Ozwoody

Yes, we have found the same, a good TA knows the system and it can lead to much better deals.

Our TA has at times found a better deal after we have booked a cruise, and been able to swap our booking to the better deal which was cheaper with a better cabin.

22 hours ago, Kiwias said:

Hi all, thanks for your help.  Some VERY basic calculations for my trip - based on a (very) conservitive 2 alcaholic drinks a day (even mum would drink that), a soft drink/water a day, one desert, no gym AND splitting the internet cost in half (if we didnt have the package mum and I would share - one device at a time!) it makes it worth getting the package 🙂

Hi Kiwias

Further to you evaluation of plus package above.
Using your data, I think the below is a better evaluation for you to consider.

It will be easier to read if you down load it to read.

Hil & I, are not big alcohol drinkers and often re-evaluate the benefits of the package.
So, from a low-drinkers prospective the above is how I looked at the comparison.
The prices shown are the latest I am aware of, but may not be the current one’s charged.
Others here could probably advise correct cost if mine are out of date.

The dinners and the upmarket desserts did not interest us to any extent, as we found the included meals in the MDR’s were usually very good.

As you quoted $20 dollars per day internet I have assumed you have obtained Platinum Level with Princess.

Hope the above is of some use.

Regards

John

26 minutes ago, Tripmode33 said:

Having done 30 Princess cruises, I was sure that where you had both Refundable and Non-refundable OBC on your folio account, they would use up the non-refundable first. If any refundable unspent, you would receive a refund.

However, after two ports were cancelled during our March cruise, we were given refundable OBC for port charges refund. We were careful, as always, to spend our non-refundable OBC.

I am now arguing with Princess re the refund of Refundable credit which we expected.

This is their exact wording on last email:

"Where there is a combination of refundable and non-refundable credits, in all instances when there is both, the system will automatically draw against the refundable first. Only once all the refundable onboard credit is used, does the system then draw on the non-refundable component."

 

Is this correct?

I think the person who said that to you may have got it back to front.

Some people actually purchase OBC, (don't know why?), but there is an option to do so.

I would be bloody upset if they used up my refundable OBC before the non-refundable, then say sorry about that, and kept the unspent non-refundable OBC.

Can't see Princess doing that.

I have received a refund on one cruise we did, about two weeks after the cruise.

So if it true, it must be a new policy.

Would make me grumpy!

1 hour ago, Cbtours said:

We did this a number of years ago because we parked at the airport cos flew somewhere first and then sailed back into Melbourne (our home town). Thus would be maybe 7 or 8 years ago and cost us $70 then. So I’m sure it would easily be $90 now.

Yes, it's a loong way from Princess Pier to Tulla airport.😄

7 hours ago, kmyers57 said:

Hello all, We're looking to book a down under cruise and wanted to get experienced opinions of which would be more scenic from a Balcony cabin view. Also, what time of year do you prefer.

Thanks

Do you have particular cruises in mind, Australia is a big place, are you planning NZ cruise out of Australia or from within NZ?

Need more info to be able to help.

Regards

8 minutes ago, Jensue9 said:

Omg I could hug you! I clicked on your link and looked at the schedule and it says the westerdam arriving march 30 is docking at the overseas cruise terminal! That is the terminal at circular quay isn’t it? Oh I do hope so. 

That's the one, your welcome.

John

To find out which cruise terminal your ship docks at look up the date of your cruise on this link.

https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/cruise/sydney-cruise-schedule/

It is the Sydney Cruise ship Schedule by the port authority, they dictate where ships berth.

Regards

John

ps; @Sparky74 you forgot to take into account the scooter would need to be recharged quite a few time I would imagine.🤣

Yes Princess notified us of the change for our cruise on the Crown in Oct.

We rather like the traditional dining style, we have never had bad table mates.

Only on one cruise did a couple not turn up for any nights.

What was annoying was when they were asked to give their seating up, they said no we might decide to use it. So their seats remained empty the whole cruise. 

On longer cruises traditional dining is a great way to make cruise friend, we have people we still catch up with years later.

13 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks John for sharing your insights.

 

I know that in many ports disembarkation usually begins around 0700-0730 so making an 1115 flight might be risky. And to walk off requires handling our luggage which being away from home for nearly 2 months might be more bags than usual…although with free laundry hopefully not. Hopefully there will be other flights around midday before our BNE/AKL flight in 11 months. 🤞

 

I think anything from about 12:30pm would be a safer bet.

For interest below is a jpg of location of BICT to Brisbane airport.

1 hour ago, Astro Flyer said:

@Mycruiseobsession In March 2025 we fly from the US to cruise on Princess roundtrip Brisbane circumnavigating Australia which will be our first time there. At the end we’ll fly to Auckland for 2 days before cruising Princess back to the US. If you have any experiences to share about Brisbane where we’re planning to arrive 4 days before our cruise it would be greatly appreciated.
 

Looking at BNE/AKL flights they are limited…either at about 1800 or 1100. How was your disembarkation experience? Was it early enough to make an 1115 flight? Most flights are early morning (0500-0900) but we’re hoping that the 1115 flight might be doable instead of waiting until 1800. Catching the earlier flight would be dependent upon when we could disembark & how long it’d take to get to BNE.

 

Any insights would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
 

The Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) is about a 15 minute taxi trip from the cruise terminal to the international airport terminal.

Usually they want you there 3 hours before an international flight, don't know how strict they are with that time, you may be able to be allowed down to two hours prior?

But you would have to clear customs at the latest around 8am I would think to allow for getting a taxi and getting to the terminal.

Regards

John

14 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

Yes, I had read all the reports on P & O Au and had not considered that company. But I was looking for somewhere to cruise over my birthday, which I find difficult since I became a solo traveller, and P & O had a cruise that just fitted nicely, including a couple of ports that are new to me.  I'm not expecting miracles for the price I paid. 

I learned a lesson when I took a cruise on Carnival Splendor, which was being bagged by everyone. I actually enjoyed it enough to book another one on the same ship. Definitely a matter of individual taste, expectations and your degree of tolerance. I think.

Hi @cruiser3775, ass @ceeceeDee said some people can focus on their negative experience as they see them. I did on one cruise but later on consideration realised it was not as bad as I felt at the time.

I did a review of a being a Princess bolted on, as new P&O cruiser here if your interested. here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2971326-po-pacific-encounter-cruise-review-13th-oct-–-20th-oct-2023-–-north-queensland/?do=findComment&comment=66345780

I tried to just be non-biased and fair as I could, P&O was not my favourite line, but its not a bad one either, just different to what I am use too. A tried to be a bit like @Mycruiseobsession but in reverse.

Regards

John

Great review, thank you.

We agree budget plays a large part in what cabin we select, if we can get better than an interior for roughly the same cost we go for it, otherwise we don't spend a lot of time either in the cabin, so interiors ok.

Hil prefers the room pitch black, I love the light streaming in, but generally I'm up early so does not really matter.😄

Thank you again.

Regards

John

Do you ever wonder why you don't get notifications for a thread you post, but when you check in just to see what's happening, and there are multiple posts?

Well I can tell you one reason, It pays to click the follow button!🥴

Thanks guys, great suggestions, wadding through looking them all up.

Regards

John

Thanks guys, working through the suggestions.

Regards

John

18 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

If making a booking for that many people, most places will want a deposit and it would be non refundable. Perhaps a public bar with a less formal atmosphere may be better. 

The ship in at CQ may fit the bill.

Thanks Mic, will check it out, that is the type of thing I was hoping for, some where not to noisy.

regards

John

Hi 

Looking for ideas/recommendations for a pre-cruise meet & greet, near the OPT in the Circular Quay/The Rocks area.

As the cruise is on a Saturday, it will be on a Friday night, which is obviously not a great night for one.

But thinking if a suitable small location for around 25-30 people, may be able to be booked early.
Looking for somewhere not too expensive, that also caters for vegetarians.

I’ve googled some nice places, but they all have bands, or seem like noisy popular place, which I would imagine would be difficult for a M&G, understandable for a Friday night.

Most of the main restaurants that pop up, have very expensive menus. Yeah I know its Sydney, everywhere is expensive, but hopefully there are some reasonably priced ones where people can meet and be able to talk to each other.

Would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks, Ozwoody

At a guess, it would seem to me to be related to the Spa facilities above.

Further to @Relaxing Robbies re cruises going in the wrong direction, yes in reverse as a Queenslander, I would rather head south in the summer for cooler weather, not further north for more humidity.🤷‍♂️

2 hours ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

We were booked on the 37 night Hawaii loop cruise and are devastated that it has been cancelled. We already have a Freo to Sydney northern route cruise booked for next May, so we are not interested in the replacement Round Australia offering with $250 obc. After spending hours yesterday considering our options, we have opted for the Crown Princess Sydney to Singapore cruise prior to her drydock.

 

It is getting harder for us Victorians to find suitable cruises. Costs of travelling to Sydney or Brisbane to board soon add up, and make shorter cruises uneconomic. My preference would be cruises to Queensland and the South Pacific in the April to October period when it is cold in Melbourne. I am not interested in cruising to Cairns during the hot humid wet season, and worry about cyclones impacting my cruise. No wonder the cruise lines are having trouble selling their cruises from Brisbane. 

Could not agree more.

I don't think they understand Australians, I feel we are different from Americans due to our geography, and life styles, basically we think different, I can't explain it, but I believe our mind set is different.🤔🤷‍♂️ 

I just don't think they get us?

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

It takes away a risk. If there is a chance that they could alter an itinerary away from NZ because of a dirty butt, it is made much more difficult if they are scheduled to drop-off passengers and embark new ones in Auckland.

 

The other issue with embarking passengers in Auckland is that the disembarks in Australia are much more complicated than for loop cruises.

I don't know, we have done the Diamond Syd-Auck twice 2010 & 2015 it was full both times, and evidently on the return trip to, as we looked at doing the reverse trip fly there and return by ship.

Customs did not strike me as much different.

Maybe times have changed?

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

These were the voyage numbers that were cancelled on Discovery

Voyages X602A, X602B, X603A, X604A & X605A

it seemed to be the shorter versions of the NZ cruises that were cancelled.  The original release is on the main Princess board and can be found with a quick search. That has the voyage numbers listed. 

Hmm, that seems to me, like they don't think NZ worth the effort?

Wonder if hull cleaning is getting too difficult, with no all weather location to do the cleaning, making cruises there a bit hit & miss?

2 hours ago, Cruise Junky said:

What it looks like they’ve done is removed all the embarkation in Auckland options for the NZ cruises. My Southern Australia is still intact but is useless to me without the preceding NZ cruise.  

Is it just the cruises out of Auckland that's cancelled, or to other NZ ports also?

All joking aside, does anybody carry coins anymore?

I haven't carried coins for years, always feel bad passing buskers, don't really carry any cash with me, just rely on my plastic. just carry a $50 note for emergencies.

Do buskers have efpos these days?

10 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

Do people really think giving an adult $1 or $2 is the thing to do? 

 

Far better IMO  to mention them by name in a post cruise survey or write a letter to management mentioning them by name than to give them shrapnel loose change. 

If a couple of thousand odd people feel like sending me all their shrapnel, I assure you I will not feel offended. 😁

Actually gratuities that are included in the fare, are not tips, gratuities on non Australian cruises are the American way of paying a persons wage.

I think the rational is if you really do your job well people will pay you more.

Here in Australia and many other places we pay a reasonable base wage.

Tips are for outstanding service here.

On the ship, as cruises from here include a working wage we do not pay the gratuities.

Tipping is very optional, depending on what you feel like giving, and what is within your financial means to give.

If you feel that someone has made your trip special, a tip is appropriate, if you can afford it.

Other wise as lyndarra has said make a special effort to make sure princess knows that they made your trip special. It also helps them having their contracts renewed.

Regards

John

and PS: Yes welcome to CC