P & O
Pacific Sky
Inaugural Cruise -- November 10, 2000
By Robert Graham in Sydney Australia
As many of you know 'Sky Princess' has now transferred to P&O Australia and
is operating as 'Pacific Sky' out of Sydney. I was lucky enough to be the first
passenger on her first cruise out of Sydney on 10/Nov/2000. The ship had just
undergone a 2 week, 10 million dollar refurbishment and was completely refitted
with a new exterior paint scheme and completely new interior finishes.
Boarding was a breeze, the ship was docked at Darling Harbour in Sydney and it
was a huge terminal with check-in counters according to cabin numbers making
embarkation a quick and simple process. Once issued with a boarding pass we
walked straight up to the gangway, had a photo taken and were on the ship with
the whole process taking no more than 10 minutes.
We entered the ship on Baja Deck 6 and were greeted by stewards who quickly
showed us to our cabin B130 which was forward on Baja Deck. The cabin was
excellent! It was a standard outside 2/4 berth cabin measuring a generous 175
square feet! The cabin had 2 single beds and 2 pull down bunks (which easily
slid completely out of sight into the ceiling with the pull of a lever which
allowed for more space during the day). We had 4 people in our cabin, myself, my
mother, sister and brother and there was plenty of storage space, a wardrobe
each! The bathroom great and the shower was huge! It even had a retractable clothes
line in it (very handy for wet swim gear). Our room also had a dresser with
chair, lamp and phone, a table with 2 chairs, a TV and a bedside table
with lockable draws (and a call button for your cabin steward! Like on an
aeroplane). Our cabin also had a built in hairdryer and 2 windows. Whilst
onboard I had the opportunity to see all grades of cabin and each cabin was
Identical to ours in size and layout (inside rooms were also identical only with
a blank wall behind the curtains) except the suites and suites with balconies
which were also of extremely high standard.
Once we had unpacked I went exploring the ship
and found it generally to be very light and open, at no time do you feel
claustrophobic and the layout is relatively simple and easy to get used to.
Getting around the ship is easy, there are 2 main staircases and these are
colour coded Gold (being forward) and Silver (being aft) so it is easy to know
which end of the ship you are at. The Gold staircase runs the full 11 decks of
the ship from the cinema at the bottom to the Fitness centre at the top and 3
talking Elevators service each stair case (they tell you where they are going
and what deck you are on).
Outdoor deck space is plentiful especially aft where the rear deck was extended
during her refit. Although the ship doesn't have a rap around promenade (it
doesn't reach all the way forward) I didn't find anyone who found this to be a
problem and I found it to be an advantage as the deck was always sheltered from
wind and was a very pleasant place to be even at night. Departure was marked
with a 'Bon Voyage' party out on the rear deck and sailing under the Harbour
Bridge proved very popular. Cruising out through Sydney Harbour past the Opera
House and through the spectacular Headlands really is an experience. We headed
out to sea where we would spend the next 2 days (this inaugural cruise was a 3
day cruise to nowhere).
We Dined in the Regency (the larger of the 2 restaurants Regency and Savoy) and
were pleasantly surprised by the extremely high quality of the food which was
excellent! We sat at a table for 6 and although not next to the window they were
large picture windows and you could see out from all tables. The service was
also excellent and the restaurants were stunningly refurbished.
After dinner we went to the Pacific Sky
showroom (a 600 seat theatre forward on promenade deck) for the show 'Rhythms of
the City' which was outstanding. On the second night they featured an
illusionist who was surprisingly good. After the show I checked out the casino
which was abuzz with activity, I then went to the nightclub which was the best
party on the high seas! This ship is very much a party ship and as so is very
alive at night. The nightclub is half indoor and half outdoor (on a special rear
deck fitted with lights and sound system) under the stars. The DJ was great and
we partied well into the early morning around 5.30 by which time breakfast
buffets were being set up on-deck and fresh coffee was much appreciated by the
hundred or so of us that had danced right through the night!
Day 2 was spent out at sea and I spent a lot of the day lying by the main pool
on lido deck 10. The ship has 3 pools and an indoor whirlpool spa. All the
deckchairs were new and very comfortable and there is plenty of deck space for
everyone. Unlike modern liners 'Pacific Sky's' pools are all aft and the rear of
the ship is nicely layered. On the top deck there is a running track and there
is a jogging club which runs early each morning. During the day I also went to
the fitness centre on Sun Deck 11 and used the gym which was impressive and has
floor to ceiling windows. Here I also took a dip in the whirlpool (great after a
workout) and popped into the sauna. Massages are available at a price. I had
Lunch at the on deck buffet which was aft on promenade deck around one of the
pools. It was very popular and the food was great especially the deserts.
The Promenade deck 8 is where you'll find a lot of the public rooms including
the Promenade lounge (pleasant lounge next to the photo shop with full table
service), the Sports Bar (great for sports enthusiast with a big screen that
shows major sporting events live from around the world), the Veranda Lounge
(Elegant lounge with full Bar service and live entertainment), Rodeo Drive (with
kiosk, odd shop and mini department store) and of course the fabulous Pizzeria
open 24 hours with the best pizzas in the pacific!
One deck down on Aloha deck 7 are the 2 restaurants and the children's centre,
with a special room for littlies and teenagers as well as the 3rd pool. 2 decks
down on Caribe deck 5 is the lobby with Pursers office/reception as well as the
tour office. I found the reception staff to be both friendly and helpful as were
all the staff. Also on this deck is the Beautician and Hairdressing salon. 2
decks down on Emerald deck 3 is the Medical centre and 2 decks down again on
Gala Deck 1 is the Cinema which is modern and comfortable and showed latest
releases as well as some golden oldies. It had a balcony level and a stage so
was also used for live performances.
I have to mention, being the inaugural voyage of 'Pacific Sky' there were some
teething problems. A new computer system which allowed drinks and onboard
purchases to be charged to a 'Cruise Cash Card' gave trouble and resulted in
long queues at some of the bars. Also because the ship had an entirely new crew
they were still getting to know the ship themselves and this caused a few
confusions, however I have spoken to passengers on the 2nd and 3rd cruises who
have informed me that the computer troubles are now fixed and the staff seem to
be settling in well. On that note I should add that because of these teething
problems, after arriving back in Sydney we were contacted by P&O who apologized
for the inconveniences and refunded half the cruise fare!
Overall I had a fabulous cruise and would recommend it to anyone, especially
families and young people as it really is a 'Funship'. The ship which was built
in 1984 has been well looked after by Princess and the 10 million Dollar refit
has it looking fantastic. The ship is a nice size (46000 tons) and is the
largest ship permanently based in the South Pacific. It is also the last Steam
Ship ever Built and is therefore completely vibration free. Also there was no
engine noise noticeable at any stage of our cruise and the ship provided an
excellent smooth sailing even through some sizeable swells on the 2nd night.
Being an Australian cruise product makes the atmosphere onboard laid back and
casual while the staff are warm and friendly. 'Pacific Sky' is a 4 star
ship and is very reasonably priced and from what I experienced she earns a 10
out of 10 for overall cruise experience.
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