arxcards

If they wanted that, they wouldn't be offering a combined 11 night cruise option at all.

BA & BB balconies will normally have selectable cabins. They are midship, upper balconies. They are also more expensive. BD, BE, BF are more likely to be guarantee, but are less expensive. All the same, if you tell an agent you will only book if you can get specific cabin numbers, they can usually shake one out of the booking system.

We are on the same cruise. I booked later than you, but booked a specific cabin. The last I looked, there was still a handful of specific cabins available, but maybe not in the grade you want.

No foreign port = no duty free cigs or alcohol.

Not all cruises from Sydney have gratuities included in the fare. Daily gratuities are added on Cunard, Disney & Holland America. It is the thought that counts. Any amount from the heart is usually well received.

If you book early enough, you can book a specific cabin, although not in all grades. Once those allocated cabins are filled, they will default to guarantees so they can be more flexible in how they sell the remaining cabins. Even then, get your T/A or PCP to shake the tree for you. No big deal. If you book late, all of the preferred cabins are already taken, so you may as well settle for pot luck anyway. Be wary though. Most T/As will pitch you their best price, and those will be on bookings with non-refundable deposits for guarantee cabins. There will often be specific cabins, but at a price.

Coral Princess had the same arrangement in Newcastle in February. It was to create a flow of passengers to match the loading of shuttle buses out of the restricted port area. Not for shuttle buses yesterday, but better to be waiting in a lounge than in a queue in the terminal or on the pier.

What, like your cougars, upside pineapples & clips of monkeys? You Mr Chili are a hypocrite.

It is on-topic to the surrounding discussion. Maybe you should become Host Chili.

Usually x 3 for me. No slappers, but a similar idea with arch support. A bit like the smooth masseurs. A pair of casual sketchers. A pair of good black shoes for dinner. It is good for us men, colour co-ordinating our whole case to black or brown belt & shoes. Add a pair of reef shoes for the relevant itineraries. I have access to those cheap slippers on Princess, but rarely use them. Barb is trying, but has worked out that packing a clothing colour theme does halve the number of shoes she needs to pack.

We have also had it a couple of times, where it would seem that travel agents aren't on holidays when they are on holidays. Their agency is always the cheapest.

Flipping between Swans, NRL, Supercars, Grand Prix for me.

They look like pork & beans kinda people.

Similar. Done a few. Avoid those that place their cards/medallions on the table when they identify status level or a suite - they are setting a trap, waiting for you ask why their card is a different colour.

Some of them want to use you