Catherine Stewart – Three Day Cruise to Nowhere

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A three day cruise to nowhere is a good opportunity to sample cruising.

These short cruises are offered from Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland.

I flew to Brisbane Saturday morning and embarked on Pacific Dawn in the afternoon. I was lucky, by 4pm, there was no queue. Also lucky, because P & O Cruises gave me an upgrade from an inside cabin to an outside one.

My cabin was now at the very front of the ship (the bow) and just under the bridge. If you are prone to seasickness this is not the best part of the ship to have your cabin, as you can get a lot of movement in rough seas. Also, the sound of anchors and/or ropes can be a minus at the bow of the ship.

However, on the plus side, it was good to look out the window to check out sunrises and sea conditions. I enjoyed the peace and quiet because no one walked past my cabin.

The first night at dinner, in the Waterfront Restaurant, I met Peter and Kelly, “first time cruisers” from Brisbane. They were trying the three day cruise to see if they would like to do a longer trip.

This was a “lifestyle” themed cruise and there were some excellent guest speakers onboard.  Kim McCosker, 4 ingredients Author, delighted crowds with her quick wit and easy to make recipes.

I also enjoyed Caroline Campbell, and inspirational speaker.

We got far enough out to sea (some 50 nautical miles) for the casino to open.

“Oasis” was one of my favourite spots – at the rear of the ship; comfortable sun loungers with the restriction of being 18 years and over, and of course, a bar nearby. I enjoyed a mock tail “mud slide” – AU$5.85.

The New Zealand Ice-cream bar was popular with queues most days and passengers eager to taste New Zealand hokey pokey and other delicious flavours – a charge was made for this service.

All main meals are included in the cruise fare. There is a choice of buffet or restaurant. For an extra AU$20 cover charge, you can book at La Luna – Asian Fusion or Salt Grill by Luke Mangan. A cover charge AU $40 per person applies.

There was a glorious sunset one evening, and passengers lined the deck to take photos – the end to a perfect day at sea.

Another day, we saw humpback whales spouting in the distance. This is the time of year when whales cruise along the Australian coastline.

Each evening Pacific Daily was delivered to cabins, outlining events and news for the next day.

Check out P & O Cruises web site for departure dates and costs. Some cruise lines offer one night cruises ex Sydney as a sampler. Ask your travel agent for further details.

I asked Captain Ronald Wilson “where did the ship go?”  “Up the coast as far as Sandy Cape and down below the Gold Coast” he replied.

www.pocruises.co.nz

Photos:

• Main Deck early morning

• Atrium

• Oasis Retreat

• Sunset at Sea