Wednesday, August 24th (Part 2) …..

Well the die is cast, the decision has been made, we are on our way. We’ve booked today for an 11-night cruise, leaving Sydney on October 9th and travelling to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. It’s on the Pacific Pearl, the latest ship to join P&O Australia. We’ve not sailed P&O before but our friend, Robyn, sailed on the Pacific Jewel this year and highly recommended it.

We never managed to sail on the old Sitmar Line which plied the Pacific many years ago. The Fairstar, the Fairsea and the Fairsky were notorious for the wild shenanigans of their passengers. This ship was built for Sitmar and was to be named the Fairmajesty. However, Sitmar was bought out by Princess Cruises and she was delivered as the Star Princess. Later she became the Arcadia and then was transferred to a Princess subsidiary, Ocean Village. When Ocean Village was wound up last year, the ship was totally rebuilt and brought to Australia as Pacific Pearl. It is rated 4-star, which sounds OK.

The only outside cabin we were able to get was smaller than others and obscured by lifeboats so we’re inside on Deck 5, at the sharp end. When you get this close to the cruise leaving, you have to take what you can get.