Tripmode33

I'd like to mention that you do not need to take up gambling. We, and our friends, have never stepped inside a casino on any ship, and have still been given ridiculously cheap Carnival cruises recently. Various codes, either by email or signing in. Less than $30 per day in balcony.

Found the comedy club bar had a nice white by bottle under $40 not available other bars.

That's double price on Princess. Big difference when you purchase a bottle daily like us.

We too have $30 plus package bookings coming up, through to March 2024. Certainly miss that pricing. I also note one of the 'best of the bad' wines on Plus that we drank by the glass, Masterpiece Merlot, is now $77 bottle on Princess - was $39 on Luminosa a few weeks ago!

A few on this forum have been asking about updated wine pricing. We're currently on Majestic and I've just taken screenshots of the MDR lists for wine on App. This is our first cruise back without Plus Package so we brought our own this trip and paying corkage (hit and miss whether they charge this $15 fee - the desk was unattended in Brisbane when boarding).

Been on several land based trips to Port Vila as well as cruising. We would have been very pleased with the visit to Isle of Pines. Lovely swimming and snorkeling.

Just printing out luggage tags for tomorrow boarding of Majestic Princess. They include the wine policy on the luggage tag and it states $15 corkage. I've packed a bottle for each dinner to pay corkage on - our first cruise without drinks package! We have another 3 Princess cruises booked for 23/24 with the old $30 Plus Package. Really miss that pricing!

Thank you. I appreciate all these responses.

Question for RC cruisers in Australia. After a cruise has ended, do you receive an email statement of your shipboard account? If so, is it in first couple weeks? If not, and a refund is due from a cancelled shore excursion from missed port, do these refunds take time in your experience?

Agree. We like the paper version and this will save collecting it from guest services. We too also keep as our only souvenir of cruise.

We've been lucky enough to receive these amazing deals in Australia this season. A mystery as to who receives them, as neither my husband nor myself have ever spent a cent in a casino and we do not spend money on the ship unless spending OBC. We've just had a lovely cruise in a full suite and head back on Luminosa in a couple of weeks. I do think that this is an unusual season for Australian cruising, and don't expect these sort of offers to continue next season.

Heading on Luminosa cruise very soon that calls into Noumea. Need to decide whether to purchase duty free liquor on-board or wait until Noumea. I know Port Vila, Vanuatu, used to be priced well, but never looked in Noumea. Does anyone have recent experience from Noumea? And if so, where is best shop once in Port?

But seeing yours are both underwritten by Allianz, should not be an issue in your case

Please remember that if you have two credit cards with insurance to only 'activate' one with trip expenses or other activation method. Have met travellers with huge problems who had two cards activated for trip if claiming. Neither willing to pay as required you to claim on other. And when I made my first claim with ANZ travel insurance last year, the first question asked was if we had spent trip expenses on another credit card, other than the ANZ one being claimed.

Some credit cards do include the necessary cover, some don't. ANZ, underwritten by Allianz, definitely does. However, Commonwealth which is underwritten by Covermore, does not offer Covid medical cover if cruising. So important to read the details carefully.

Not long off Grand. Their Alfredo's menu was much more limited than say the Alfredo's full menu on Majestic. No salads, no other Italian dishes and no deserts. Really just pizza on Grand. But decent pizza.

Last Majestic boarding we tried Alfredo's.. Very nice, and quiet as most people head to buffet. We're also on Majestic again soon and will try MDR. Never been busy embarkation day. Opens at noon. My choice - ravioli as starter, Salmon, and Apple Tartine with a scoop of ice cream on side! We always avoid buffet on embarkation day.

Thank you Cheznandy. I've now read all the way to page 3 and can clearly see it. That is excellent!

It will depend on which countries you're cruising to from Sydney. If you're only visiting Australian and NZ ports, there are no compulsory insurance requirements as I understand.

Well, with the help of you fine forum folk, i've done my insurance research now. Soon we'll be embarking from Brisbane on Luminosa South Pacific cruise (and again later in year from Sydney on another ship). If anyone has recently embarked to South Pacific, can you please share your experience on what the staff actually asked to see by way of the now mandatory travel insurance covering cruises and covid? I have a certificate of insurance showing the insured, dates of trip etc, but will have to print out something showing that the policy covers Covid. Other than printing the whole PID, which I know the terminal staff won't have time to wade through, I may just print a relevant page or two??? Thanks for your advice.

Thanks. Not sure about Bankwest, but definitely with Commonwealth Bank Card insurance, you can add extra cruise cover for sure, and not very expensive, but it definitely doesn't cover covid if on a multi day cruise. It would pay to double check the 'General Exclusions' on Bankwest cover just to be sure. Other less expensive Covermore products such as Australia Post Travel Insurance definitely cover cruising, but again exclude covid if cruising.

As others have said, some destinations (including New Caledonia) make it mandatory to have insurance cover for cruising and covid. Even applies if not disembarking ship at the ports. Others on forum have stated that they had to produce documentation in order to board on embarkation day. So we can't really risk not having it.

That is really helpful. Thanks 🙏

Agree - ouch! It really does add to the cost of a simple south pacific cruise. Even though it's required, like you I really wonder if everyone has cover!

Thanks. I've had a look now. Qantas does have separate cover quote for 'over 70' but it is more expensive than others.