P & O Holidays

SS Pacific Sky

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Operator: P & O Holidays
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1984 / 2000
Length / Tonnage: 789 / 46,314
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 606 / 1,212
Officers / Crew: British & Italian / International
Operating Area: Year Round South Pacific from Sydney
Telephone / Fax: Tel 144 2264 / Fax 144 2266

Never mind that it had its origins carrying coal...and got into the passenger business the old fashioned way by carrying immigrants and displaced persons...by 1972 Sitmar was in the North American cruise business and immediately made a grand impression on people with their “FAIR” ships...

Across the world two “FAIR” ships cruised for the Australian trade...One of the ships was a former British troopship...converted to a high class immigrant ship and upgraded slightly to cater for a crowd of rough Australian partiers. That was the FAIRSTAR. Smaller and less rowdy was the FAIRSKY, originally an American escort aircraft carrier and later an Italian manned immigrant ship displaced by the aircraft and now also cruising. Sitmar sold that ship in 1978.

By the early 1980s when Sitmar’s plans for a new ship turned into a building contract, it was everybody’s guess that FAIRSKY would be her name. They were right and the name of the new ship was no secret. When Sitmar Cruises told the world that the new ship was going to be a 38,000 gross tonner, some of the cruise trade and many of the company’s past passengers looked on in horror because it looked like an unprecedented leap into gigantisicm...for the line which came to great popularity in the USA and Canada with the 25,000 tonners FAIRSEA and FAIRWIND.

Fans of the company just KNEW the new ship could not possibly offer them the style, ambience and warm coziness of those twins...And 38,000 tons seemed REALLY too big for a cruise ship back in 1980, when the cruising giants were the 39,000+ton OCEANIC and the 44,000 ton CANBERRA. Yes, Royal Caribbean had a new ship coming into service in 1982, the nearly 38,000 ton SONG OF AMERICA, but about all that ship and the Sitmar twins had in common at the time was they all floated and both offered vacations at sea...The styles and offerings of the two companies were totally different. Sitmar’s fans and many industry observers felt that such a ship would simply be too big for the traditional cruise product offered by Sitmar...SIZE - would be the first hurdle for the new FAIRSKY...even though the OCEANIC and CANBERRA were bigger than the planned newbuild, those two very popular cruise ships, like so many still cruising full time back then, had been designed with additional purposes and uses in mind...but this one wasn’t...this new cruise giant was designed to do one thing CRUISE, to take passengers into the sun on winter itineraries and to Alaska in the summer on cruises ranging from 7 to 14 days.

A big surprise for the interested was the location of the yard chosen to build her...It was the CNIM ...the Constructions Navales et Industrielles de la Mediterranee near Toulon, France. This ship was to be the first major cruise liner to come from a FRENCH shipyard...the first major French-built passenger ship for overseas trades to be built in a lot of years... but maybe the biggest surprise of all was her propulsion system, for their giant liner, Sitmar ordered good old fashioned steam turbines, and as of this writing, this ship remains the last big turbine steamer ever built, a distinction she’s likely to hold forever.

As the new FAIRSKY was being built, P & O stole nearly all of the thunder of Sitmar’s new ship with the building of the trend setting ROYAL PRINCESS...a 44,000 ton giant with none but outside cabins and two decks of cabins with private verandas. . the ROYAL PRINCESS...and what differences abide in these two contemporary ships of similar sizes and capacities...Then Sitmar gave everyone a surprise...when the 38,000 tonner was building, it turned out that she would not come in at 38,000 tons, she would be 46,000 tons, the world’s largest cruise ship!!! And so she would remain for a very short time, until Carnival’s “Superliners” the HOLIDAY, CELEBRATION and JUBILEE, topped the FAIRSKY’s size a year later. After only some five years as Sitmar’s immensely popular FAIRSKY, Sitmar sold out to P & O and was merged into Princess Cruises. The FAIRSKY became the Sky Princess for Princess and then in 2000 the Pacific Sky sailing for P&O Australia.

Despite its size ,it is very easy to find ones way around. There are two main stairwells-colour coded gold (forward) and silver (aft) featuring "speaking lifts which announce the deck arrived at. The main deck,Promenade deck 8,has the main Show lounge and bar forward. There are 10 pillars in the theatre can obstruct views of the stage. Further aft on this deck are the Pizzeria,Promenade Lounge,a sports bar named "Legends" with sports memorabilia and a huge screen for live sports forecasts, and a large veranda bar and lounge opening onto the outside aft promenade area. The sound and lighting just fantastic.

The Island night party on this deck was mind blowing, - some 800 people dancing the night away. The shops on this deck offer the usual souvenirs,jewellery,and boutique items. Our favourite area was the Horizon Lounge on deck 9, overlooking the bow,always a pleasant place to be ,especially for pre dinner drinks listening to the very talented pianist. Adjoining this is the Casino and the Rainbow Bar, a smaller more intimate smoking area. The wide passage to these rooms has a very impressive collection of oil paintings of earlier P&O ships including the Orontes,Malwa, Stratheden and Chusan. There is also a very large model of the 1770 French frigate La Flore encased in glass

The Regency Room on Deck 7 midships off the silver stairs, and the Savoy Room forward off the gold stairs are the two dining rooms. Lunch and dinner had two sittings. There were no tables for 2 or 4, most tables had 8 or 10 places. Our oval table for 10 in the Regency Room made it difficult to talk to anyone opposite, let alone hear what they were trying to say back. . This situation got worse as the cruise progressed and the noise level increased. Most nights were themed affairs, French, Italian, Island, International, Gala Night, even an Australian Night, and of course the Captains Farewell Dinner, all with extremely varied and appropriate menus with the restaurant decorated to match the theme. The dishes were well presented, of generous portions, and always piping hot,a must for this reviewer. This was especially impressive as our waiter had three tables with 26 people to cover. As a result, there were times when he and the wine waiter seemed under pressure. We thought they still coped well, the Bomb Alaska Parade and the Pavlova Procession being especially memorable.

The dress regulations stated that no singlets, bare feet, hats or baseball caps were allowed in the restaurants at any time. We shared a lunch table one day with a group who openly flouted these rules, yet no action appeared to be taken, making the setting of these requirements without enforcement seem pretty pointless. Most days there was a very popular buffet lunch on the aft promenade deck with a wide choice of dishes. In addition, the Pizzeria, open 24 hours, had pizzas available from $6 each. Harry's Cafe de Waves, served a wide variety of pies at $2. 75 each (mashed potatoes and peas extra!!). Ice Creams in cones cost $3. 50 to $4. 50 each. With even a traditional P&O afternoon tea of sandwiches and pastries served in the restaurants by tuxedoed white gloved waiters we never felt the need to use the cafes

A look through the brochure tells you that the Pacific Sky accommodates you in any of 18 cabin categories, but don’t believe it... there are really only 4 kinds of cabins on the Pacific Sky....and they are excellent cabins all! Standard inside and outside cabins have two lower beds (some feature pullman uppers to accommodate three or four people), superb drawer and closet space, bathroom with shower, TV.

Of the 16 categories of standard cabin, only location determines category...and thus price...and other than that there’s not a blessed whit of difference between minimum outside category G and top dollar standard category B, except Dolphin Deck cabins have portholes and the others have windows....and the insides are like the outsides so if you don’t spend any time relaxing in your cabin, and don’t mind the lack of natural light, book DOWN...take an inside and by NO MEANS should you even consider paying for any higher outside grade...You will not get your money’s worth. Even if you bear in mind the old caveat of avoiding cabins too far forward or aft, there are no lousy cabin locations in this ship. If you like a lot of private time aboard ship, you should consider springing for the prettiest cabins aboard...the minisuites.

Drapes separate the sleeping area from the rest of the room (when drapes are closed that area becomes a real cozy cocoon of a bedroom), the siting area has a large leather sofa (convertible to bed), and a big picture window..... oh yes, there’s a refrigerator too. Be warned, though...these minisuites come with two big negatives...well maybe ONE...if you are bringing enough clothes for more than a 10 or 12 day trip you may find the three closets and few drawers barely adequate...by the way...suitcases do NOT go under beds here...I did not like the BATHROOM! Like the standard cabin’s bathrooms, minisuite bathrooms are SMALL....27" from door to a counter 17" deep...throne faces shower curtain a mere 50" away...and the bathroom door opens IN and both of us managed to tear flesh on the tops of our feet because it does. Add to the amenities of a minisuite a bathtub in a fully marbled bathroom, a double bed, a dressing room and a balcony, and you have a category AA suite.

Since December 2000, Pacific Sky has been transferred to P&O Holidays and is now sailing South Pacific itineraries from Brisbane. She sails on alternating 7-day itineraries whick depart on Saturday. The "Week Fantastique" itinerary includes calls at Noumea, Isle of Pines and Divine Island. The "7 Night Delight" itinerary includes stops at Whitsunday Islands, Cairns, Port Douglas and Willis Island in the magnificent Coral Sea.

As you might expect from her new home port of Sydney, Pacific Sky carries mostly Australians and Asians with the time and money for extended itineraries.

In general, a cruise on the Pacific Sky provides a good value to a mainly Australian market, many of whom are cruising for the first time. It therefore fills a long empty niche in the Australian cruise sector. By all accounts future bookings are solid, and they deserve to be. Although the ship usually sails at near capacity the ships officers, mainly Italian, and crew, Filipino, are attentive, courteous and helpful. Perhaps our most telling observation is to recount that we did not overhear a single negative comment about the whole cruise, somewhat unusual these days.