P&O Cruises

Its not a fun cruise, it more like a prison, with security cameras, x ray screening on and off the ship, like u are a criminal, very strict rules. They ban almost everything including star link, so they can rip u off for their slow and expensive service. Also they do not spend enough time at the island stops so u can explore the islands.… Read more

Pre-booked tours are often cancelled without warning. They charge you for everything, and its a rip off. also have strict dress codes, and lots of rules. also i noticed some staff, that do dancing also are bouncers too, with an aggressive attitude. If u do anything or have an argument with them they can ruin the holiday, such as lock u in the cabin and u will be banned for life. it not like the old days with a relaxed atmosphere, its now u treated like a criminal and and it all about the money. They check everything, and confiscate and hold items until end of cruise. They use cheap labor, many staff that work at the buffet are from the Philippines, u can feel the aggressive cost cutting corporate approach the company used to maximize profits while u are treated like a profit center. There are hidden charging traps, and if u get sick there are very expensive medical bills. Travel Insurance , may not cover u either, there are many legal traps, used to get out of paying claims.

The industry needs many laws changes.

Do it! Book that cruise! – First time cruise 28 Jan to 1 Feb 2025 4day getaway Brisbane, Airlie beach Brisbane. Exciting right from the get go the buzz of people everywhere. Level 12 Balcony room amazing. Clean, beds are comfy. Reasonably size bathroom shower/toilet. It aint the Sheraton Hotel, cosy ideal for 2 ppl. The staff from housekeeping Jijo and Ariel were amazing.… Read more

All staff were helpful and courteous. Enjoyed the dinner from Angelo's the seating arrangement for 2 ppl could have been better the spacing between tables were less than a hand with. Lvl 14 Pantry had a good variety of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our favourite place for dinner was Tattoria food and service was exceptional. Loved the cafe on level 5 for coffee the 2 barista's are cheeky and funny and can get those coffee orders out. Loads of activities to do from bingo to trivia, arts n crafts kids club theme nights. Nice little places to sit rest, read a book, look out at the sea. Lvl 14, 2 pools each with 2 spa pools 1 is undercover heaps of seating and loungers around in the pool area. Can get chaotic with too many kids in the pool. Bar is closeby for refreshments. Big massive screen for outdoor movies. I do not recommend the high tea at $39 pp the selection of food could have been higher quality and fresher also the seating arrangement was not ideal, the service was amazing. 0 for food and seating 10 for service. We are looking at booking our next cruise soon. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

P&O is the worst cruiseline out of Australia – I was looking forward to a little getaway cruise and had booked a 3 night comedy cruise. I’d read some of the comedians were well known Aussie names so was excited! From the first step on board it was 3 days of disappointment. The comedians were not really funny except for one of the 5. None were anyone I’d heard of or that was listed on the… Read more

website. The auditorium it was held in was falling to pieces and no maintenance had been done for years. Broken chairs, missing armrests, broken or non existent little pull out tables. Stained smelly carpet.

The room was ok. Old but not terrible. Cleaning needs some work as there were bit of rubbish around and the shower had the previous guests soap and hair in the drain. Our room attendants were actually amazing through. We didn’t call them for anything but they’d pop in and make the beds etc.

The food. Wow. I cruised with P&O maybe 15 years ago and the buffet was good! This time I’d liken it to a school cafeteria, or maybe hospital food. It was bland, tasteless and cheap. Selections were limited and lines long as they don’t do a buffet anymore. You have to line up at the each station. Dessert was even worse with usually 3 selections like a cup of jelly, a packet mix mousse or a sheet cake with fake cream in little squares.

I’m a real foodie so that was really disappointing. Staff were borderline rude. Like nice enough, but end of their tether. Some seemed like they just needed a break.

We went to the white party which was pretty lame. Ordered drinks from a roving lady and was charged $20 for a cocktail that was $16 at the bar. Then a $1 donation to some charity was also added to our bill. Neither of these things was said to us on ordering and then the lady stood there like she was maybe waiting for a tip? I’m not sure? It was weird.

We attended a bingo session. They sting you $30 for the sheet to play, then another $4 for a bingo pen. It was back in the same auditorium and we had to search about 10 seats before we found 2 working pull out tables. Was a bit weird the way they run it but not too bad.

Everywhere you go they’re trying to get extra money out of you. “Come and learn The secret to ending back pain” seminar translates to a 2 minute talk then pls sign up for your $200 massage. Or learn about “how to spot a perfect diamond” is really just to get you to the jewellery store so they can do the hard sell on you.

I will not travel on a P&O cruise ever again. Even after leaving all these comments on their post cruise survey we heard nothing from them, but recieve daily email deals. No thanks P&O!

Read the reviews from disgruntled patrons or you have no one to blame but yourself – The only good thing on this cruise was being with my family beautiful staff but most of the staff are from low socioeconomic countries like India Philippines Vanuatu Fiji Indonesia etc the staff are underpaid we were supposed to have three stopovers but we only ended up 1 stopover no mention of reimbursement or refund the staff are treated poorly… Read more

underpaid fed low grade food, where all the leftover food from the buffet restaurants is chucked out and even the staff aren't allowed to eat this food a greedy company making money of the poor exploitation at its worst these companies need to be audited checked for inhumane conditions poor representation of a watchdog or a union to help underpaid workers and adults drunk with little kids hanging around the bar no barriers for kids around drunk adults

Statesman Balcony room Pacific Explorer - balcony unusable from leak coming from toilet block above – Balcony room 11077 80's cruise 2 - 5 May 2024. We had a cabin directly under the toilet on pool side deck 12. Most of the cruise we had a brown water leak from above. A room bin was filled every hour. The balcony was mostly unusable during the cruise. A cabin in a lower area was offered. A Guest Relations Department letter was issued which I had… Read more

to follow up once on shore. When I finally got through to this off shore unit they hung up on my inquiry.

P&O Pacific Encounter - formerly Star Princess - Had major on board fatal fire. Brisbane Home Port BE AWARE 150 Cabins – A total of 171 cruise cabins were severely damaged (79 of them completely destroyed). Another 112 staterooms sustained smoke damage. A male passenger died from asphyxia due to smoke inhalation. The fire was allegedly caused by a cigarette left burning on a balcony, which had become hot enough to melt the balcony divides made from plastic… Read more

polycarbonate, a material that had been approved by international cruise line safety rules. The fire caused scorching damage in up to 150 cabins, and smoke damage in at least 100 more on passenger decks 9 to 12 (Dolphin, Caribe, Baja and Aloha decks, respectively). A passenger, Richard Liffidge, 72, of Georgia, died[30] from "asphyxia secondary to inhalation of smoke and irrespirable gases" and thirteen other passengers suffered significant smoke inhalation.

Picked the Aurora for its cruise destinations in Norway June 25. So far missed the three main sites, Been at sea for 5 days haven’t seen a single port on the itinerary, nor scene any Fjords. Everthing is extra including water, cruise line using weather as excuse however sea’s flat. Activities on the boat uninteresting and set for people 75… Read more

plus. The worst cruise ever experienced and P&O just state they have the right to change ports. We travelled from Australia at great expense to see the Norwegian fjords so far seen none. My advice go with a different cruise line

I will never cruise with P&O again. I left my 2023 NZ P&O cruise with $500 owing to me which I was never able to get a refund for once I left the ship. I dont like being ripped off and I'm still annoyed. The cruise itself was fine for what it cost - but spoilt by the post cruise lack of service, and by the treatment we received once we had a… Read more

positive COVID test in the last couple of days. While isolated in our cabin we had to ring multiple times to get any service, had no water on our last day despite many requests, and they kept reassuring me they'd look into the refunds (one of which was for an excursion that was cancelled that they refunded and then re-charged me for). However I still hadnt received the refunds or even heard anything from them by the time they dumped the COVID people out the side of the ship with no customs/passport clearance, to mingle and spread our germs with the other passengers who had disembarked by the normal process (many of whom also had COVID but hadnt reported it). I had been warned that you never get a refund once you've left the ship and it's true. I tried for about 9 months - multiple emails, waiting for hours at a time on hold, getting a different person every time, they kept fussing about some unrelated credit I was apparently entitled to but didn't want, they kept coming up with excuses about why they couldn't deal with the refund there and then, but never followed up or got back to me, there would never be any record of my previous calls, at one point they even claimed I'd received the refund even though I was able to provide documentary evidence that I hadn't - etc, etc, etc. I eventually did what they were obviously hoping I'd do and gave up because it was stressful and wasting so much of my time. I'm about to embark on my next cruise (one of two I'm doing this year and definitely not with P&O) and so I was reminded to finally write this review. I will keep in mind lessons learned about cruising - 1. always ensure to sort out any refunds while still on the ship, and 2. unless there's mandatory reporting of illness, chances are you'll be in the minority if you do report and isolate - and will be penalised by being disregarded and ignored while stuck in the cabin.

PNG cruise 19th Feb 2025 Wednesday day 1. Lunch - roast beef in pantry was dripping blood - the rarest meat I've seen Thursday Day 2 Lunch - Again - roast beef in pantry was dripping blood - the rarest / Raw meat I've seen served. Friday Day 3. ran out of Great Northern draft beer Changed Itinery from Alotau to conflict islands - no… Read more

warning about stingers in the water. Saturday Day 4. ran out of great northern cans. Ran out of sav blank the wife drinks Sunday Day 5. A/C in room on the blink. Monday Day 6. water dripping from ceiling in encounter hotel straight into my drink - noticed by staff. Tuesday Day 7 cancelled stop at Kiriwina no pool towels all day due to problem in laundry A/C in room appeared to be turned off during the night not working- sweating in the room level 14 lift area Hot. Wednesday Day 7 stopped at Raboul - possibly the shadiest, Dirtiest place I've ever visited on a cruise - did not feel safe. Thursday Day 8 At Sea ran out of VB in the bars Friday Day 9 at sea - A/c still on the blink. Saturday day 10 at sea

Overall the quality of food in the restaurants was poor quality with "cheap and tacky" cuts of meat , rissoles and schnitzels.

had to constantly ask for pool towels

I have not sailed with P & O in a few years but the quality of food has dropped noticeably to low end pub food. the wait staff were helpful. the ship is tired and it's obvious.

would not recommend going on this ship

Such a scam. Sent a flash sale, say from $659, try to book, problem signing in. Try again later and says $659, go to booking and goes up $300. Then tries to charge another $300 insurance and another f$300 for internet and a decent room. Be clear and honest. I want to go but will not be bullshitted. I’ll book a beachside hotel instead. The food is better in hospital anyway

Abandon Ship – Hopefully you’ve heeded the advice of other reviews and steered well clear of P&O. That is if you can find any reviews. P&O appears to have removed them from Google and Facebook, as if bad reviews are what’s tanking their reputation and not their own mismanagement. If you’ve had the misfortune of finding yourself aboard, like we did for P&O’s… Read more

Pacific Encounter New Year’s Eve Cruise, please let us provide you with some entertainment; frankly, it’s the only entertainment you’re likely to find.

===The Good=== This won’t take long.

As others have pointed out, the staff are the stars of this operation. We would like to give special mention to [Name Removed], [Name Removed], [Name Removed] and [Name Removed] who stood in stark contrast to the rest of the experience. The live music was excellent, showcasing some very talented musicians (external to P&O) which is more than we can say for the Marquee shows (subtle foreshadowing). We would’ve loved to see more of this, and there were many times where there was no live music at all. Both of the comedians were another highlight, giving hilarious shows (shoutout to @bennydarsow and @ro.campbell). The comedy magician @bo_hatten.magician was also very good. We also liked the Dolly Parton song, even though we aren't particularly interested in her music.

I enjoyed the Deal or No Deal show and The Voice competitions, although they did leave us wondering why the performances from unpaid passengers were more entertaining than some of the professionally hosted shows. We also enjoyed many of the shows hosted by the onboard entertainment team when they were allowed to do something other than Trivia events (more on that later). We didn’t have the problems with the Wi-Fi either that other reviewers have had. Maybe we just have lower expectations, but we’re not expecting to stream HD videos. It works well enough to send messages to friends and family onshore. The beds are comfy too.

Luke’s restaurant was a highlight for its fantastic food and attentive, charismatic staff. Unfortunately, it only served to highlight just how not the standard this was elsewhere. Which brings us to the real issue with P&O…

===The Bad=== We’ve seen other reviews suggesting that if you don’t like this cruise your expectations are too high for a budget cruise line. But budget travel doesn’t mean you should be grateful for whatever scraps are thrown your way. We didn’t board expecting Michelin-star dining, Broadway-calibre entertainment, or five-star service. We expected basic competence. We don’t think we’re being particularly fussy asking for working toilets, entertainment that isn’t recycled from a decade ago, or a drinks for the package we paid for being stocked (we’re talking about something as simple as Pepsi Max running out). P&O isn’t failing because it’s a budget cruise line. It’s failing because it cuts corners at every opportunity in a relentless money grab. As returning P&O passengers, we know they’re capable of delivering a great experience – our previous cruise was fantastic. That’s why this time was such a disappointment.

---Greedy P&O--- Their insatiable hunger for profit is impossible to ignore, especially considering their main clientele are retirees, teenagers on their first cruise, and budget-conscious families.

Want a drink? Cha-ching! Fancy a poached egg or a side of chips? Oh, that’s on the paid “Treat Yourself” section of the menu. Craving some ice cream or juice from the buffet? Sorry, they must have forgotten to stock those, but they’ll happily sell you some at the bar or the conveniently placed ice cream shop. We’re starting to thing P&O doesn’t stand for “Peninsular and Oriental”, it stands for “Pay & Overpay.”

It’s a floating sales pitch disguised as a holiday, and you’ll feel it every time you’re interested in anything resembling a decent experience. We wouldn’t be surprised if their life jackets were fitted with Eftpos machines, only inflating once you’ve deposited $50.

Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

---The Food--- Looking beyond the paid “Treat Yourself” menu, the cheapness permeates other areas.

• The Pantry: Lunch? Passable. Breakfast and dinner? Not just lacking flavour, actively avoid it like seasoning is a luxury P&O simply can’t afford. It’s a culinary experience that leaves you longing for the flavour explosion of instant noodles. And the bread rolls? So dry they could double as flotation devices in an emergency.

• Waterfront: If you manage to snag a window seat, the view of the water is a nice touch. If not, it’s just a bog-standard dining room. Breakfast here was decent enough to start the day, but lunch and dinner were just “meh”. The kind of food that’s neither offensive nor memorable. It simply exists like a filler episode on a TV show, just there to tick the “yes I’ve eaten” box.

• Dragon Lady: We enjoyed Dragon Lady the most, and this is the only restaurant that was consistently booked out. However, we'd strongly recommend scoping out the nearest functioning toilet before you dine, because whatever spices they use have a way of making their presence felt long after the meal. Let’s just say the “Dragon” in Dragon Lady isn’t a metaphor.

• Angelo’s: The ship’s Italian dining option comes with a unique twist: a built-in scavenger hunt. Despite being located on the same deck as Dragon Lady right next door, you’ll need to channel your inner explorer just to find it. The only way to reach it is via a deck detour across the entire ship and back down again. As for the food? Well, we'll say this: it’s a step up from Waterfront, but that’s not exactly high praise.

Unfortunately, there are only three complementary restaurants, so for longer cruises you’ll definitely notice that you’re just eating the same thing. But hey, can’t have too many free options! It might take away from the chance to make you pay.

You will, however, notice relentless upselling while you’re eating at any of the complementary restaurants. Picture this: you’re mid-bite, trying to enjoy a conversation, and suddenly a staff member is pitching paid dining options, whisky tastings, photography packages, or spa treatments right at your table. It’s not just the restaurants where you’ll experience this aggressive salesmanship either, it’s across the entire ship.

As for the paid food options; • Luke’s: As we said earlier, the food here is very good. But P&O still find ways to penny pinch. The oysters they sell you are cheap Sydney Rock oysters. Not that it mattered as they didn’t have any in stock anyway.

• Room Service: If you like paying for frozen pizzas from Woolies you’re in for a treat! I was really enjoying the crusts until I realised I’d eaten half the box it came in. ________________________________________________

---Drinks--- If you’re dreaming of a relaxing, cocktail-in-hand kind of cruise, let us introduce you to P&O’s patented bar experience. A trifecta of long lines, overpriced drinks, and an impressive lack of availability.

• Confusing with a side of Misogyny: It’s not clear where to order from, sometimes you order directly from the bartender, sometimes you’re expected to go to a staff member off to the side, and on very rare occasions (think ‘count-on-one-hand’ rare) a miracle occurs and they actually take your order while you’re sitting down. There’s also the chance you’ll get the one bartender who is straight-up s#xist (calling out [Name Removed] here) and will treat women at the bar like they’re invisible, unless of course they’re wearing an entertainment team uniform at which point he’s fixated on their tits. Who’s supposed to be on holiday here, anyway? It must be him.

• Wait Times: You might have imagined this cruise featuring a relaxing open bar experience. The kind where drinks flow freely, service is swift, and your biggest concern is deciding between a mojito or a margarita. Reality check: P&O’s version of an “open bar” means finding a bar that’s actually open. Some bars seem to exist purely for decoration, their doors almost permanently shut. Unless you’re willing to pay for one of their whisky tastings of course. Funny how a closed bar becomes very open when there’s money involved. Even when you do stumble upon an active bar, brace yourself for the wait. By the time you’ve ordered and got your wine, it’s technically aged into a vintage. We wouldn’t be surprised if P&O’s next offering is a Fast Pass for the bar - at a modest fee, of course.

• Drinks Package: For those considering P&O’s smaller drinks package (as we did) let’s break it down. At $109 per day, you’re paying a premium for up to 15 drinks a day. Sounds generous, right? Well, here’s the fine print: o No tea or coffee. o No energy drinks. o No champagne. o Drinks are capped at $17, but if a single ingredient in the drink costs more than $14, it’s off-limits even if the overall drink is still under $17.

And sure, the cocktails taste decent at first, until you realise they’re just custom Mr Consistent mixers. You’re not getting bartender-curated cocktails here. You’re drinking a pre-batched mix with a single shot of alcohol – hardly a bargain at $17 a pop. We went in expecting to be plastered after 10 drinks, let alone 15, but all we got was a stomach ache from the sugar overload.

If you upgrade to the larger drinks package ($119 per day), you unlock a few extra pre-made cocktails like Whiskey Sours, but still no Long Islands. No pints of beer either, as they come at an extra charge. You do get access to the coffee and other drinks we mentioned excluded from the smaller package.

All of the packages are only available on 7+ night cruises, so they’ll set you back a small fortune. And if one person in your cabin wants it, you all have to have it. No more sneaking drinks.

• Running Out of Drinks… On a Cruise Ship: As if the experience wasn’t underwhelming enough, P&O somehow managed to run out of several cocktails and spirits with four days of cruising left. Ordering a drink became a game of Battleship:

“Can I get a Toblerone?” “Miss.” “How about a Mudslide?” “Miss.” “White Lady? Spice it Up? Vodka Cruiser?” “Miss. Miss. Miss.” Oh, and don’t to add Pepsi Max to the casualties (the only sugar free soft drink). As we mentioned earlier, they ran out of that too! Now it’s not just the waiting game at the bar, it’s the guessing game. For a company that’s so fixated on upselling, you’d think they’d at least keep the alcohol in stock. ________________________________________________

---Good? Times--- P&O’s Good Times itinerary promises a packed schedule of onboard activities. At first glance, it seems like there’s plenty to do. But much like the rest of the experience, that illusion quickly falls apart when you realise that every interesting activity comes with a price tag. Meanwhile many of the free events are strategically placed where there will be multiple hours of time slots where the only activities are sales pitches in disguise: makeup tutorials, beauty recommendations, sample skin care, watches, perfumes... We’re sure they’re definitely not trying to sell us anything. If you can’t believe how egregious this is, take a look at the photos attached to this review. We’ve highlighted the paid events, but we suspect some of the gym sessions that aren’t highlighted may have involved upselling as well.

• A Floating Infomercial: But with nothing else happening at the same time, what choice do you have? It’s either sit through a half-hour infomercial on why you simply must buy a $150 anti-aging serum, or head to the best view on the entire ship - the back deck with an uninterrupted ocean view. Sounds like an easy decision. Until you realise they’ve also designated that prime real estate as the smoking area. Great, we’ll just marinade in secondhand smoke then. Actually, maybe we should buy that aftershave and perfume to mask the lingering smell of cigarettes. Well played, P&O.

• Ship Prizes: If you’re expecting fresh, engaging entertainment, let us stop you right there. It’s as stale as the bread rolls in The Pantry. The entertainment schedule is a Groundhog Day loop of trivia, karaoke, and sports games - rinse, repeat, and lower your expectations each time. And if you’re lucky enough to win one of these thrilling competitions, don’t get too excited. Unless of course you’ve been dreaming of adding another flimsy tote bag or PopSocket to your collection. The prizes are so painfully cheap that losing might actually be the better outcome. The entertainment team will refer to these items as ‘ship’ prizes. Playfully recognising that going to the dollar-store would be luxurious in comparison.

For full transparency, it is possible (if you get extremely lucky) to win a better prize, like a trip on the Flying Fox. We happened to win one of these during a one-off event, and the experience was a lot of fun. Don’t get your hopes up though, this was a complete fluke, and it was the only worthwhile prize being handed out at that event, and one of maybe three given out on the entire cruise.

• Theme Nights: Gatsby and Bianca themed nights are another relic of the past that P&O refuses to retire. As people who sailed with them eight years ago, we can confidently say nothing’s changed. We were fortunate enough to be on the New Year’s Eve cruise where they introduced a new theme: Glitter Night. We also had Island Night, a last-minute addition to compensate for a missed island stop. Because people need an excuse to wear a Hawaiian shirt on a cruise.

• Trivia: Even trivia, which should be an easy win for onboard entertainment, manages to disappoint in spectacular fashion. The questions are horribly outdated or just incorrect. According to one question, the Pacific Dawn is still sailing. Oh, and a quick PSA to P&O: The Great Pyramid of Giza is not called the Tomb of Khufu. But don’t bother correcting them, the staff will insist nobody cares, because it’s just a P&O cruise? Why argue? It’s just ship prizes, after all.

• Music Trivia: Music trivia is equally uninspired. Day one: Don’t Stop Me Now plays. A classic - easy answer. Day two: Don’t Stop Me Now plays again. Coincidence? Day three: Don’t Stop Me Now. Seriously? It’s as if they only have one playlist on shuffle. And then there’s the recycled country music cruise questions (Spoiler alert: write Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers for every answer, and you’ll probably came out on top!).

• Bloated Team: The last time we cruised with P&O, the entertainment team consisted of just three people, but they managed to be engaging, energetic, and actually left an impression. By increasing the team number to seven or so people has diluted the passenger-team engagement, unfortunately making the whole experience feel less personal and memorable.

• Spa: If you were looking forward to relaxing in the spa (as in the heated pool, not the overpriced day spa) you’re out of luck. It was only open one day of the entire cruise (and when it was closed, it was emptied so there was no hope of even sneaking in). We did manage to get in on the one day it was available (probably because it was a port day). Unfortunately, we happened to be in there around departure time, which meant we were treated to a special bonus feature. Soot from the ship’s engines descended into the water like someone had just cracked fresh pepper into the spa.

When I asked for some new drinks because ours were generously garnished with engine residue, the bartender said he had to check with his manager to see if that was allowed, despite openly admitting this happens all the time. (For the record, we did get new drinks, but the fact that this required managerial approval really says it all.) Not to be outdone, the soot made a second appearance in my partner’s wine glass (see attached photos) in the Waterfront restaurant (and here I was, saying the dining there was forgettable).

• Free Entertainment: We were thrilled to see that the kids in Kids Club got to make their own costumes and put on a performance. What a great way to encourage creativity! Oh, wait… those were the professionally hosted shows… Some of the singers were decent; one or two could probably snag a runner-up spot in the onboard version of The Voice. But their technique wasn’t the star of the show. There was one performer in particular whose vocal cords were straining for dear life. In fact, we'd be interested in seeing the betting odds on which will last longer: her voice or P&O as a company. Honestly? It’s looking like a photo finish.

• Paid Entertainment: Only on P&O will you have to pay for extra entertainment, because they’re too cheap to cover the cost of Blanc De Blanc. Pay $40 on board or $80 in Brisbane. We’ve heard the show is actually good so it’s a shame it’s stuck behind a paywall. P&O really capture the experience of being in the ocean, because you’ll be drowning in upcharges. ________________________________________________

---Tenders Boats--- If you take one thing away from this review, let it be this: if you book anything onshore, make sure you plan to take a tender boat at least three hours before you actually need to be there. Other reviews have warned about this, and we can confirm from personal experience; the tender boats for Mystery Island were over an hour late. Thankfully, we refused to let P&O squeeze another dollar out of us, so we hadn’t booked anything.

Now, you might be wondering “what’s P&O’s plan for keeping passengers entertained during these long wait times”? Trivia? Maybe some interactive games? Nope. You see, trivia and other activities that involve passenger feedback require you to provide answers to the crew that get read out. The skeptical might assume this is so nobody can complain about the tenders. Instead, P&O treats you to dancing lessons. On our cruise, the instructor made the mistake of trying to lighten the mood, kicking things off with an enthusiastic “How are you all going out there?” Only one person in the room responded. Loudly. “SH*T!” ________________________________________________

---An Old Ship Held Together by Willpower (And a Few Buckets)--- P&O’s ship gives off strong retirement home energy, but not in the nice, charming way. More in the “this place should have been decommissioned years ago and we feel bad for all the old people trapped here” kind of way.

• Leaks: Leaks started as a minor inconvenience, but by day three, buckets were scattered across every venue like an avant-garde art installation. We guarantee that you will get dripped on several times during your stay, adding an unexpected immersive element to the entertainment.

• Toilets: The toilets weren’t much better. Some refused to flush, leaving you staring down the consequences of whatever P&O is putting in their food to make your waste look like… that? Extra butter makes the mess go down. Some were outright broken, and (judging by other reviews) this has been an issue for quite some time.

• Lifts: And while we’re on the topic of things that mysteriously don’t function, let’s talk about the lifts. Some buttons only worked for individual lifts, meaning you had to mash all of them just to hedge your bets, inevitably slowing down the process for everyone else.

• Cabins: If your cabin is at the back of the ship, you do get a free massage bed due to the strong vibrations from the engine while you’re trying to sleep. If you were hoping for fresh linen or a properly restocked room, lower those expectations immediately. Water glasses? Same ones all cruise. Leftover cocktail glasses? You can build a champagne tower by the end of your stay. Beach towels? One per room, so we hope you and your travel partner enjoy sharing (although we think this was exclusive to our room - lucky us). If you’re the type who likes a nightly turndown service and a bit of luxury, P&O is here to remind you that you are, in fact, on the wrong ship. ________________________________________________

---Weird Choices, Weirder Layout--- There are plenty of small quirks about the ship that won’t make or break your experience, but they will absolutely leave you wondering “whose idea is this?”. Take the Sunset Bar, for example. A bar that closes at 4:30… before sunset. Then there’s the full ship-wide boardwalk on Deck 7, which sounds like the perfect place for a peaceful stroll or a morning jog, until you realise it also doubles as an extended smoking section. So if you were hoping for fresh sea air, tough luck. You’ll be left guessing whether the layer of ash on your clothes is from the smokers or the ship’s engines. And this is such a trivial complaint, but why isn’t there a powerpoint in the bathroom for a hairdryer?

Then there’s the bafflingly outdated processes. Despite it being 2025 (during the time of our cruise), P&O insists you print your own tickets, luggage labels, and travel insurance documents. Yes, apparently scanning a barcode is too futuristic for a cruise line that still thinks Gatsby Night is the cutting-edge of entertainment. And sure, you can print things at the terminal, but if you’re someone who actually likes to be organised, it’s an unnecessary hassle. Especially when our travel insurance was linked to our cruise. Why can’t they just link it too our other documents like a normal company? ________________________________________________

---Poorly Trained Staff--- While the staff on board were genuinely lovely (except for the sexist asshole who seemed personally offended by the idea of hospitality) they were clearly not trained very well. In the restaurants, there were two sets of staff: one set to take you to your table, and one set to take your order. Awkwardly, the first set didn’t know the table numbers, and had to ask other team members who were located in that section.

Custom cocktails aren’t a thing. The bartenders only know the set menu, so if you dare to venture off-script (even asking for drinks they stock like Violet Gin) you’ll be met with a look of confusion.

And to be clear, this is not on them. This is entirely down to management, who seem to not understand what basic training is. ________________________________________________

---Rude and Overcrowded--- We know this isn’t P&O’s fault, but if you’re expecting a relaxed, comfortable cruise experience, prepare for an unwanted side quest in crowd management.

• Lack of Tables and Seats: Finding a seat anywhere on this ship is a pain. Whether it’s the theatre, bars, restaurants or the deck, the lack of seating means you’ll either be circling the room like a shark hoping someone leaves, or resigning yourself to standing awkwardly in the nearest walkway, blocking the path for even more passengers. If you do manage to snag a table, hold onto it like your life depends on it, because the second you stand up, it’s gone. Blink, and your drink is now sitting in front of a stranger who just assumed you’d abandoned it.

• Human Traffic Jams: Getting from either end of the ship is a full contact sport, and P&O ensures that every high-traffic area is also a prime selling space. The gawking rabble clogs the walkways of Deck 7, debating how many inches of gold chain they should buy or whether they need another set of overpriced cruise photos. Prancing about like seagulls at a chip convention.

• Assault in the Theatre: At the Marquee theatre, the real entertainment isn’t always on stage. At one show, we were treated to an unexpected audience participation segment. Not in the form of a fun singalong, but in the form of a passenger throwing their sunglasses into the disabled section, turning the performance into an impromptu game of “duck or get smacked in the back of the head.” My partner was the lucky recipient of these sunglasses, and when we complained to security, after checking the cameras they found the assailant was underaged and so didn’t do anything. ________________________________________________

---Our Neighbours--- Forget the onboard entertainment - the real show was happening next door! Thanks to P&O’s paper-thin walls, we were unintentional VIP guests to what can only be described as a dysfunctional marriage unfolding in real time. We could write an entirely separate review on what we overheard, but honestly, it was such a “you had to be there” moment. The dad, an absolute character, would put his wife (who wasn’t on the cruise) on loudspeaker, as if he wanted us to hear everything. And oh, did we hear everything.

Some standout moments from this gossip showreel included: • The kids constantly sneaking into crew-only areas. • The kids bullying another girl in Kids Club for being fat, with their dad calling them “smart” for mostly doing it behind her back. • One kid having the biggest temper tantrum for getting kicked out of Kids Club. • The dad blatantly lying to his wife about not spending an extra $250 on a massage for someone else. • The dad going on frequent overseas trips to Malaysia while leaving the kids at home because it’s a “big boy trip.” • Security guards making visits and calls every few days, because of course they did. • The family sleeping through their tender boat departure time and missing their shore tour entirely. • The dad grabbing a girl by the boobs and trying to pass it off as an accident. • The dad smashing a glass and cutting his hand open at one of the bars before retiring to his room. • The dad, on the last day, telling his wife the kids had been “well-behaved.” Comedy gold. • The dad’s motivational mantra of “Be Strong. Aim high. Dream big.” Deeply ironic, given his own life choices.

Serves them right for waking us up every morning after 5 hours of sleep with about 8 alarms. My partner was banging on the wall every morning telling them to shut off their 4:30am alarm. ________________________________________________

---Conclusion--- What else is there to say?

There are brief moments where you’re reminded of what a good holiday should feel like: the staff, the talented musicians; but these are the exception, not the rule. On P&O, you aren’t afforded fundamental amenities, like seating, working toilets, or basic food variety.

If you value comfort, service, or even just not being constantly nickel-and-dimed, you’d be wise to avoid P&O at all costs. The only idea of “all-inclusive” means they include every possible charge they can.

Everything about this operation screams profit over passenger experience, leaving you constantly reminded that you’re more of a customer than a guest. P&O’s policy with every one of these problems is to shrug and move on to the next shipload of customers. Who gives a ship?

Thumb up to The Trattoria restaurant – Out of the whole cruise the best experience was the good food and excellent service provided by the staff at the Trattoria restaurant specially Ritchie the wine waiter a master in the field ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for you buddy.

No care factor – Currently on the Encounter doing the island hopper cruise which was diverted to cairns, it’s 330am and I’m sitting outside at the pool, wide awake due to our toilet again(had the plumber out numerous times) making loud noises and now blocked. I had to come out to use the outside toilets and as soon as the room mate wakes up in our room I will… Read more

again engage a plumber, at least one of us deserves a good sleep……it seems like no one cares anymore on P&O and the service is not what it was the last cruise we did. Maybe because it’s switching to Carnival so these reviews will probably mean nothing and the attitude reflects such. It’s very sad as we have always loved these cruises but this one has failed miserably. So if you are reading this and you have room 14209 booked for the next cruise I’m sure you will have these toilet issues as well as they seem to band aid the issue rather than sort it out.