Ultimate Comparison: Pacific Explorer VS Pacific Adventure & Pacific Encounter 

I sailed on the Adventure April/May this year. I much prefer the Explorer with fewer passengers and better layout. I have cruised on the Sun Princess many times till her sale in 2020 so I knew what I was getting on the Explorer. There was just something about the Adventure that made me feel it was bigger just to fit more paying passengers and nothing else (eg the very small & bland atrium for number of passengers, light years below better examples like the Voyager of the Seas). The minimum dress standard in the dining rooms is now apparently footy jumper, board shorts and thongs (male & female). If Princess ever get their act together and re-enter the Aus cruise market other than the token effort they make now, I will gladly go back with Princess. P&O is getting very crappy with their quality and value for money and is really now the "Jetstar of the Seas".

I love Encounter - NZ borders opened, flew to Brisvegas and jumped on a PNG cruise!

Thanks for this video!! So glad you did this topic, as I am going on the Explorer earlt next year but wanted to know how it stacks up next to the other P&O ships. Love your channel generally - you're my go to guy for cruise info. Especially love that you peovide an Australian perspective. Thanks again!

We love the Pacific Adventure...cos we loved the Golden Princess..but all 3 are a great size...

Yes we were on Explorer in April ex Fremantle. Sail away party was memorable.

Hello Adrian, sailing on Pacific Adventure tomorrow. We enjoyed it so much in March of this year, had to go again!

Interesting video, thank you.

Things have changed since the days of the Fairstar, Sea Princess and Oriana

Our first cruise in Feb 2017 was on the Dawn, so she holds a special place in our hearts. 19 cruises since then on various Princess ships. Best feature of Dawn/Explorer....the Promenade Deck, simply the best!!

I have been on Pacific Explorer twice 2019 and 2023 she is my first ever cruise ship I have been on she got me hooked on cruising, I have also been on Pacific Adventure twice also this year March and June and I would not hesitate

I will admit... My first sailing with Explorer was not that great back in 2017. But after the shutdown and with Explorer the only game in town, I really came to appreciate her after the second or third sailing last year after the restart. Any cruise is better than a shut down.

I think like many, the Dawn and Jewel were my favourites. They looked beautiful and they weren't too large (very kid friendly). There was never trouble finding things to do on a 4 night cruise and it was truly sad that they sold both and scrapped Jewel. As for the current fleet, I'm torn between all 3. I've heard Adventure is being docked soon which could be good, Encounter has recently been docked & Explorer is a good way for people like myself to see the "older" P&O style. It would be nice if they could get more ships though as our capacity (especially in winter) isn't great and I think a Coral-class ship could slide in quite nicely. Brilliant guide and I'll probably come back to this video if I need to decide what ship I want to go on. Cheers.

Encounter all the way for me. Aft adults only area with walk in pool, great bar and easy to grab lunch or snack from the pantry.

It's the "nope" after every blooper for me 😅 Im very keen for the breakfast at Angelo's with the Byron Club! I can't find the menu anywhere online so I wonder if it's going to be the same as the waterfront or something different

Love the Explorer ❤

We were on Adventure mid Oct in one of the accessible balcony cabins. That alone makes it a good ship. Despite issues with the P&O Australia product overall (obvious cost cutting and lack of sea day day time entertainment on our cruise), we had a good time, though I feel Charlie's Bar/Avalon Cafe could be better situated closer to more window areas. In saying that it was a good place to set up 'camp' for a few hours. Not sure if we'll sail P&O again, but it'll because of other aspects of the product, as the ship wasn't bad at all.

One thing love the Explorer pantry better as its bigger ! But other then that ❤️ the Encounter as we are closer to bizzy so haven ot done Adventure! Only thing different about adv and Encounter is Adv don't have kids club at the back which means the kids at kids club don't have an outdoor area.

Pacific Explorer. The Pantry is much better. I just felt more comfortable on Explorer. Don't know why.

First

❤ The Explorer...

I always rorget about pno australia to uk

I've never sailed on Adventure or Encounter but I wonder why Luke's Bar & Grill are on different decks as the ships are of the same class, as I understand. I wonder why they didn't fit them out in the same layout.

Sailed on Pacific Adventure twice and Pacific Explorer once. Much prefer Pacific Explorer. Less crowded, and more things for adults to do.

I miss the jewel that was the best and easy ship to get around

Sailed on Pacific Adventure twice and sailed on Pacific Explorer twice and sailing on her again in 2025

I've never been on a P&O ship. When looking into cruise lines years ago, they rated the worst of all the cruise lines at the time. They don't look that bad. The grass looks a bit dated. What demographic of people go on P&O?

And on all of them is the shitty pantry buffet . Probably the worst buffet on the ocean . Resembles more like prison food than what you would expect from a Cruise ship . I was on those ships when they were princess ships many years ago and they had awesome buffets . Who ever operates the buffet should be fired and bring it back to what princess used to do .

Hated the Adventure. Just sailed on it in April. Overcrowded, claustrophobic pool areas, screaming unruly kids, nothing for Adults. Oasis adults only area too small and no entertainment. Bar closed at 9pm! Food terrible, drinks watered down, cocktails in small plastic glasses. Waste of time, money and my annual leave.

We have sailed on Explorer twice, and Adventure more recently. The Adventure was a disappointment, in the 10 day cruise the main menu in the waterfront and Angelo,s didn’t change for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the whole cruise. WHAT? Not to say the food was,nt good, but goodness me, no change in 10 days. Come on P&O. The explorer was much better, in size, layout, and entertainment. As was the restaurants.

Hi Adrian we are melbournians the forgotten race that's according to p&o We hardly get enough Cruises pacific explorer only here for less than 2 months a year don't understand why we don't get more Cruises from p&o Why they don't give us varieties such barrier reef cruise from Melbourne during june/July and august syd and Brisbane get Cruises all year round Am going on the adventure 25 august 9 notes barrier reef cruise On top on cruise fare am spending 1300$ more for flight and hotel not fair p&o. Learn to share lol

Sadly not in the fleet anymore but I sailed on the Pacific Jewel a few years back that was absolutely fantastic wish they kept it running. 😭🛳️