Gwendy

Happens all over the world. At one time there were a couple of “special” shops on Gold Coast in Australia where only bus loads of Japanese tourists were allowed in. I was also locked in at a jewellery store in Hong Kong on a cruise excursion. It is a wonder you didn’t hear me when I realised the door was locked. I protested loud enough to wake the dead. Lol

Most Asian countries are the same, unless you are buying, shop with your eyes, once you have touched or picked up an item, they consider it sold. I made this mistake in India and had the vendor follow me down the street, insisting I buy the item.

On a private tour in Cochin in India, our guide asked if it would be ok to visit a souvenir shop. He told us he gets a bag of rice for bringing visitors and also some petrol. We were happy to visit, good quality wares, no hard sell. In Hong Kong staff at the jewellery shop we were taken to were so pushy, I told guide I would wait by the door.

Same here, lots of drivers looking to take you. Do be very clear about where you want to go and set price before you even enter the vehicle. Local currency preferred over cards.

Years ago both my adult children stopped ironing. I called my daughter the Queen of Crush. Then I decided if it was good for them it would be good for me, haven’t touched an iron in over 5 years. Buy carefully, hang clothes in bathroom while you shower. It works.

Good to see her still sailing

Or Days of our Lives. After reading these comments I realise I lead a very dull life. Lol

What! Didn’t stay to see the result? Lol

There is a drawback. As there are more and more Elites your laundry can take 2 or 3 days to be returned. On one world cruise there were so many Elites laundry was taking up to 5 days to come back. Still better than braving laundry rage, lol

Love cruising with Princess, as an Elite get laundry done for free. Cunard also has great laundries, all free. Pity next couple of cruises are with P&O, have to brave the laundry chaos there. Lol

Some years ago I helped an elderly couple in the laundry room. They had travelled from Vancouver to Beijing and then down to board ship at port. They had their laundry powder from home in ziplock bags. They had been through customs in Canada and then China with white powder in ziplock bags. Don’t think I would risk that to save a few dollars.

If they are the type of person to be fighting on a cruise ship, don’t think naming them or banning them would concern them. Probably see it as a badge of honour. Lol

Good luck, our dining reservations were all confirmed until we boarded and then they weren’t. Lol. Sorted it out, we didn’t starve.

From previous experiences seems a good plan.

Last year on Enchanted they cancelled all our prebooked dining. Then every morning they sent us a reminder of our ‘new’ dining times for the day. Yep same time, same dining room that we had booked months ago. Interesting the lines outside the dining room were for booked and walk up. The booked line took a lot longer to go through.

First world issue.

I have also cruised P&O numerous times, cheap and convenient. I don’t consider myself a bogan, a glass of wine at dinner maybe every second night, but the major demographic is bogans. Drink packages have a lot to answer for. My next two cruises are with P&O and then a change of pace back to Cunard for the next four. Some heavy drinkers on Cunard, but they tend to nod off in the comfy lounge chairs. Lol Either way any cruise is a good cruise.

Yep, just have to wait and see. 2 cruises before that in August and October will be interesting to see how that goes.

Just received email that April cruise on P&O Encounter to PNG going ahead, only change now Carnival Encounter.

We did the Cunard excursion in October 2019. It was abysmal, kept driving to various weird spots, no lights, there was washroom facilities on bus, down steep stairs. They served a hot fruit drink with a biscuit. No lights but did have the excitement? of hitting a car in a ferry car park. We complained the next day to shore excursions as tour did not match the written description and received partial refund. On return to ship went for hot drink and saw faint lights from ship. Sightings are never guaranteed so hope you have better luck than us. There is a website you can use which gives you the odds of seeing lights on particular dates.

I have never seen such clear water as in Ouvea, great port until politics stopped ships visiting.

I have cruised with 8 different cruise lines. P&O a poor relative in recent times, with its bogan demographic. However I still loved to cruise with them, cheap, great crew, can drive to port, I just do my own thing watch the ocean go by and enjoy the ports.

My first ever cruise was on Pacific Sun. Silver service afternoon tea, excellent main dining experience, sadly it went downhill from there, but it was a marvellous introduction to cruising. At that time I was amazed at how large the ship was, later I cruised on MSC with 5000 passengers.

So sad, cheap and cheerful and can sail from home port. Tried Carnival once, not impressed. Have two cruises booked with P&O, bet everything goes downhill fast.

Used to be a free for all in the early 2000’s. No shore tour, no payment, just walk up the hill and stay as long as you wish.