joybook

Yes I know of and have read the extensive comments on the other Antarctica thread but at the risk of sounding difficult, could someone who has cruised Princess to Antarctica outline their experience and in particular comment on just how close up the ship gets to icebergs/wildlife/whales etc.

The Antarctic has been a passion of mine since childhood and while getting on a bit now, I feel the cost may stop me from a landing expedition and I would like to consider a 'sail-by' cruise, but need convincing. I just don't know if it would satisfy me. Many thanks.

I've always found the laundry benefit to be of no big deal - forget it. The sooner Princess do away with the number of cruises and just work on the number of days cruised the better. That will do away with all those who just rack up 1 and 2 day cruises in the US.

A new cruise terminal for Sydney - Wow!!! I think the terminology is 'not in my lifetime'. Look how long it took to make a decision in relation to a second airport. A decision will all be very well, but I wonder if they will ever get around to building it - the cruise terminal that is.

I must say that over the years I have never found an agent who gave me anything. So my last few cruises have been booked directly with Princess who are OK when I ring to enquire about a price drop. They have acknowledged it every time and reduced my fare. So unless someone can convince me otherwise I will not go through Travel Agents. Aussie Travel Agents do not appear to be anywhere near the generous people they are in the USA or Canada where customers seem to get great deals.

Holiday Inn Old Sydney gets my vote having stayed there a few times even though I live in a Sydney suburb. It is extremely handy to the Overseas Passenger Terminal. If that is where your ship is going from you could not get one any closer. It is a very short and easy walk to the terminal - maybe 200 metres. If you are leaving from White Bay Terminal that is another story altogether as there is no nearby accommodation.

It's interesting how my original thread from 2014 keeps popping up. Thanks for the update on David. We were on a Papua New Guinea cruise (round trip from Sydney) in November last year and had David again so it was great too catch up with him after our earlier cruise with him. Have been interested to know that he is currently on the Star Princess. David is still, in our opinion, one of the best entertainers we have come across on our cruises.

Sorry

I might be very wrong but I thought that Princess had done away with the countdown clock a year or so ago.

Happy Christmas to all, especially my fellow Australian and New Zealand cruisers. Almost every day we seem to be reminded that we live in a troubled world and sometimes we can feel a little nervous about our travels but we must not let these issues get to us.

Trust we will all have a great time over the Christmas and New Year period - travel safely and remember what the real meaning of Christmas is all about.

I don't know whether or not the customs people treat overseas passengers any differently to Australians returning home but while I always carry a letter from my doctor I have never been asked to show it or my prescription medications. I think the important thing always is to make sure you DECLARE it. I declare it all the time and usually am just asked if the drugs are for personal medication. They then let me through without further inspection. But as I said earlier I'm not sure if they will treat non-Australians differently. Interestingly I have never been asked to produce the letter overseas either although I have offered to show it.

Brisbane41 Please tell me you are joking.

I posted my response on the basis that for a five day cruise there are not too many options. It will not be the first night and it will not be the last night. Neither will it be a port night so as I said there are not too many other options available if you think about it.

My question would be - does it really matter?

When you get on board all will be revealed. Be surprised!!

Some years ago I was using Covermore but have given them away due to their attitude to pre-existing conditions - USA is a no no with them. In recent years I have been using InsureAndGo and have found them good to deal with and their pricing is good even with the excesses for pre-existing. I must say though that I have never had to submit a claim and at the end of the day how they handle claims is the true test of a company. So from that angle I can't comment.

I know the reference to 'dinning' was a few posts back but I couldn't resist this.

On one cruise we were on there was an officially printed notice from Princess outside one of the dining rooms with dining room spelt with a double 'n'. I couldn't believe it so I took a photo of it.

IMHO drones at top holiday spots will eventually become even more annoying than people with camera sticks. Just wait and see. In a few years this will be the hot topic on CC.

Katisdale - I may be wrong but I think the gratuities issue works this way. For Australians who book in Australia for a cruise beginning and ending in Australia the gratuities are built into the price of the fare. For OS cruisers (booking in your own country) I think you will find that, having to pay gratuities, the actual price of your cruise is less than we Aussies pay. All in all it probably evens out for everyone.

I'm not sure that it will matter what insurance company you go with, it will be a pre-existing condition no matter what. I have pre-existing conditions and I have regularly used InsureAndGo who cover pre-existing conditions. I'm not sure what they are like though if you have to make a claim as I have been fortunate enough not to have made a claim.

It seems to me that you are either lucky or not lucky. We have done 6 Princess cruises (including 3 in non-Australian waters) and never got an upgrade but our next door neighbours got one on their very first cruise which just so happened to coincide with one of our cruises. These days it would seem that upsell offers are more frequent than upgrades although we have never been offered an upsell either.

Every one of our cruises has involved time changes. We have been on cruises where there have been 6 or 7 time changes. The ship's time has always been adjusted to be the same as local time. You will usually be told the night before to adjust your clocks/watches etc.

I was at Garden Island a few weeks ago and while I do not know the level of importance of the officer I was talking to, when I raised the subject of the possibility of the new cruise terminal being there his comment was that it was highly unlikely.

I'm sorry to say this but here we go again. I can see all the responses coming now.

I live in a suburb of Sydney and for something special before a cruise I have stayed at Holiday Inn Old Sydney - 55 George Street The Rocks a few times. It is very close to the Overseas Passenger Terminal - maybe 2/300 metres distance and an easy walk.

I have just been on the Wotif website and also the hotel site for 10th March and it would seem you may have to pay around $450 for the night which is a bit more than I last paid. I thought you would get it for around $300. A Taxi to/from the airport can change a bit but say $35/50.

Just make sure you are leaving from The Overseas Passenger Terminal and not White Bay Cruise Terminal. There is no accommodation at White Bay and you would have to stay in the city and get a taxi or a shuttle ferry.

Boy - you guys in the US should consider yourselves very fortunate. I have yet to find a TA in Australia that will offer you anything and I mean anything.

No there isn't.