Australian woman unleashes on P & O Cruises Australia following an ‘abysmal’ experience

One of the most famous cruise liners to sail around Australia has lost support from a 28-year-old Australia woman, who kicked off about a recent experience on board.

An Aussie influencer has unleashed on one of the country’s most famous cruise liners, claiming her experience on board was ‘abysmal’ and that food was ‘inedible’.

Taking to her 200,000 followers on TikTok, 28-year-old Emma Metzger hit out at the cruise company following her eight days journey through the Pacific Islands on board the popular Pacific Encounter.

Ms Metzger, who confessed she “loves cruises” and has been on many before, said her voyage with P&O was the first time she’d sailed with the company instead of her previous decision to board with Princess Cruises.

@emmatheg0at @P&O Cruises Australia y’all are on my hit list fr #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #cruise #cruiseline #cruiseholiday #aussiesdoingthings #aussietok #brisbane #bristok ♬ original sound - Em Dog Millionaire

But following the experience, Ms Metzger said she wish she’d never stepped foot on board the ship, which set sail over the New Year period.

“The cruise itself was abysmal,” she said in the video, which has been viewed 170k times.

“That’s the only word I can use.”

28-year-old Emma Metzger has hit out at P & O Cruises Australia over a recent experience on board the liner’s Pacific Encounter.

Ms Metzger claims she’s been on many cruises, but this was her first P & O voyage.

The P&O brand will come to an end in March, after the cruise liner announced last year that they would be merging with Carnival Cruises.

The move means all ships — if not retired completely — will be integrated into Carnival’s existing fleet.

Ms Metzger questioned whether this merge is what caused such a poor experience as a guest on board.

“I can’t tell if the experience we had is because they have stopped caring because they [P&O] won’t exist, or if they’re about to not exist because that’s the common experience [for passengers],” she said.

“This cruise, I am not even joking, most of my meals were inedible.

“I have never had that cliche experience of biting into my food, and spitting into a napkin … but I did.”

Ms Metzger acknowledged that while P&O is the cheaper option when it comes to weighing up cruise liners, that was no excuse for the experience offered.

“All the shows on board you had to pay extra,” she claimed.

“That is such a joke. Half the activities didn’t happen.”

An aerial view of Pacific Encounter. Photo: P&O Cruises.

P&O Pacific Encounter will carry on sailing under the Carnival name. Picture: Liam Kidston

After almost a century at sea, P&O – one of the most famous cruise liners to sail around Australia — will be no more.

Last year, the shock announcement was made that P&O Cruises Australia will cease to exist from early 2025.

The family-friendly cruise brand will wind up operations and fold into Carnival Cruise Line, which has sailed across the South Pacific since 2013.

While the Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure ships, which are currently under the P&O banner, will carry on sailing under the Carnival name, the Pacific Explorer ship will no longer operate in Australian waters.

A spokesperson for P&O Cruises Australia told news.com.au in a statement that Ms Metzger’s complaints were never voiced on board, and defended staff of the Pacific Encounter for working “tirelessly” to ensure “amazing holidays for each and every guest”.

“Our kitchens prepare meals for 3,000 guests every day, and we are sorry if this guest feels her dining experience fell short of her expectations,” the statement read.

“Our crews will always work hard to address issues, when the issues are raised on-board.”

The spokesperson highlighted that majority of the P&O staff would be staying on when the ships transfer over to become Carnival ships.

News.com.au has reached out to Ms Metzger for comment.