shireboi

On 10/17/2023 at 6:25 AM, Sparky74 said:

OK, so this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but what do YOU consider to be a good price for a cruise NOW. 

 

What are YOUR magic numbers? What do YOU consider a good deal? 

A 'good deal' IMO depends on what you will get on your cruise - if its a cruise only, a packaged deal etc, where it goes etc. If $100 per night is having the basics (food, buffet, free drinks) then it's a reasonable deal.  If you then taken into consideration that you are on a 'holiday' and you would need to pay for drinks, maybe wifi or just to use some of the gym equipment (eg bikes) - then is your cruise just too 'basic' ??

Just grabbed a packaged deal for Virgin's Resilient Lady in March where if I was to include (and reduced the cost) to the added drink deal ($1400+) my cruise, accomm, flight works out to be $150/ day - with all of those added 'extras' that other ships charge for.  To me this is a great deal (better would be doing this ship on the Athens to Freemantle 'deal' for Oct24 (that a few are advertising for $9999 - but I don't have anyone to that with 😞 ) 

Compared to a hotel city stay where you are sometimes getting slugged $200++ for just a room per night.

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

If the hotel room included a full breakfast for two, a three course lunch for two, a good four course dinner for two, quality entertainment in multiple venues to suit most tastes, and all the other amenities of a cruise ship then yes. But most hotels don't which is why we enjoy cruising, which has one extra advantage over a hotel - the scenery changes daily.

i couldn’t and would be able to stomach that amount of food each day…..

given my mum barely ate anything I won’t be doing another with her again.

next trip is to Bangkok in November..club room breakfast, afternoon tea, club drinks and bites for $180 a room

On 8/23/2022 at 2:52 PM, arxcards said:

Those prices include the plus package:

  Plus Beverage Package (drinks Up To $12 Each)

  Wi-fi (1 Device Per Guest)

  $50 onboard spending credit per person

For the base price of your Majestic one, you can drop $50 per day down to $168pp for a twin inside. Balconies start at $222pp. Inclusive packages on Princess were only ever a limited promotional thing on selected cruises prior to covid.

 

Now with the added cost to fuel and other supplies, base pricing is on the way up. On the flip side though, if you are flexible it is a good time to sit and wait for deals to come along. Not going to happen for the lap around Oz cruises though.

Drinks up to $16 on Princess

$222 per person is HELL of a lot to be asking for a room, a few meals (if you want to do buffets or dining room)  - would you pay $450+ for a hotel room per night ? 

P&O must be crazy thinking that people are going to pay for :  the comedy and pride cruises are great comparisons.  A balcony on the later, 3 night cruise, is $266 per person - and that's WITHOUT DRINKS.

Their 'standard inclusions' are a joke :  entry to bars !!??!!

These short breaks are where they prices have gone up significantly - mainly because the current destinations in the South Pacific are limited.  

Having just come off the Coral Princess on a 3 night deal (drinks - to which I didn't indulge ) - I would seriously not bother with any of the other cruise lines and the 'up to $800 per stateroom credit' scams = I have no desire for another cruise at the moment - and will wait til the market has a few more ships departing.  

You just need to be savvy on any deals - and take into consideration the propaganda deals that seem GREAT but really arent

11 hours ago, yes!yes!yes! said:

The ship is very quiet. Good atmosphere  at all the shows.

Only using one dining room for the whole cruise and only one feature show per night.

 

how many nights are u having on this ship ??

traveling with many others ?

12 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Do you really need the app when on board? I know it makes embarkation a bit easier, although you can use paperwork for that as well.

 

I used the Patter while on board to work out what happening. The TV in the cabin will give you just about everything else, including room service (which you can also get over the cabin phone).

I had the app on my iPad / Android phone - usage ....  it was GOOD to find the drinks menu / whats in the drink and price . but that was all.

The app is just too slow for other usage.  

You can book restaurants on the TV or with your medallion at any of the large screens = I can't think of many other usages. 

there were two USB plugs on the desk - near the bed.  

Just leave them to charge overnight.

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Which is why we carry sanitiser so we can sanitise our hands after removing our masks by the earloops, press lift buttons with our knuckles, don't go to the buffet, etc. 

 

Certainly there is some risk in removing and replacing masks but if done with care it is less risky than being unmasked in congested areas around the ship, especially the lifts. 

why bother ?? 

don't go out of the cabin - if you think that the 'buffet' is such a risky place... or even think about the lift buttons, the door handles, waiting in line at a bar or restaurant, having the crew deliver something... etc etc.  

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

This diagram shows the risk levels of transmission with and without masks. The key point to remember that an infected person may not know they have been infected because they don't have any symptoms. 

 

Yep - such as myself - utter no symptoms at all !!   zero - but double boostered.  THAT is what we should be doing.   

7 minutes ago, arxcards said:

International Cafe was also packed when the 9:30 show ended, as many were heading off to bed with a coffee. Lots heading off to work straight from the ship this morning, so it was really quiet - well, everywhere but the deck 7 ashtray it seems.

 

My wife had one drink in a tall glass. It was a dirty banana. Depending on the bars, margaritas and daiquiris were sometimes served that way.

yep - we were off at 7.10 ... "calling group number 1"... we were 7 .. sorry no waiting for us.  Train back to The Shire and remote working at 8.30am.   (hope that couple we met at Town Hall heading to Corrimal got home OK - the train south was like a 40+ min wait.)   

08.35 my 82 mum falls over and hits her head at home.......  big golf size bruise now.     That shall be her last trip.  

Might be my last cruise for a while - no one I know wants to go - and it would otherwise be solo for me.

(going to drive from my Sydney home to my Bathurst home later this arvo.. after work.... a long day). 

Gosh ....that early morning arrival was so smooth... looked out at 5.30am... and some lights.. and then the Opera House !!! 

It was rough seas outside the heads at 3.30am.....

It was a quite a strange night last night - not too many around ...  the Party Music Trivia in Explorers wasn't much... the Beatles Trivia had 4 people...  Buffet was empty at around 6....

Impressions of Coral Princes...

Nice ship - but if you don't have the drinks package, you find little much else but bars.  

There are no TVs in the bars - except Level 5 Good Spirits - that has a promo on loop....   so forget about any sport coverage (i noted that was asked her) 

The Wheelhouse Bar was dead last night - it's filled with big chairs and lounge - and when empty it's just quiet.   Much like the Explorers Lounge when nothing is on....  dark...

The Cafe :  avoid near 10am - it's just so busy.   Or get in early.

There's next to no other techology except the screens near the lifts.  

The Universe Lounge was used for trivia and bingo......   there is no nightclub.  

The Princess Theatre has no bar - you will need to get them from some bar afar and carry them. 

The Medallion App at least allowed you to see the drinks menu / prices - and a few other things - though I never found out what drinks where in those tall glasses.  

Room - Balcony - there is no sitting space -just a single chair and desk.  

Bathroom - small but functional (if you are of a reasonable size - if you aren't then, you may find it very tight).

Beds - twin - small width - but still comfortable.  

Lot of movies !!   I think we watched all of the Frasier episodes though. 

We only did the Buffet - my mum was not eating much / was confused (dementia coming on) - it was well.... bland.  There were about 14 hot choices - that would include chips, mash, sliced...   and fish... and another fish... and fish battered...

Forget the scrambled eggs...  firstly it was plain, then next with asparagus.. and today with onion.....

BUT such SMALL FORKS !! 

24 minutes ago, ekka49 said:

I refuse to use the app.

Someone at Princess is trying to justify their job.

Just man the telephones

best wishes on the cruise without the app… enjoy the longer queue 

At least you can see the drinks menu…prices and order drinks to wherever you are sitting.

you can use the app, the tv or any of the screens around the ship to book the restaurants

early kick off in Sydney…07.10…… and then back at work (remote) by 8.30

Rather cloudy and coolish arrival into Newcastle..0615am now…..

5 minutes ago, CCC's said:

Your ongoing trolling is becoming soooo boring!  

and so is yours ..maybe you should stop quoting me then…..twice!

32 minutes ago, yes!yes!yes! said:

Just sat thru musical bingo. What a laugh.

Will do again on next 2 cruises 

how many cruises are u doing ?

encore was a bore…  nothing against the cast but two James Bond songs ??  Music bingo was only one once…and there’s no repeat later tonight. 

what drinks are in the tall long glasses ..?
 

travelling with my mum whom clearly has signs of dementia now 😞   (Sorry it doesn’t make for a pleasant time for me)
 

Looked at the main dining room menu… Saturday night

couldn’t find anything worth bothering with…. It was some garbage of fish stew, beef stew, Orange roughy fish.

buffet at 6.30 is empty… stopped by to see the recycled deserts 

the food on this cruise is quite poor. 

tempting to get off at Newcastle and head home 

13 hours ago, B'Elanna said:

Just a quick question to anyone who is on board or has been on board.

 

Do you still get the credit card sized card or does the Medallion thingy replace it totally? Just wondering, as I collect them!

it’s the small one,,,thought there are a few with watch wrist types.

Impressions : it’s a nice ship, clean, a lot of bars, which is great if you have a drinks package, otherwise you probably would be bored.

balcony room on Baja 11 near lift…small no lounge unlike Ovation…. Beds are comfortable but I’d hate to image how many of the larger quests would be sleeping on them in twin or double configuration 

we’ve only done the piggery for food…not overly impressed… quite bland… miss the larger ship choices.  Forget decent bacon on here…….A simple bread roll at breakfast couldn’t be found.  Granted my last cruise was one of those Chinese ships that was doing local cruises in 2019…that was horrid…food was terrible.
 

watching kids play table tennis..that’s the lone entertainment for them..there are very few kids on this one.
 

gym 1 rower, cardio equipment is half on, with that Covid separation still going on. 
 

3 nights is probably reaching my tolerance on this ship.. I would find that any longer that I would be getting close to the 15 drinks per day…..thought it would be nice to know what those tall drinks are called .????

Traveling with my 82 mother …whom will probably not have another holiday…. mind is going.

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I like to avoid the buffet if possibly 

And the pool area…

….. some things you can’t unsee.

the Princess plus deal is getting a canning ….  I will have to detox after these 3 nights…… there’s a few on board this trip…though one can’t judge the numbers. 
 

Well….

it was like driving into the Ho Chi Min City port…. $50 taxi drive…

Left hotel at 12… here in the piggery food court at 1.30 …watching the masses indulge 

sadly my mum is losing her mind…onset… she has no idea where she is going 

If it’s GREEN - then you have completed what was required 

(question would be then - what have u uploaded for the RAT test ??)

last night i had issues with the app on my phone and iPad but were able to get everything done today for tomorrow’s cruise

Notice for our Sunday visit to Newcastle…

0800 to 17.30…instead of 0700 to 1800… not that there will be much of any difference for a Sunday there.

might get to see the arrival at this time.

just have to take some face pics and we are done for the app

1pm board for us..

On 8/13/2022 at 9:42 AM, yes!yes!yes! said:

think the Princess plus is popular. There were many drunk people  by 5pm yesterday.

On 8/13/2022 at 11:42 AM, yes!yes!yes! said:

They have one Australian  powerpoint in your cabin with 2 usb plugs next to the hair-dryer.

thanks … boarding this Friday ….I won’t be getting drunk… but it will be a change to have a drinks package on a cruise…just means that I can stay up much later..

any copies of the drinks / cocktails menu ??
 

There next Sunday… looks like our cabin will be on the pictured side.

Will be in Newcastle on the Sunday (dept Brisbane 19 Aug)… all we are doing  to do is get down to Westfield Kotora…have a quick look around,..Either catch the bus down..and taxi back to the ship.

I guess that there will be a bus that drops you into town….

my mum won’t want to walk too far.. and I could drive there on a weekend…. Plus there won’t me much open on a Sunday

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

8:30 Today Show news has added some other shocking details.

- 2000 passengers are stuck below deck,

- Passengers are hoping to come ashore,

- Brisbane are sending a pilot to the ship in the hope they can help get the ship to dock. 

 

ht, that they must be intentially trying to inflame. Nobody could possibly be that clueless.

the C9 hysteria....

https://twitter.com/9NewsAUS/status/1550963802207813633?s=20&t=2Iqg4xdPyNWw7zKG1hk7OA

water sloshing out the pools.....  wondering if you had a drink packaging as to that was still being sloshed ??  

Best of luck those leaving / boarding today.......

12 hours ago, arxcards said:

I saw this video yesterday, via a friend onboard. One of those lovely clips where the pool tries to empty all over the lido deck. Note, this was filmed yesterday morning in much calmer conditions.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-22/coral-princess-struggles-to-dock-as-it-battles/13984928

 

Even the skills of the ABC, I don't know where this Brisbane Harbour is.

wow…the Coral has a FlowRider….   Look forward to that in 4 weeks time…

hopeful that these wet weather systems will be gone by then….

35 minutes ago, brin282 said:

I pulled of the coral pricne 22 August.  Not take any risks as heard that going to cancell all of Coral curies from August.

Heard where ??  2GB ?   Sunrise ??   Curies ??!!!  

I'm booked on the 3 days from Brisbane to Sydney - 19 August.   Getting 4th booster today........ 

incredible that everyone is going OTT on the cruises from Brisbane - yet tonight there will be over 50,000 in the Covid Cauldron watching State of Origin.