buffet – portside entrance from pool

The Lido Buffet – starboard, looking aft

There are two main identical serving areas as well as three other buffets

Fruit buffet

The Pastry Buffet (for early coffee 0 6am)

There are two 24 hour coffee stations

The Outback Café for the best coffee on the high sea!

Coffee Club - you have competition at Sea and a great coffee is only $2.50!

The aft Pool and Outback Bar – The Gym is seen above

Sun Deck 12

The Adult Only Oasis Retreat up on Sun Deck

Additional Photo’s from Noumea - the Polynesian Dance Troupe

Upper level of the Atlantis Showroom – a room with space and leg room for everyone

The Maeva Tahiti Dance Group

Over 20 dance styles were demonstrated with exciting rhythms on the wooden drums

The fire dancer

The Grand Finale

As you have seen, she looks good, and she is big and beautiful - Pacific Sun is heading your way!

Photograph taken from the forward observation deck on Deck 11

Pacific Sun offers a superb cruise vacation and I recommend it at anyone! She is not a 5 or a 4 star luxury ship, but she offers far more than her actual star rating, certainly her superb cuisine which was not just well presented, but fresh food, perfectly cooked and meats and fish came from the pan direct to your table without them sitting in line being kept warm. P&O has re organised their kitchens to perfection and I have had the best fish and seafood ever on Pacific Sun, certainly better than I have had on any other ship to date regardless the star rating, and that really says something!

Brisbane, before she goes, join her and enjoy what she has to offer and make sure you have a night out at the Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant, it will be a night you will not easily forget! But pre book it as soon as you board for it will be booked out very quickly!

For those in Western Australia, get ready and start booking your cruises as soon as your brochures are available, for finally you will have your own P&O Cruises Australia ship based in Fremantle! No need to rely on those foreign ships!

Reuben Goossens

Cruise/Ship Reviewer, Maritime Historian, Author & Lecturer

Commenced in the Passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960

Pacific Sun – INDEX

Pacific Sun: A ship review by the author – A photo page & review to complement all pages below.

This page was written after Reuben & Hun-Eng’s visit to the ship in Sept 2008 after her refit.

NEW Cruise Review – 1: Cruise review by Reuben Goossens & Hun-Eng Tan of Cruise-Australia

Cruise N 841 – Nov 15, 2008 – 7 (8) nights & rescuing a sinking yacht in the Coral Sea.

NEW Photo page: A photo page to complement the above review

NEW Cruise Review - 2: Cruise review by Barry & Jackie Moore.

Cruise N835 - Oct 4, 2008 – 7 nights.

For all cruise enquiries and reservations contact:

Australia’s first fully dedicated cruise agency – Established in 1982

The perfect agency Australia-Wide, Queensland & Northern Territory

For Information and Reservations

Email: info@cruisespecialists.com.au

www.cruisespecialists.com.au

Or Phone

--1800 427 847--

Brisbane & International – Phone: +61 7 5546-6798

Fax: + 61 7 5546 6849

For International visitors

For a listing of recommended New Zealand & International Cruise’n’Travel Agents

ENTER HERE

Visit our many features on the following Carnival PLC Cruise Companies

P&O Cruises Australia: Pacific Sun / Pacific Dawn / Pacific Jewel / Pacific Pearl

P&O Cruises UK: Aurora / Oriana / Artemis

Princess Cruises: Sun Princess / Dawn Princess

Cunard: Queen Mary 2 / Queen Victoria / Queen Elizabeth

Seabourn: Seabourn Yachts

For the Latest Cruise NEWS read our …

P&O/Princess/Cunard/Costa/Seabourn/Carnival News Updates

***************************************

Contact the author

When sending an email please name the ship you are requesting information or speaking about!

However, if you are interested in a cruise, I am happy to refer you to a dedicated cruise agent in Australia, New Zealand or further afield on my recommended “cruise agents” page, for these are agents that specialise in cruising and they will be able offer excellent service you and the best fares available! Be assured, I do NOT receive any commissions or favours from these agents, and in the vast majority of cases these agents will not even be aware of my, or mu site’s involvement, as I provide the enquirer with the requested information of the agents (in their region) including their contact details. Reuben Goossens.

Return to the - Cruise-Australia.com - INDEX

Cruise-Australia.com

& Cruise-Australia.net

Classic Liner enthusiasts visit

ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

Where the ships of the past make history & the 1914 built MV Doulos Story

Visit the NEW “Classic Ocean Voyages” Feature

Photographs on cruise-australia are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me, that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show the charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due! Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of their private collection.

This notice covers all pages, although, I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

gold coast mechanics Counter