Floating playground: Liam Oliver on P&O's Pacific Jewel.
Kids can have fun at sea, too, especially when adrift from their parents, writes Liam Oliver.
The moment I stepped aboard the Pacific Jewel I had a plan: to see as little of my mother as possible.
This is pretty easy if, like me, you’re an 11-year-old on a ship which has action for kids and thrill seekers of all ages. I would be ziplining, riding on Segways and climbing the ship’s funnel while she did all the boring things she likes: have facials, massages and eat at Luke Mangan’s restaurant, Salt.
Passengers on top of the ship's screen.
Then we would just meet each night in our balcony cabin. It meant four days of fun for us both.
The great thing about going to a ship’s kids’ club is that you don’t have to see your parents if you don’t want to; you can go to the buffet and eat what you want and they’re not there telling you to eat more vegetables. You can watch movies on an outdoor screen, and have pizza and ice-cream delivered to your deck chair.
The fun started as soon as the ship left Sydney’s White Bay. The ship has P&O Edge, and I could see ropes, bridges and lines attached to different decks. We climbed to the top of the movie screen to get a view of the city. We were so high when we sailed under the Harbour Bridge it felt as though if you reached up you could touch it. We were strapped to harnesses and from there I went straight on to a flying fox and swung out above the ship’s swimming pool like Tarzan while people on the top deck cheered me on. It was fun so I did it again.
The cargo net climb.
On the second day of our four-day cruise to Moreton Island in Queensland I got to climb the funnel wall and rappel down.
Twice. My mum didn’t like doing this. She said she felt a bit seasick and I could see her legs were shaking.
Next we tried the slack line, which is a bit like walking a tightrope. It’s not easy on a ship as it rocks from side to side, but it’s fun and I didn’t fall off.
Then we went on the bungy trampoline, bouncing high into the sky. We were taught how to ride the Segways and went on an obstacle course. I vote that 10/10.
When we got to Moreton Island, we went parasailing. Mum and I flew about 100 metres in the air and we saw whales splashing in the sea below. It was like being on a giant playground swing. Awesome.
Then we got to go quad biking on the island’s sand dunes. After lunch we went snorkelling and saw a green turtle. That night we fed wild dolphins by hand at the jetty, then when we returned to the cruise ship we saw acrobats perform.
The next day we sailed back to Sydney and I had a “Titanic moment” –wearing a harness and leaning out over the front of the ship. I also got to meet the captain and tour the ship’s bridge.r Liam Oliver and his mother Helen Pitt were guests of P&O cruises.
TRIP NOTES
CRUISING THERE
A four-night Sydney to Moreton Island roundtrip in a balcony cabin is from $799 a person, twin share; $439 quad share. P&O Edge Adrenaline Activity packages are from $39.
132 494, see pocruises.com.au. P&O Ed ge will be available on Pacific Pearl and Pacific Dawn in 2014.
MORE INFORMATION
DEALS
A 10-night South Pacific round-trip cruise from Sydney on March 18, 2014, aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas is priced from $1085 a person, twin share, if booked by December 16.
An 11-night New Zealand cruise aboard Voyager of the Seas departing Sydney on January 2, 2014, is priced from $1399 a person, twin share, if booked by December 16. Prices for both deals include all main meals, on-board entertainment and tips, and port charges. Phone 1300 450 133, see cruiseabout.com.au.
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