Pacific Adventure Dining
Dining on Pacific Adventure offers plenty of options for every taste and budget, with a mix of free and for-a-fee options. The latter are well priced with the option of a two- or three-course set menu at flagship restaurant Luke’s Bar & Grill for those who don’t want to order a la carte. The main dining room is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the option to book a table or arrive as a walk-in. Room service is available 24/7 and costs extra.
Tip: Suite guests can order a full room service breakfast at no additional cost.
Free Restaurants on Pacific Adventure
Pacific Adventure has four fee-free dining options plus nine different food outlets in The Pantry, bringing the total number of complimentary dining options up to 13. A lucky number for those travelling on a tight budget. The Waterfront is located on Deck 5 and serves breakfast and dinner every day, with lunch available on sea days.
Breakfast offers a selection of cafe-style items such as bircher muesli or smashed avo and poached eggs on toast. Lunch has hot and cold meals such as hearty meatballs or a crisp chicken salad. Dinner consists of a changing selection of starters, mains, and desserts plus there’s an option to purchase a couple of additional dishes like Surf & Turf for a fee.
The Pantry. While some may mourn the demise of the classic cruise ship buffet, this cheerful food court style dining venue is hygienic, less wasteful and equally (if not more) delicious, with creative plating and high turnover that keeps the food fresh and tasty. Just like a regular buffet, you can go back as many times as you like and sample dishes from a few different spots.
Ocean views add to this light and airy dining area which offers a choice of outlets, ranging from salads to Indian curries, sizzling noodles, gourmet wraps, and fish and chips. Passengers choose items from a daily changing menu at each venue and are served by staff members stationed behind a glass counter. Choose from Mexicana (tacos), Hook's (fish and chips), Curry House (Indian), Stix (Asian), Fat Cow (for meat lovers), McGregor’s Garden (salads), Kettle & Bun (sandwiches, soups and salads), Nic & Toni’s (Mediterranean), and Sugar Bar (desserts).
Seating ranges from standard tables to long benches running along the windows, the latter coming with stools. If main seating area in The Pantry is busy, you can take your food through to Shell & Bones if the restaurant isn’t open.
Tip: If you are eating as a group and want a large table, arrive when The Pantry opens to get one of the best spots.
Angelo’s. With upmarket décor and white linen tablecloths, it’s hard to believe this speciality restaurant is complimentary. Create your own four course Italian meal featuring pastas, risottos, salads and a few desserts. The menu is divided into different sections - antipasti (first course), secondi (second course), contorni (side dishes) and dolce (dessert) – with highlights including a rich bolognaise, Italian salads or classic meat dishes like lasagne. Angelo’s is open daily for dinner.
Tip: Breakfast is served here for Byron Beach Club guests, including on disembarkation day. A far more serene experience than joining the morning rush at The Pantry.
Dragon Lady. This was our favourite free speciality restaurant, with an appealing blend of Asian cuisines like Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Indian dishes. We ordered a few dishes like seared salmon tataki and rice paper rolls for starters, followed by green chicken curry and steamed barramundi for mains. If you don’t like spicy food, check which dishes are the mildest when you order as the laksa was lethal (but superb) on our cruise. There are just two desserts, both of which were delicious. Dragon Lady is open for dinner daily.
Tip: Dragon Lady also handles restaurant reservations so drop in on embarkation day to get your bookings sorted. Take the aft elevators or the aft stairs down to Deck 6.
What Restaurants Cost Extra on Pacific Adventure?
All of the specialty restaurants onboard Pacific Adventure have a la carte pricing, with the exception of Luke’s Bar & Grill which also offers set price two or three course options. Prices are reasonable with the more casual dining spots like the pizza bar on the pool deck being the cheapest.
Pricing for the two upmarket restaurants noted below assumes you'll order an entrée, main and dessert. Drinks aren't included in the estimates. Restaurants designated at $ cost under $12 per person, $$ will run between $12-$30 per person, $$$ will run between $30-$50 per person; $$$$ indicates $50 or more per person.
Luke's Bar & Grill: [$$$$]:
Australian chef Luke Mangan's restaurant is a fine dining experience that is more intimate than the ship’s other restaurants. Expect steaks, local seafood and oysters served every which way, with the option to order a lot or a little, depending on how hungry you are. The restaurant’s signature liquorice parfait never leaves the dessert menu for good reason.
400 Gradi [$$]:
This is an ocean going version of the Melbourne-based Italian restaurant run by award-winning chef Johnny Di Francesco. There are lots of pizzas to choose from, as well as starters, pasta, and desserts. The prices on the a la carte menu are reasonable and the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.
*Tip: 400 Gradi is more casual than Luke's and perfect for dining family style with plates shared between a group of friends or family members. * Shell & Bones: [$$]
This dining area is used as overflow seating during the day but at night it is transformed into Shell & Bones, a separate pay-as-you-dine restaurant serving meat and seafood dishes. The menu features the likes of lobster mornay, a savoury prawn and snapper cake, or seafood platter for two. There’s only one dessert which comes with New Zealand Natural ice-cream and is designed to share.
Tip: The kids' menu at Shell & Bones is complimentary and features kid-pleasing dishes like a seafood party plate.
Luke's Burger Bar: [$]
Satisfy your burger or hot dog cravings at Luke's Burger Bar, an al fresco takeaway dining option on the pool deck. Byron Beach Club guests can order (for-a-fee) dishes from here at the Club’s bar and have them delivered to their deck chair.
Gradi Pronto: [$$]
Gradi Pronto on the pool deck is the 'little brother' of the more formal 400 Gradi restaurant downstairs, and offers a range of freshly made pizzas. A selection of dishes from this venue is also available to order (for a fee) at the Byron Beach Club.
Tip: This dining spot perfect for a poolside feast if the weather is good. If you’re craving pizza, the prices here are cheaper than those downstairs at 400 Gradi and the pizzas are excellent.
**Avalon Cafe: [$] **
The baristas at this cafe know their stuff and turn out great espresso coffees in double quick time. Light meals and snacks such as healthy poke bowls, vegetarian and meat filled wraps, salads, and sweets like a colourful deconstructed red velvet cake served in a glass are also available for a fee.
Charlie's Bar: [$]
Charlie’s Bar serves espresso coffee and alcoholic drinks and has comfortable seats with ocean views.
New Zealand Natural Ice Cream: [$]
If you want ice cream onboard Pacific Adventure, this is the place to come as there is no free soft serve or other ice cream available on the ship. Milkshakes, thick shakes, iced coffee, specialty coffees and teas are also available at an additional charge.
Tip: If the coffee shop in the lobby is busy in the morning, this ice cream store and the Ocean Bar also have a barista and open early.
Cruise Critic Restaurant Picks on Pacific Adventure
Angelo's and Dragon Lady, two fee-free specialty dining venues with sophisticated decor, friendly service and interesting menus, are our top choices for dinner at no additional cost. Gradi Pronto on the pool deck isn’t fancy but the pizzas are well worth the spend.
Tip: Popular dining options like Angelo's and Dragon Lady fill up fast, particularly on shorter cruises, so book your restaurants on embarkation day at the Dragon Lady restaurant reservation desks.
Dietary Restrictions on Pacific Adventure
Allergies and food restrictions are well accommodated at most restaurants, but P&O Cruises recommends mentioning any food requirements when you book. Vegetarian, gluten free, nut free, and lactose free dishes are clearly noted on most menus. Vegan dishes are available on request.
If you have a food allergy, tell the maitre'd at each restaurant when you check in and ask your waitstaff to provide additional information if you are unsure about any of the dishes.