circumnavigating Australia

[tuppence]

Hi wonder if anyone can help me? This is a trip my husband and I have always wanted to do and we have booked a cabin on portside but wondered if we should try and change to starboard because we will be facing away from land all the way round.

We haven't been on Princess for a good few years and wondered if like Celebrity they add 15% on to drinks? Are the drinks the same price as Celebrity?

Our cabin is also near the back which we are delighted about but on A deck and we wondered if those cabins under the Lido deck are dark because of the Lido deck overhang?

Will be very grateful for any answers

Thanks Linda:)

[windsor26]

Hi wonder if anyone can help me? This is a trip my husband and I have always wanted to do and we have booked a cabin on portside but wondered if we should try and change to starboard because we will be facing away from land all the way round.

We haven't been on Princess for a good few years and wondered if like Celebrity they add 15% on to drinks? Are the drinks the same price as Celebrity?

Our cabin is also near the back which we are delighted about but on A deck and we wondered if those cabins under the Lido deck are dark because of the Lido deck overhang?

Will be very grateful for any answers

Thanks Linda:)

 

Princess Australia based ships which would be doing this itinerary do not add 15% to the drinks (but they would be a little dearer than the US ships) and there is no daily service charge at all.

I would think that unless you intend to stay in your cabin the whole cruise it would not really matter which side of the ship you are based Lots of time you are not too close to the land and sometimes the islands are on the side of the ship away from the mainland.

I cannot assist with the darknss of a cabin as we always book an internal.

When you are passing islands there is usually a lecturer given a talk on deck which you would miss on your balcony. Also there would be a pilot on board during the Queensland coast trip and in the past they have also given a commentary and sometimes a few lectures in the theatre as well.

[skynight]

Our cabin is also near the back which we are delighted about but on A deck and we wondered if those cabins under the Lido deck are dark because of the Lido deck overhang?

Will be very grateful for any answers

Thanks Linda:)

 

Diamond Princess or Dawn Princess? Here is Diamond Princess information if that is your ship. Aloha Deck Balconies will not be dark. Aft balcony cabins on the deck 12 will be under the Horizon Ct. Buffet seating area. You may hear noise above you in the morning and during the day. The Horizon Ct. is open from 6am until 11pm, never closes during these times. I would select a deck 10, Caribe deck, balcony cabin if I could get it, Cabins C618 to C747 are the Cat. BD ones, but there are other cats. on deck 10. These cabins have the same interior as the Deck 12 balcony cabins, but have double sized balconies (9'x9') which are half covered and half uncovered. They also have cabins, not public space, above and below.

[paul929207]

Most of the time you will be at sea and not able to see land.

 

While there is no tip added to drinks on the Princess ships based in Australia, they are 33% more than the same drinks on US based ships.

[coo359a2]

Most of the time you will be at sea and not able to see land.

 

While there is no tip added to drinks on the Princess ships based in Australia, they are 33% more than the same drinks on US based ships.

 

Paul - what about the daily gratuities on the Dawn/Sun. Are they included in the cruise price if purchased through Princess US/US TA or would they be added as a daily charge to your cabin statement.

[Alessandrina]

If you are North American and sail on an Aussie ship, you will still be paying the daily gratuity which is added to your statement - at least this was the case last year when we sailed on Dawn Princess.

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi wonder if anyone can help me? This is a trip my husband and I have always wanted to do and we have booked a cabin on portside but wondered if we should try and change to starboard because we will be facing away from land all the way round.

We haven't been on Princess for a good few years and wondered if like Celebrity they add 15% on to drinks? Are the drinks the same price as Celebrity?

Our cabin is also near the back which we are delighted about but on A deck and we wondered if those cabins under the Lido deck are dark because of the Lido deck overhang?

Will be very grateful for any answers

Thanks Linda:)

 

 

What ship??

[paul929207]

Paul - what about the daily gratuities on the Dawn/Sun. Are they included in the cruise price if purchased through Princess US/US TA or would they be added as a daily charge to your cabin statement.

Tina,

They added the daily autotip to the account for passengers from outside of NZ and Oz. I think it was $10 per person per day.

 

Just to expand on the drinks. I drink Dewars (scotch) and water, At the time (3 years ago) it was $4.95 per drink on the US ships. Adding the 15% made it $5.70. On the Dawn Princess, the same drink was $7.60. They did not add any gratuity to the price.

[coo359a2]

Tina,

They added the daily autotip to the account for passengers from outside of NZ and Oz. I think it was $10 per person per day.

 

Just to expand on the drinks. I drink Dewars (scotch) and water, At the time (3 years ago) it was $4.95 per drink on the US ships. Adding the 15% made it $5.70. On the Dawn Princess, the same drink was $7.60. They did not add any gratuity to the price.

 

Thanks, Paul.

[tuppence]

Thanks everyone and sknight I have asked if it is possible to change to a cabin on C deck so thanks for that and I'll see what my Australian TA comes back with

Thanks Linda:)

Edited June 11, 2014 by tuppence

[deadzone1003]

I'm on that trip, but is the Diamond Princess under Australia Princess or PCL?

 

As for what you considered to be dark, if you mean it will be shaded all the time (excluding periods during sunrise and sunset), it is yes. It is somewhat of a double-edge sword you would probably want a little sun from Sydney to Perth, but when you are in the tropics, if you have sun shining on your balcony, you don't spend too much time on the balcony because it will be simply too hot. If you can get a starboard balcony go for it. If you really like to sun yourself on your balcony, get one on the Caribe deck. The main reasons you would stay in the rear of the Aloha deck is you like easy

access to the Terrace Pool, Lido Buffet, or now, the Japanese Bath (other than price.)

 

There are roll-calls for both circumnavigation of Australia - one for Nov. '14 and the other for Feb. '15.

[tuppence]

Thanks very much for your reply, we would really like one right on the stern of the ship but cant really afford it! Its such a long awaited trip made special as our son has moved from England to Sydney for a new job. We have booked with a TA in Australia as the price was 25% less than using UK Princess. We were able to do this because of our son now living in Australia.We are on the Feb 15 trip so will check out the roll call for that trip:)

[MicCanberra]

Thanks very much for your reply, we would really like one right on the stern of the ship but cant really afford it! Its such a long awaited trip made special as our son has moved from England to Sydney for a new job. We have booked with a TA in Australia as the price was 25% less than using UK Princess. We were able to do this because of our son now living in Australia.We are on the Feb 15 trip so will check out the roll call for that trip:)

 

The side of the ship you are on will not matter, for anything worth seeing they spin the ships or tell everyone that it will be passing by on the ??? side, so that people can go to the top decks and see it. I am sure you will love Australia and catching up with your son.:D

[Viesczy]

A question for those who have done this cruise as we're hoping to do the cruise within 3 years.

 

How rough are the 4 main currents that circulate about Australia?

 

Reason I ask is that Karen gets a little motion sickness when we sail (from the USA). The first day or two in or out (both East and West Coast) can be a bit on the amusing, er I mean disheartening side.

 

Derek

[beg3yrs]

A question for those who have done this cruise as we're hoping to do the cruise within 3 years.

 

How rough are the 4 main currents that circulate about Australia?

 

Reason I ask is that Karen gets a little motion sickness when we sail (from the USA). The first day or two in or out (both East and West Coast) can be a bit on the amusing, er I mean disheartening side.

 

Derek

 

We did the circumnavigation last year (OCT/NOV) and had smooth seas until we crossed the Tasman Sea from Oz to the southern tip of NZ. That was three days of rough water.

[MicCanberra]

We did the circumnavigation last year (OCT/NOV) and had smooth seas until we crossed the Tasman Sea from Oz to the southern tip of NZ. That was three days of rough water.

The Southern and the Pacific oceans meet around the Tasman Sea, which is between south eastern Australia and New Zealand and it generally causes large swells (can still cause a lot of nausea) at all times of the year. But this is not to be confused with bad weather and rough seas, which can happen anywhere at any time around the world.:D

[BuzzBuzzen]

I am interested if US cruisers could say what their prices are for this cruise, 16th November 2014.The latest brochure price I have , in Aussie dollars , is Interior from $3999 , Oceanview from $5699 , Balcony from $5699 with a free balcony upgrade or $7599 if this offer is no longer valid. I understand these prices are all FROM but I would like to know any differences. I think it is wrong that overseas visitors are charged the gratuities where we are not. A lot of the cruise lines seem to have so many different ways to charge prices and extras depending on where they are from, even though we are all travelling on the same cruise. Cheers, Buzz.

[rkmw]

I am interested if US cruisers could say what their prices are for this cruise, 16th November 2014.The latest brochure price I have , in Aussie dollars , is Interior from $3999 , Oceanview from $5699 , Balcony from $5699 with a free balcony upgrade or $7599 if this offer is no longer valid. I understand these prices are all FROM but I would like to know any differences. I think it is wrong that overseas visitors are charged the gratuities where we are not. A lot of the cruise lines seem to have so many different ways to charge prices and extras depending on where they are from, even though we are all travelling on the same cruise. Cheers, Buzz.

 

if the ship is the Diamond Princess the currency is in US and everyone will have to pay the gratuities, even aussies & kiwis

 

when the ship comes to australia late 2015 the currency will be AUD and the gratuities will be included in with the fare

[rkmw]

I am interested if US cruisers could say what their prices are for this cruise, 16th November 2014.The latest brochure price I have , in Aussie dollars , is Interior from $3999 , Oceanview from $5699 , Balcony from $5699 with a free balcony upgrade or $7599 if this offer is no longer valid. I understand these prices are all FROM but I would like to know any differences. I think it is wrong that overseas visitors are charged the gratuities where we are not. A lot of the cruise lines seem to have so many different ways to charge prices and extras depending on where they are from, even though we are all travelling on the same cruise. Cheers, Buzz.

 

just in case your wondering about the currency and gratuities on the Diamond Princess it was posted on the princess facebook page by the moderator and i'm only repeating what they said

[Lanwood]

How rough are the 4 main currents that circulate about Australia?

 

Reason I ask is that Karen gets a little motion sickness when we sail (from the USA). The first day or two in or out (both East and West Coast) can be a bit on the amusing, er I mean disheartening side.

 

Derek

 

When I was on the Diamond last month, the waiter in Kai sushi was telling me the Tasman sea was the worst he had experienced in his career. The waves we so high and strong that apparantly it actually broke the windows along the restaurant (Deck 7)....wow (I guessed he was refering to the stress of the ship pounding up and down and not actuall waves against the window causing the damage....)

[caribill]

I am interested if US cruisers could say what their prices are for this cruise, 16th November 2014.The latest brochure price I have , in Aussie dollars , is Interior from $3999 , Oceanview from $5699 , Balcony from $5699 with a free balcony upgrade or $7599 if this offer is no longer valid. I understand these prices are all FROM but I would like to know any differences. I think it is wrong that overseas visitors are charged the gratuities where we are not. A lot of the cruise lines seem to have so many different ways to charge prices and extras depending on where they are from, even though we are all travelling on the same cruise. Cheers, Buzz.

 

In US $ with Captain's Circle entered:

 

Inside from $4369

Oceanview from $5169

Balcony - sold out - can't get a price

Mini-suite from $7969

Suite from $13,869

[MicCanberra]

When I was on the Diamond last month, the waiter in Kai sushi was telling me the Tasman sea was the worst he had experienced in his career. The waves we so high and strong that apparantly it actually broke the windows along the restaurant (Deck 7)....wow (I guessed he was refering to the stress of the ship pounding up and down and not actuall waves against the window causing the damage....)

Big swells for sure.:D

[MicCanberra]

In US $ with Captain's Circle entered:

 

Inside from $4369

Oceanview from $5169

Balcony - sold out - can't get a price

Mini-suite from $7969

Suite from $13,869

Does that include taxes and port fees?

The aussie prices should include them but the Gratuities are most likely not included.:D

[BuzzBuzzen]

Thanks Caribill , just what i was asking about , mighty neighbourly of you , cheers, Buzz.

[JustinPlusLauren]

When I was on the Diamond last month, the waiter in Kai sushi was telling me the Tasman sea was the worst he had experienced in his career. The waves we so high and strong that apparantly it actually broke the windows along the restaurant (Deck 7)....wow (I guessed he was refering to the stress of the ship pounding up and down and not actuall waves against the window causing the damage....)

 

WOW that sounds intense!!!