Review By: Yvonne Atkinson
Pacific Sun Indonesian Adventure August 30, 2011

Why this particular cruise?

We thought the length of the cruise was about right, the price of the cruise was very reasonable and it was extremely convenient departing Fremantle.

 Where did the cruise go?

Geraldton, Broome, Lombok, Bali and Komodo Island.
All the ports, apart from Lombok, were lovely.  Lombok still has a long way to go with regard to how it treats its tourists.  We visited Sengiggi Beach (which was disappointing) but the locals just accosted us trying to sell their wares.  We couldn’t even eat our lunch in a cafe in peace.  I expected to get hassled walking through the market and even along the street but not inside a cafe.  They didn’t leave us alone for over an hour.  I felt intimidated.

 Did the ship measure up to your expectations?

No.  We were really disappointed with the Pacific Sun.  It is very tired looking (although very clean) and we felt in a 1970’s time warp.

 What were the cabins like?

The cabins were really great.  Although the decor was a bit dated they were a good size, the beds were really comfortable and the cabin steward did a really fabulous job of keeping it spotlessly clean.  There was also plenty of storage and coat hangers.

 What was the food like?

Again we were disappointed with the food.  There was plenty of it but the selections were dated.  Steamed veggies but then tossed in butter, bombed alaska but they used Neopolitan ice cream (ie, strawberry, choc and vanilla) which made it more suitable as a kids dessert.  The flavour combination was just wrong. In the kids club no healthy options were offered at all.  For sure have the pizza parties and the ice cream parties but balance it out with a plate of cut up fruit and raw veggies (just like they do at school and day care).  The kids menu also pretty much consisted of greasy fatty choices, ie. Chicken nuggets and chips, fish fingers (which were deep fried battered fish).  Our children very quickly realised the kids menu was rubbish and selected from the adult menu.My husband and I ate one evening in the Steakhouse which is supposed to exceed the dining experience offered in the other restaurants offered on the ship.  The waiter was attempting to be really professional (and he was lovely) but when he stated that they recommend white wine to go with fish and red wine to go with meat I really felt their training was severely lacking.  Back to the 1970’s time warp feeling.

 What were the ships facilities like?

Very adequate.  The children liked the pool, the games arcade and enjoyed spending some time in Turtle Cove.  We were never at a loss for something to do.

 What was the best aspect of the ship/cruise?

The total relaxation and away from reality a cruise offers.  Even though there were aspects that didn’t come up to expectations we still really enjoyed ourselves and have come home feeling refreshed.  Arriving back in Fremantle and not having to get on a plane was also a brilliant end to the holiday.  I arrived home and still felt relaxed.

Who would this cruise appeal to?

Young families and/or young people and for those where budget is a big consideration.  I now realise that perhaps the cruise was so reasonably priced because it was lacking in some areas.  I would definitely cruise again but I would be a lot more discerning of which ship I went on.