Discovery Princess cuts a magnificent 330m path from Sydney to Auckland. Photo / Princess Cruises
So you think you know how a cruise holiday plays out? Travelling from Sydney to Auckland onboard Discovery Princess, Lorna Riley realises reality is very different to expectation.
Sail away with me
To another world…
As I belt out the words to Kenny and Dolly’s Islands in the Stream, I think how appropriate the lyrics are – before I stop, aghast. What am I doing? Karaoke is not my thing, and my singing voice is average if one is being generous. Turns out I’m having a blast doing something I’d never normally do, and this seems to be quite the theme on board this Discovery Princess cruise.
It begins as we check into our gorgeous balcony stateroom: located on the Sun Deck, near the top of the ship, and spacious at 20sq m. The closet space is among the most generous I’ve seen at sea, which makes this over-packer very happy indeed. Reclining chairs on the balcony offer us the perfect spot for breakfast or pre-dinner cocktails, each served with magical views and that invigorating sea air. But why stay here when there’s so much to discover on Discovery Princess?
And so we find ourselves at Sports Central. Here you can play mini golf, pickleball, jog around the walking track, or (as my fiance does) shoot a few baskets. It’s quite surreal to be doing this with the Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side and the iconic Opera House on the other. Something we’d do at home? Never. A fun activity before the sailaway celebrations get underway on the top deck.
Sea days can feel eternal on some cruise ships – what to do? With three such days ahead of us as we cross the Tasman Sea towards New Zealand, it’s quickly apparent that the question is not how we can fill them, but which enticing activities are we willing to leave out. Exploring the vast ship takes us a few hours on our first morning, given that Discovery Princess is 330m long and 19 decks high. We visit several of the boutique-style shops, resist the temptation to enter the Vegas-style casino, but are powerless to resist the interactive music trivia game we stumble across in the stunning Atrium area – before long, we are joining our fellow passengers in publicly displaying how our confidence in our own abilities is wildly misplaced. We may not win a prize, but we’ve had a whole lot of fun losing.
It’s also clear we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to dining on our sea days: an a-la-carte cooked breakfast at Skagway, or croissants and coffees at the International Cafe (open 24 hours); Gigi’s Pizzeria (the best pizzas at sea, by reputation and by this writer’s personal recommendation) or the delicious set menu at Ocean Terrace Sushi for lunch; dine on crayfish and scallops at The Catch by Rudi, or a hearty steak at Crown Grill? We count no fewer than 25 dining and bar venues, some included in the fare, others with a surcharge (though if one has a premium package, as we do, these are included too) – from fine dining to buffets, an Irish pub to a jazz lounge, a gelato bar to The Pastry Shop, with everything freshly baked daily. Would I enjoy three-course meals, three times a day at home? Certainly not, but that’s the joy of an indulgent cruise (and there’s always the large and well-equipped gym should the guilt overtake me. Between you and me, it doesn’t). Room service is also available round the clock, so hunger is never an option.
A sea day means no plans, and impromptu fun – like the afternoon we head into the deserted arcade parlour, and take each other on in a spirited virtual reality survival game. It’s a hoot, and something I haven’t done in literally decades. It’s only afterwards I realise I must have been quite a sight, arms flailing as I bashed flesh-eating dinosaurs, and can only hope no passersby witnessed my enthusiastic but undoubtedly uncoordinated combat. But if they did, what of it? What happens on the cruise, stays on the cruise.
Later, with the sun shining and the sea calm, we wander around the two main pools, the WakeView infinity pool and – just steps from our stateroom – the adults-only Retreat pool. But we opt instead for the tranquillity of The Sanctuary, an 18+ destination on Deck 18, right at the front of the ship. For a small surcharge, we secure a four-hour booking with our own sun loungers, attentive staff delivering delicious food and drinks, and access to the large bow hot tub with unmatched views. It’s a little slice of heaven on an already dreamy voyage.
“We should do this more often” is a well-worn phrase on this trip, but never more so than when we emerge from The Lotus Spa, also located on the top deck. Lotus has 18 separate treatment rooms, as well as a salon for hair and nails, and it’s where we enjoy our first-ever couples massage. After I’ve been tweaked, rubbed, kneaded and unknotted into a blissful state, the therapist starts holding my hand and I think how lovely it is – then I open my eyes and see it’s instead my sweetheart. Lovelier still.
We while away some time at The Enclave, one of my favourite places on the ship: a premier, adults-only thermal spa suite, with a large, warm hydrotherapy pool including cascading rain showers and powerful air jets, heated stone beds, steam rooms (Hammam and Caldarium), and a dry sauna (Laconium), as well as aromatherapy showers. We float back to our stateroom, where we realise we have yet to open our welcome champagne.
I’m pretty sure I have never lounged on my bed, clad in a robe and fluffy slippers, at three in the afternoon, quaffing bubbles and watching the 80s masterpiece that is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – yet here I am, having an absolutely wonderful time and worrying about nothing at all except what to do after dinner.
Whether it’s guffaws and giggles in The Laugh Lounge, Broadway show The Spotlight Bar in the Princess Theatre, comedy/magician Johnny Balance, trivia games, the formal night champagne waterfall, or simply relaxing at one of the many delightful bars on board, there are multiple marvellous things to see, do, sip and savour every single night.
And yes, that includes karaoke. As I stand there in the spotlight, looking at all the smiles aimed in my direction (despite my vocal ability which is two parts enthusiasm, zero part talent), I think once again Kenny and Dolly have nailed it for anyone considering cruising on Discovery Princess:
And the message is clear
This could be the year for the real thing.
The writer travelled on Discovery Princess from Sydney to Auckland, courtesy of Princess Cruises.