AURORA Sydney to Southampton Feb 2006

[greykangaroo]

Hi everyone sailing out of Sydney on the Aurora for that wonderful 43 nights in February 06..

We are Graeme and Lynne from Perth.

Love to hear from anyone going to be on board with us.

It would be just the best to be able to meet internet friends on board.

I'm on yahoo messenger if you want to chat.

[coastiedee]

:D Hi Grahame & Lynn , im am also sailing from Sydney to Southampton on Aurora in Feb.

[elaine61]

:D Hi Grahame & Lynn , im am also sailing from Sydney to Southampton on Aurora in Feb.

 

Hope you all enjoy yourself. Sounds great!! Aurora is my favourite of all the P & O ships. I hope she's a hit with you!! We returned on her last Xmas from the caribbean.

 

Elaine

[greykangaroo]

Hi Dee and Elaine.

Thanks for your replies.

Please contact me on yahoo messenger as greykangaroo77.

Like to have a chat.

Graeme in Perth.

[coastiedee]

Hi Graham , i would like to chat to you and Lynn about our upcomming cruise but im not to sure on how to use yahoo :confused: Hmmm. Thank you Elaine for your well wishes.

[greykangaroo]

Try and get yahoo cranked up Dee.

How about you Elaine? Do you use yahoo messenger?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Hi there,

 

In 1984 we returned from a holiday in Europe on Canberra.

Southampton to Auckland.52 days.It was wonderful and we are still in touch with friends we made on that cruise.(voyage)

A long sea voyage is something really special,and Aurora is a wonderful ship on which to do it.

But be warned.......

It can addict you to cruising............

 

All the best.......

David.

[greykangaroo]

Hi David,

Yes I know what you mean. This is our second voyage.

In 2003 we sailed from our home port of Fremantle to San Francisco via New Zealand, Tahiti, Bora Bora and the Hawaiian group.

Absolutely marvelous. 30 nights.

As you know, not everything is perfect, like the price of drinks.

Few can afford the outrageous prices for drinks and wine at dinnertime has to be a thing of special nights.

Why P&O thinks like this I am not sure. They could make the cruise so much better for people by halving the drink costs and selling probably four times as much. Everyone would win.

Even at half the price they would still make a fortune anyway. Only have to see the bottled wine retail price in Australia let alone the wholesaler's price.

I know it is a thing of great disappointment to Australians on these cruises.

As for us we just give up drinking and enjoy the cruise.

As I said, absolutely marvelous and yes adictive.

[coastiedee]

Hi Graeme, Can you tell me what visas we will require for our journey. Im sure we need one for India but what about Egypt ? Neither P&O or my travel agent can give me a straight answer:confused:

[karmac]

Hi everybody

 

I'd love to know what your itinerary is. I sailed from Sydney to Southampton in July/August 1975 on Chandris Lines SS Australis. I was 14 at the time and the journey lasted 35 days. It wa great. I met my "first love" on this cruise who I was lucky enough to meet up with 2 years ago. We went to Auckland, Suva, Acupulco, Panama Canal (Balboa & Cristobal), Miami, Vigo. I think that's it, I'm not real sure. Great trip anyway and I'd love to be doing yours instead of 11 nights to South Pacific. I shouldn't complain though, 11 nights is better than nothing.

 

Karen

[coastiedee]

This is our itinerary Karen. We leave Sydney Feb 14 2006 valentines day for Brisbane, Darwin ,Manilla , Hong kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Malaysia, Penang, Sri Lanka, Cochin (india) Mumbai (India) Sharm El Sheik (Egypt) Suez , Suez Canal Egypt, Port Said Egypt, Greece, Italy and Southampton UK. This is my second cruise my first one was on ' Fairstar' September 1973 to the south pacific islands when i was 13. I Am doing this journey alone so it is a bit daunting but im so excited i cant hardly wait. I wouldnt mind doing a south pacific cruise maybe in 2007 on Pacific Sun it all sounds so much fun.:) Dee

[elaine61]

Try and get yahoo cranked up Dee.

How about you Elaine? Do you use yahoo messenger?

 

Unfortunately not. I have MSN messenger.

 

I'll check the yahoo one out though.

 

Elaine

[greykangaroo]

That's a good question Dee and I think I know the answer for "short term", ie one day stopovers for Australian citizens, but I will make a phone call this morning and get this answer right for all of us.

Be back later.

Graeme.

[Whoey]

Hi,

 

just how excessively expensive are the drinks ? $10 a glass and $50 a bottle (for average grade stuff) - something like that?

 

I am just curious..

 

enjoy yourselves :)

[greykangaroo]

Not far out mate.

 

With the exchange rate on board at 3 dollars to the pound $40 a bottle was cheap.

Jacobs Creek is just a sample of the up market brands on offer at these tempting rates.

I took a carton of Margaret River Shiraz with me, but one either has to consume it in their cabin or the only other place was at the tables and chairs on the promenade deck. Anywhere near where they served drinks, even on the rear deck was just not on, as it is adjacent to a bar.

It is a great way to give it up and enjoy the marvelous afternoon teas and scones. My wife thought that was the best part of her trip anyway.

[elaine61]

Personally and escpecially after our trip on QM2 I think the drinks on P & O (UK) are pretty reasonable. But then I suppose maybe I am comparing to here at home in the smaller towns and the cities!! I thought there was a bar menu somewhere posted on another site. I'll see if I can find it!! It's true that over the years the drinks have gone up, but then hasn't everything else??? I'll see if I can find a copy of the drinks menu!!

 

Elaine

[elaine61]

Right, I've found the site I was talking about and I've saved the wine list, but it won't let me copy it. All I can suggest is that you sign up to the site and take a look there. The site is a yahoo groups site http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/welovecruising/

 

You will have to register and once you've done that you can look at the wine list and the cocktail list under files!!

 

Elaine

[greykangaroo]

Dee, I found out the terrible truth about visas today, or at least most of it.

I am told that there are two countries on the cruise where visas are needed by Australians.

These are Egypt and India.

With Egypt they will issue you with a visa on arrival, but are keeping the cost as a surprise until you get there.

With India they want $90 each person for the visa.

[ A lot for a husband and wife travelling together]

I pointed out that it was just two, one day visits, not a complete holiday in the country. It evidently makes no difference.

If you can get to Sydney before too long I suggest you go into the Indian legation and pay over the counter, otherwise you can add $33 courier fees to that price.

They also say that they need one photo.

What a rip off.

[coastiedee]

:cool: Thanks Graeme for the visa information, just some more paperwork to get. I also think they only have a shelf life of three months so im going to have to do some maths. Have you booked your shore excursions yet? I booked mine the other day over the net via the P&O official website on the cruise personaliser it was very good. I didnt want to leave it until i was onboard just incase the popular ones were full. Only twelve more weeks to go:D

[elaine61]

I see that you have signed up to the site I was telling you about. Did you take a look at the wine and cocktail list???

 

What did you think of the prices. I think there reasonable.

 

Elaine

[greykangaroo]

Yes Elaine I did have a look at the prices, but there are no prices for either bottled wine for the table on the list or for wine by the glass.

Perhaps you might be able to remember the price of a bottle of red or white wine in the main restaurant?

I'd be interested to know.

[elaine61]

I have a saved copy in my files here at home. If you e mail me at elaine61@fsmail.net i'll send you a copy!!

 

Elaine

[elaine61]

Just to wet your appetite a small glass of wine is £1.55, large glass £2.10. These prices are in the house wine section!!!! Also to be honest I'm not sure if this is a current version, but it will give you some idea anyway.

 

Elaine

[KarenR_UK]

If it helps I paid £11.50 & £14.75 for bottles of red wine at the table (On Oceana in October) and 6.75 for a 1/2 litre of house red, they go upto about £60 I think. White wine was presumably similar

 

 

Karen

[greykangaroo]

I rest my case Whoey from Melbourne.

$40 a bottle for wines available retail in Australia for $8.50.

Thanks Karen. I thought I had remembered right.

Australians are urged to put this disappointment behind them and get on and enjoy the cruise.