P&O Cruises

As soon as you can! This will ensure that you have the greatest choice available. As families love to cruise, school holiday periods can be very popular and sell out early. Keep this in mind, book early and get ready for the holiday of your life.

Accommodation, main meals onboard, entertainment and most onboard activities, as well as the use of the ship’s many complimentary facilities such as swimming pools, gym, whirlpool spas and sporting equipment.

GST is included in the cruise fare on Australian and New Zealand coastal cruises, as well as in any purchases made onboard on these cruises. GST is also included in domestic airfares. GST is not applicable to any other cruise or purchase.

Most of our four berth (quad) rooms and some of our three berth (triple) rooms contain two single lower beds and one or two upper berths (bunk beds). Queen bedding is available in most rooms, as long as the upper beds are not in use.

Some three or four berth rooms may contain a sofa bed and/or rollaway.

In line with Australian standards, P&O Cruises strongly recommends that children under the age of 9 do not occupy or play in an upper berth bunk bed.

Pop-up bunks on Pacific Explorer have a weight restriction of 200kg (upper berth bunks Only). All other top bunk beds across the rest of P&O's fleet have a weight restriction of 100kg.

Besides the beds of course, all rooms include an ensuite bathroom with shower, personally controlled air-conditioning, flatscreen TV, mini fridge (please note fridges are not available in interior & oceanview rooms on Pacific Aria) telephone, hairdryer, writing desk, wardrobe, drawer space and safety deposit box.

You don’t need to worry about how you are going to get to the terminal when you book P&O Cruises’ transfers for the day you embark or disembark your cruise.

With multiple departures, a P&O Cruises’ transfer takes all of the fuss out of getting to and from the terminal, including getting your bags checked in for you as soon as you get to the cruise terminal.

To be able to book transfers, flights must be booked to arrive no later than four hours before your cruise departure time and depart no earlier than five hours after your cruise arrival time. To book transfers, please contact your Global Journeys Travel Advisor. Transfers range from $AU 20-30pp each way.

We certainly do. On the day of departure, P&O operate multiple transfers from Sydney’s Central Train Station to White Bay Cruise Terminal. For $15 per person each way, P&O's Central to White Bay transfers will certainly help you get your cruise holiday off to a great start. To book your spot on a transfer, simply let us know.

When you return from your cruise holiday, transfers back to Central Station are also available. These can be booked while you are onboard.

Please ensure your flight arrives no later than 4 hours before your cruise departure time. This should provide enough time to travel to the cruise terminal and check-in for your holiday of a lifetime.

If you are flying home on the day you leave the cruise, please ensure your flight departs no earlier than 5 hours after your cruise is scheduled to arrive in port.

If you have a medical condition or take medication it must be advised at time of booking. We will send you a health questionnaire to complete so we have all necessary information.

We want you to be safe and comfortable on your cruise, so bring enough medication to last you until the end of your holiday. It is also a good idea to bring a few extra days’ supply, in case of any unforeseen delays.

Please ensure your medication is kept in its original packaging and is in your carry-on luggage when boarding.

For Pacific Explorer refrigerators are located in the room, however there is no guarantee the temperature will be suitable to store medication. P&O are also able to arrange for medication to be stored in the ships refrigerators, to do so, please speak with your cabin steward upon arrival. Your cabin steward will then ensure your medication is available to you as required throughout your cruise. We do ask that you travel with your medication in a sealed container, clearly labelled with your name and room information.

To ensure your medical equipment will work onboard, we strongly advise to check that your medical equipment is compatible with the ships power supply by checking with the equipment supplier. Please advise your Global Journeys Travel Advisor team at the time of booking if you intend to travel with medical equipment. We will then send you an information sheet with power supply details. For safety reasons, your equipment will need to be checked prior to boarding.

Australian public health authorities strongly recommend that all cruise ship passengers receive influenza vaccination at least two weeks before the start of their cruise.

It is important that you see your doctor 6-8 weeks prior to departure to discuss and plan all necessary travel vaccines, including influenza vaccine.

The departure wharf for your cruise will be displayed on your eTicket, in Cruise Control, as well as your booking confirmation.

P&O Cruises can cater for most special dietary requests, such as vegetarian and food allergies, however, some limitations apply. Unfortunately at present, P&O are unable to accommodate a Kosher or Halal diet onboard P&O Cruises’ ships.

If you have any special dietary requests, please ensure you advise your Global Journeys Travel Advisor when you make your cruise booking or at least 60 days prior to your cruise departure. We also recommend you speak to the maître d’ once you are onboard to confirm your dietary requirements.

P&O Cruises will make every effort to accommodate guests with disabilities and impairments. There are wheelchair-accessible rooms on all P&O Cruises ships, subject to availability at the time of request. P&O also have specialised kits available for hearing impaired guests, upon request at time of booking.

If you have any special requirements including wheelchair usage, or have any questions regarding mobility, please inform Global Journeys Travel Advisor. P&O Cruises must be notified of wheelchair usage and/or any special needs at time of booking.

You must allow at the very least 30-45 minutes between each Shore Tour. All tours depart from and return to the wharf, therefore 30-45 minutes between tours should be sufficient.

You can leave the beach towel at home and save some space in your luggage. Beach towels are provided in your cabin for use onboard and while in port.

For international cruises that visit at least one foreign port, each guest is required to have a passport valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the date of the cruise return. In addition, travel on P&O cruises will not re-validate an Australian or New Zealand re-entry visa. Please ensure you check your passport and visa requirements with the relevant consulate or embassy.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary documentation which permits you to travel. If you do not have all the necessary documentation, you may be denied boarding and no refund will be given.

For standard Pacific Island and New Zealand itineraries (excluding Fiji and Papua New Guinea), visas may not be required as you will be considered in transit when you visit these ports as part of your cruise. If you are joining or leaving the ship in one of these countries, you are likely to require a visa. Some nationalities (excluding Australian and New Zealand passport holders) may require a visa for Fiji, even when transiting the country as part of your cruise.

Visas for Papua New Guinea and Vietnam will be issued upon arrival for all guests and the applicable fee will be charged to your onboard account. Visas for Indonesia will be issued upon arrival for most guests, including Australian and New Zealand passport holders, and the applicable fee will be charged to your onboard account. Visa fees are subject to change and will be advised onboard. We encourage other passport holders to check their visa requirements for Indonesia with the relevant consulate/embassy or visa service.

As visa requirements are always subject to change, please contact the relevant consulate/ embassy or a visa service to confirm your individual visa requirements.

For domestic cruises (cruises that do not visit a foreign port), a valid passport or government issued photo identification is required (Queensland ‘Adult Proof of Age Card’ will be accepted, however the older version of Queensland ‘Card 18+’ will not be accepted).

For Australian domestic cruises, a current Medicare card can be used for guests under 18 years of age. For New Zealand domestic cruises, an original or certified copy of the child’s birth certificate or a school pass with photo will be accepted for guests under 18 years of age. Guests who do not possess the required ID at check-in will may be denied boarding.

P&O strongly encourage you to take out international travel insurance once you have booked your cruise holiday, to ensure you are covered if things don’t quite go according to plan. Some countries included in your cruise itinerary may have a requirement for you to hold valid travel insurance - this will be detailed once your cruise is confirmed and you've registered with P&O.

The New Caledonia government requires that all visitors hold valid international travel insurance, which means if your cruise itinerary includes a call to New Caledonia, before you board, you must show printed proof of having valid international travel insurance. You may also be requested to present proof of insurance during the cruise. Any guest who is unable to provide proof of valid travel insurance on a cruise visiting New Caledonia, will be denied boarding.

For all cruise itineraries, including domestic cruises, it’s important to know that onboard medical, emergency evacuations costs, and any onshore medical costs (if overseas) are not covered by Australian Medicare, New Zealand ACC, or private health insurance. All onboard medical consultations, treatments and medications are charged at private rates, which may be able to be claimed through international or cruise-specific travel insurance.

Insurance policies may also provide cancellation cover if you miss the cruise or a pre-paid shore tour; protect your personal possessions and provide other forms of protection.

Should you need to make changes to your booking (spelling corrections or to replace a guest), no administration fees will apply. Please be aware that one original guest from the booking must always remain on the booking or the booking will be subject to the applicable cancellation charges. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for full details on booking changes and cancellations..

To make any changes to the guests on your booking, please contact us. Updates to your address, phone numbers or email address can be done by logging into P&O's Cruise Control.

You have most likely received a complimentary upgrade. When you receive an upgrade, this means you have been moved into a higher graded room than the room you originally booked. This may be on a higher or lower deck, and at the front, middle or back of the ship. Please remember if you are travelling with other people or as part of a group, we cannot guarantee that all of the bookings will receive upgrades or that you will be allocated rooms near each other.

If you are happy with the room you have booked and do not wish to receive a complimentary upgrade, please advise us as soon as possible.

Your room can also be changed for operational reasons, including when the number of people booked in the room is less than the number of beds, or if you have selected a wheelchair accessible room and do not require one.

Your eticket will be available in Cruise Control approximately 60 days prior to departure, as long as your booking has been paid in full, your room number has been assigned and the required details have been completed.

All personal details for each guest, including Emergency Contact, address, phone number and email address must be completed in Cruise Control, and a check in time selected before your eTickets will be made available.

Only one eTicket is generated per booking and will include the names of all guests on the booking. Multiple copies of this can be printed if each guest wants a copy or if they will be embarking at different times.

The options onboard are endless! Some of the optional extras that can be purchased include Shore Tours, drinks, food from the specialty dining venues as indicated onboard, bar snacks, room service, hairdressing, massage and beauty treatments, spa services, photographic services, P&O Edge, video arcade games and some craft activities.

With four dedicated activity centres , Turtle Cove (2-5 years), Shark Shack (6-9 years), HQ (10-13 years) and HQ+ (14-17 years), there is something for everyone.

Each of the centres are run by experienced P&O Youth staff and offer a range of activities tailored to the age group. Activities include arts and craft, circus juggling classes, pizza parties, Playstation and Wii competitions, movie nights and more

Yes, P&O carry a great range of items including cosmetics, surf wear, jewellery, liquor and electrical items. We also carry a wide selection of souvenirs and confectionery. Happy shopping!

You’re on holiday – let P&O take care of this chore for you with their laundry service. There is also the option to do it yourself in our self-service laundromat. Charges apply for these services.

Better to be safe than sorry - there are safety deposit boxes located in each cabin. In the event you lose any items onboard, please visit Reception before you disembark. Any items (excluding clothing) not claimed within 3 weeks of your cruise return may be donated to charity. Due to hygiene reasons, unclaimed clothing will be destroyed onboard.

Smoking is not permitted indoors on any of our ships, which includes your room and private balcony. For those who smoke, there are selected outdoor areas where smoking is permitted and this information will be communicated to you on board. Electronic cigarettes can only be used in the designated smoking areas.

Yes, each ship has a Medical Centre that is staffed by registered doctors and nurses who are available during scheduled clinic times to provide medical care for everyone onboard. They are also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for medical emergencies. P&O's Medical Centres are only for medical needs arising onboard and cannot cater for treatments that you will know you will require while on holiday.

Dining when and where you want couldn’t be easier than it is on P&O's ships, with a range of dining options that are included in your cruise fare such as a la carte meals in Waterfront Restaurant and casual dining in The Pantry.

Pacific Explorer also features contemporary Italian restaurant Angelo's and Asian fusion restaurant Dragon Lady which are both included in your cruise fare and open for dinner every night. There is also The Grill serving casual, pool-side fare from early lunch through to late night (charges apply). For a small cover charge you can dine at one of P&O's specialty restaurants, Salt grill by Luke Mangan, Australia’s first celebrity chef restaurant at sea, or Luna, a real treat for lovers of Asian food.

Looking for a snack or a sweet treat? The Cafe, a chocolate cafe at sea offers a selection of indulgent treats, tea and coffee. Tea and coffee is also available from Charlie's Bar along with a selection of muffins and cakes. Of course, there is also New Zealand Natural for an ice cream treat up on deck.

Bookings can be made once onboard. Simply call from your cabin phone or visit them in person to make your booking.

The Chef’s Table is a VIP dining experience hosted by the Executive Chef and includes a welcome reception with a glass of sparkling wine and canapés, a seven course degustation menu with matching wines, a tour of the ships galley, and professional photograph of the evening.

The Chef’s Table is available on selected cruises and will be advertised in the onboard newsletter, Pacific Daily. Bookings can be made in the Waterfront Restaurant.

There are a number of ways to let everyone what a great time you are having. You can make calls from the phone in your cabin, or use the ship’s computers/wireless connection to keep in touch by email and internet. Please note, access is subject to satellite coverage and charges are higher than on land.

Mobile phone reception is available on all our ships, subject to satellite availability. A compatible mobile phone and a service plan capable of roaming internationally with Maritime Communications Partners (AS) is required. Make sure you check with your service provider for applicable charges before you depart.

Absolutely! Internet is available on board all P&O ships. It is important to remember that Internet access via satellite can vary to the higher speed connections on shore. Due to the nature of satellite connections, service speeds and access will vary depending on the ships geographical location, weather patterns and other various obstructions.

Once on board, you will be able to connect to the ships internet on wireless enabled devices such as your mobile phone/tablet and laptop. The most reliable location for Wi-fi access is in the Atrium as well as most public areas. Further information can be found on board, including prices to connect.

Disembarkation is staggered and normally begins at approximately 30 minutes after the ships arrival in port.

During your cruise you will be asked to complete a disembarkation questionnaire with your post cruise travel arrangements so you can be allocated a disembarkation group and time.

You will be advised of your allocated time to disembark the day before arrival. Disembarkation is normally completed within 3 hours of the ships arrival, however, this can vary. For this reason, if you have post cruise flights, we recommend your flight departs no earlier than 5 hours after your cruise is scheduled to arrive in port.