nimiq

Anyone else joining us on this 7 night cruise out of Brisbane ?

sea ya

Eric 

3 hours ago, banditoo said:

We too are Canadians and are travelling on on Radiance of the Seas round trip Sydney to NZ in January. I used the official government website noted in post #12. 

This is the message received (one for each of us) as soon as I completed my online application and payment:

We are reviewing your request for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). We will let you know within 72 hours whether your NZeTA has been issued or refused, it could take as little as 10 minutes.

Do not attempt to travel to New Zealand until we approve your NZeTA.

 

Purchase Summary:
 

New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority fee*:	$12.00 NZD
International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy:	$35.00 NZD
TOTAL	$47.00 NZD

 

Immediately following the application and payment, within a few minutes, I received the following in a separate email for each of us: 

Your New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) has been issued.

This NZeTA authorises you to travel to or transit New Zealand.

 

When you travel to New Zealand, you must check in with the passport listed here.

When arriving in New Zealand, you must declare any biosecurity risk items.

Now your NZeTA has been issued, what next?

 

•		It is your responsibility to ensure that the passport details in this NZeTA exactly match the details of the passport you will travel on. If these details do not match, you will be prevented from travelling to New Zealand. You can use our online form to correct some details, such as your passport number, otherwise you must request a new NZeTA.
•		You must ensure that your passport expiry date complies with the rules about how long it must be valid for at the time of travel.
•		You must ensure that you meet all other requirements to travel to New Zealand, including holding outward passage (either a return ticket to your home country, or an outward ticket to a destination that you have the right to enter) before travelling to New Zealand, and having sufficient funds for your stay. It is also strongly recommended that you hold travel insurance. When you arrive in New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand must be satisfied that you are a genuine visitor.
•		This NZeTA does not guarantee that you will be allowed to travel to or enter New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand will continue to assess your eligibility to travel, including using information provided by your carrier relating to your travel booking.
•		You must apply for entry permission and a visa on arrival in New Zealand.

 

For information on what to see and do in New Zealand, visit https://www.newzealand.com/ie/.

See you in New Zealand!

You did it correctly. I called them and was told to redo it and this time not put transit passenger and it should make me pay for both.

 unfortunately I purchased the in transit (airport passenger) visa. The lady said I should of read the whole page before purchasing it. I told her that when you compare the visas for cruise ship passenger it could get confusing. 
 

Anyhow I lost $9 x2 but this will not distract me from enjoying my vacation. Just hope this helps others.

thanks all

Eric 

4 hours ago, twangster said:

Walking through the application process myself was confusing.  In some places it seemed pretty clear that the transit ETA was for short term passengers between flights but in other places it made it seem like cruise ship passengers just needed a transit ETA.

 

As I read on it seemed more clear that visitors have to pay the IVL.  In places it suggested cruise ship visitors are not "in transit".  I had a hard time believing that the IVL would only apply to visitors staying in a residence or hotel.  I was confused and it wasn't that much money so to be safe I went ahead with the IVL version.  This is what my email stated:

 

Your New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) has been issued.

This NZeTA authorises you to travel to or transit New Zealand.

 

When you travel to New Zealand, you must check in with the passport listed here.

That is probably what I have done wrong as I went ahead with the transit opetion which at the end it gave me no option to pay or add the IVL.

Now I quess I will have to give them a call as it is and was so confusing.

Eric

On 12/14/2019 at 3:59 PM, snowglobe said:

That’s odd. For us it was intrinsically all part of the same transaction, not a two-parter.

 

I double-checked our e-mails, and this is what showed:

 

Purchase Summary:
 

New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority fee*: $12.00 NZD

International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy: $35.00 NZD

TOTAL $47.00 NZD

 

- which is roughly $30~ CAD.

 

So strange as it never gave me the option to purchase the IVL ....wondering if I just of toggle VISA instead of transit.

2 minutes ago, snowglobe said:

Do you recall paying a fee, even a small one?

We did at the time that we applied - it was sort of automatic.

(Roughly $30 or so... that’s the IVL.)

I only paid like $9 each for that transit NZeTA

Yikes is it me or what ....I have been reading on this subject and have trouble understanding what visa to apply for my cruise. 

First I am a Canadian cruiser that will be doing a Cruise on the Ovation Of The seas Departing  Sydney with stops in New Zealand with a return in Sydney.

I applied for an NZeTA for passengers on transit or cruise but upon receiving the confirmation email it says I need to pay the IVL if I wish to visit New Zealand.

I have been on the website and cant seem to find where to pay this IVL. Will this be done by the cruise line ?

Did I apply for the wrong visa ? Should I have just applied for a visitors visa instead ?

Below is a picture that made me decide on taking the NZeTA for transit and cruise passengers and the picture from the emailed received saying need to pay for this IVL if I enter New Zealand.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

Sea ya

Eric

They are changing the CD today actually it is now Dan France taking over.

5 hours ago, george35 said:

We were given as a perk the CLASSIC drink pkg which I know is up to $9 per drink but my question is all my wife drinks is a LEMON DROP can anyone tell me if that is in the $9 limit???

 

george35

I almost got the same question but me it’s for s Dirty Martini ?

9 hours ago, shark&minnow said:

Thank you! This is exactly what we are planning to do.

 

Same here will bring all the familly including my 87 years mom to the public beach beside the Calico Jacks

So it will also say CALL on ou sea pass ?

Hello,

nice to meet people like us that are happy to be on a cruise ship and can comment without being hateful. 
This Is a great start love your writing and you comments.

Will be following.

Sea ya

Eric

Have a good night sleep as tomorrow is the day can’t wait to hear and see all about it.

Have Fun 
 

Sea ya 

Eric 

On 4/10/2019 at 7:49 PM, bandjwayne said:

 

 

We were on the Carnival Paradise & in Grand Cayman we had priority tendering because we were FTTF. A letter was in our room the night before saying what time to arrive at a lounge for priority boarding. This worked great we were off the ship in no time.

 

We walked to the bus station and took a bus (large van) for $2.50/person to 7 mile beach (by the public beach/Calico Jacks area). The driver was very friendly & stopped whenever requested. Once we got to the beach (~9:30 am) we were greeted by a guy who got us 2 lounge chairs & an umbrella right in front of the water for $20. We played in the gorgeous water & the kids tried the water trampoline (but that really was too hard to get onto, even for my active kids). My younger son enjoyed snorkeling for rocks...tip, get a full faced snorkel mask - SO much easier for the kids! We walked over to Calico Jacks for a few drinks and chicken strips. There were some food trucks set up in the public beach area, I was just a little nervous to get food from them for sanitary reasons. Once we had enough we took the bus back to the cruise terminal. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time as the traffic was kind of bad w/lots of ships in town.

 

Public Beach area on 7 Mile Beach (just down from Calico Jacks)

 

 

. Plenty of space to throw the football right away - it did get much busier midday

 

. 9 year old loved the full face snorkel mask -~$60 on Amazon

 

. Lots of pretty rocks to pick up (& then throw back into the sea)

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So the actual place you went is called (Public Beach ) ? How different is it to Calico Jacks ?

Not sure I got it. 

Thanks

Sea Ya

Eric

Is there an entrance fee to the Tropicante ? How much was the cab ?

Thank you

Sea ya

Eric

Following thanks for doing this.

Sea Ya

Eric 

Just saw on YouTube a cruise ship video tour on her and she will become my favourite of the Royal class. She is more modern looking with lots of open venues making it inviting. They finally listen to all of us and added more pools and made the Bellini’s bar bigger by moving it down.

She is a beautiful ship.

Sea ya

Eric

9 hours ago, fordpickup said:

 

Yep, just us two. We've gone with and without friends in the past - both are fun but for different reasons. Friends - just a good time with people you already know but usually requires coordination. Just together - it's like summer camp, you get to meet new people and do whatever you want for vacation. If I don't feel like getting of the boat, I don't need to! 😉

 

Is it your extended family or like just immediate?

So true both are very different. For us this time around it will be very needy time as I’m with my 87 years old mom first ever cruise and also my brother and wife first cruise the other couple with us is friends of the familly. I’m sure they will be following us everywhere and we are organizing all the tours lol.

its very different when we are alone but both are fun 🙂

have you ever been on EQUINOX 

56 minutes ago, fordpickup said:

Well that's cool! It should be a good time. The G&L boards for Celebrity seem to be hit or miss depending on the cruise.

 

Is everyone from Canada going on this sailing?

Not everyone but seems like we have kinda taken over the roll call lol 😂.

Are you cruising alone with husband ? 

6 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Thanks for the education, I don't spend much time in the craft breweries.  Upon further review I understand the menu as well as the flights of wine and other alcohol.  I guess it never crossed my mind that they would have a sampling of common domestic beers that I can buy on sale at CVS.  Based on this approach, I'm not sure Craft Social will be any more utilized than Cellar Masters.

3 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Interesting discussion.  Recently I was on a small group tour of the Galley lead by the Executive Chef on the Solstice.  He told us that the most common and popular crew snack/food was chicken wings.  

I did not realize that they were not offered on any Solstice menu or I would have asked him.  

He said that feeding the crew was a challenge with all the different shifts and backgrounds.

I also think this place will have same ending as Cellar Master unless the concept changes a bit ....like free appetizers.

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Thanks for the confirmation.  It's unfortunate that Celebrity is charging for bar food.  It's also interesting that a Miler Lite costs $10 + tip.

Same here it’s unfortunate to charge for finger food especially when NCL has a pub free of charge.

As for the $10 charge for the beer ....you don’t only get the Miller it’s a flight so you get all the one mentioned in that flight for $10.

Sea ya

Eric 

Hey,

Martin and Eric plus our family going on this cruise.

just saw you posted on the other roll call as well ...seem like a fun group 

Sea ya

Eric 

For having sailed on both lines sister ships I could definitely say we prefer the modern chic of celebrity. It’s a more adult contemporary vibe and with less kids. 
in my opinion because you have younger kids RCCL could be a better choice for the whole family as the kids will have more dedicated rooms to make friends this leaving you space to have a romantic dinner together.

On a side note RCCL is a good product but my last cruise on Allure of the seas confirmed that we prefer smaller ships.

have fun 

Sea ya

Eric

That was not in anyway a negative review it was well detailed and love the format. You were able to show some less pleasant stuff without letting it be a distraction from the rest of your cruise. 
 

If we embark through that second entrance of the ship will we still get our Champagne glass ? 
 

Did you have the time to have a drink before or after dinner at the Ensemble Lounge ? Was there a band ? 
 

For the World Class bar can you get any other drink if you have a Classic package ? Being on Keto lots of those special drinks have syrup and sugar so have to be very basic with my drinks. If I do see a specific good one then will use my Classic package and pay the difference.
Also we are a group of 7 and beside sitting at the bar this place doesn’t seem to have any other good sitting area if I look at pictures of others is that the case ? 
 

We love having a drink at Sunset bar before heading to our cabin at the end of the day. 
 

Again great review and pictures 

Thanks 

Sea ya 

Eric 

Going on a Caribbean cruise in November and in the App it says 7/9 for theatre shows. 
 

Personally not a fan of those times the 07:30/09:30 was better. It seems they want everyone out of the dinning room so early now making it less enjoyable 😞

On 10/6/2019 at 11:29 AM, ipeeinthepool said:

Here's my favorite T-shirt but my wife won't let me wear it

 

You should wear it and make one for your wife that would say “ME 2” 😂