Thought we would give P &O another go as they are the only cruise line sailing from Brisbane during Winter. We chose the Aria because it is a smaller ship and was overnighting in Cairns. First impression was good the ship has a modern feel with plenty of comfortable seating. The balcony cabin was quite spacious with a comfortable lounge and balcony. However the bathroom was a disappointment, the shower was over a high sided spa bath which was very difficult to get into for older people and the toilet was designed for midgets and vertualy impossible to get off without help. This was sorted later when a seat raiser was fitted.

The major problem was noise at night, the cabin was directly over the ablue Room which is a club venue. At 9pm a rock band performed until midnight, the noise was incredible and sleep impossible we tolerated this for three nights in the hope it would change without success so then wrote to the Captain and Entertainment Director. We met with Senior Officers who agreed to get the time and volume reduced, this had some affect but the solution is to relocate the noisy band to an area away from sleeping passengers..

We received some compensation for the inconvenience but would rather had an u disturbed cruise. Read more