Would you book Australia for May 2021...Free Interior

[The_Big_M]

In the US "Free" isn't free.

[NSWP]

3 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

In the US "Free" isn't free.

 

3 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

In the US "Free" isn't free.

But it is..The Land Of The Free. !!  I know it is not free, having been to the USA half a dozen times, those gratuities kill ones travel budget.

Edited August 27, 2020 by NSWP

[PrincessBelle39]

I'm in Melbourne and I'm wondering if I'm crazy booking for February 2022 for a cruise out of Sydney to the Pacific Islands.  I'd really love to cruise out of Florida but don't see that as an option at all.

Edited September 6, 2020 by PrincessBelle39
.

[SinbadThePorter]

15 minutes ago, PrincessBelle39 said:

I'm in Melbourne and I'm wondering if I'm crazy booking for February 2022 for a cruise out of Sydney

 

Not crazy at all. I think it's more than likely that by the last quarter of 2021 cruises will have started up again.

 

Or to put it another way, if Covid is still a problem by then, things will be such a mess that missing out on a cruise will be the least of any of our worries.

[Vader1111]

18 minutes ago, PrincessBelle39 said:

I'm in Melbourne and I'm wondering if I'm crazy booking for February 2022 for a cruise out of Sydney to the Pacific Islands.  I'd really love to cruise out of Florida but don't see that as an option at all.

Hopefully (fingers crossed) things will be returning to a "new normal" by Feb 2022.  I wouldn't bet on anything happening in Feb 2021, but there's definitely hope for 2022 .

[PrincessBelle39]

2 minutes ago, Vader1111 said:

Hopefully (fingers crossed) things will be returning to a "new normal" by Feb 2022.  I wouldn't bet on anything happening in Feb 2021, but there's definitely hope for 2022 .

3 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Not crazy at all. I think it's more than likely that by the last quarter of 2021 cruises will have started up again.

 

Or to put it another way, if Covid is still a problem by then, things will be such a mess that missing out on a cruise will be the least of any of our worries.

Thanks.  I actually meant to say January 2022.  (Looking at Quantam of the Seas to Pacific Islands)   Its hard to justify the outlay of the deposit for 4 of us with things being so uncertain.  But we need something to look forward to.

[Elorac123]

On 8/18/2020 at 9:19 AM, mark316 said:

Book it you won’t regret it!

Keep on booking,Princess needs money to pay us Aussies fir our cancelled cruises

[Aus Traveller]

We have booked a cruise in August, 2021. The deposit is only $1 pp so if we feel unsure, we won't pay any more than that and don't worry about losing our deposit. 🙂

 

I am also seriously thinking about booking part of the WC in May/June 2022. I am optimistic that a vaccine or treatment will make cruising possible by then.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

We have booked a cruise in August, 2021. The deposit is only $1 pp so if we feel unsure, we won't pay any more than that and don't worry about losing our deposit. 🙂

 

I am also seriously thinking about booking part of the WC in May/June 2022. I am optimistic that a vaccine or treatment will make cruising possible by then.

Can you plan to do the part WC, without putting out any deposit money?  I doubt it would be sold out during the current pandemic.  

[Aus Traveller]

13 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Can you plan to do the part WC, without putting out any deposit money?  I doubt it would be sold out during the current pandemic.  

I am checking on deposit amount and cancellation charges etc.

 

I agree that the whole cruise won't sell out quickly, but I only want to do two segments of the WC. Princess allocated a limited number of cabins in each category for each segment. When I booked one segment for this year's WC, there was only one cabin available in the type of cabin I wanted, but there were more cabins available for people wanting to book the whole 106 night cruise. 

[mr walker]

17 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We have booked a cruise in August, 2021. The deposit is only $1 pp so if we feel unsure, we won't pay any more than that and don't worry about losing our deposit. 🙂

 

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

I am checking on deposit amount and cancellation charges etc.

 

My advice, be sure to check those conditions. There was a story a few years ago about a group who booked cruises on a $1 deposit deal. When it came time for final payment, one of the group didn't proceed and just let it go, thinking that the TA could just keep the $1, big deal. His credit card was hit with the additional amount of the 'full' deposit, I think $199. His complaining did no good, as it was in the terms & conditions, he had agreed to 😮.

 

Good luck for your cruise - maybe next Aug will be ok??

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, mr walker said:

My advice, be sure to check those conditions. There was a story a few years ago about a group who booked cruises on a $1 deposit deal. When it came time for final payment, one of the group didn't proceed and just let it go, thinking that the TA could just keep the $1, big deal. His credit card was hit with the additional amount of the 'full' deposit, I think $199. His complaining did no good, as it was in the terms & conditions, he had agreed to 😮.

 

Good luck for your cruise - maybe next Aug will be ok??

Good point. If we decide to cancel the August 2021 cruise, we will be sure to cancel, not just let the booking lapse and assume that all is OK.

[Reina del Mar]

 

It's unlikely that any cruises will be operating in Australia by then. Even if they are they would be restricted to Australian and NZ passengers only. Our Prime Minister has stated that  Australian borders will remain closed to international arrivals through to end of June 2021 except for the possibility of those in specific travel bubbles. 

 

 

Please be kind enough to post a link...we are from Wales, GB and have a cruise ex Sydney booked at the end of March, 2021. Princess hasn’t cancelled yet..but reading this it seems getting into Australia will be the problem. If I am honest, think I would prefer to defer for a year anyway!

[Docker123]

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2020/jun/26/scott-morrison-hopes-some-international-travel-resumes-before-july-2021-for-australians-video
Here’s one. Best not to watch the video.

 

A quote from another source:

 

Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia indicated that Australia’s borders may remain closed to most international visitors until the middle of next year due to the escalation of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic across the world. The Prime Minister was hopeful of the possibility of forming a travel bubble with close neighbour 

 

 

 

 

Just to note, they keep advertising here, as well. Even for after this year. We know they won’t happen.

 

The Regulation are in force for 3 months at a time. Last week, the expiry date of the border closure was extended to 17 December.  
 

The government will not have Allowing cruise ships back high on their agenda. The Ruby Princess fiasco put paid to that.

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Docker123

[Reina del Mar]

Many thanks.

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Reina del Mar said:

 

It's unlikely that any cruises will be operating in Australia by then. Even if they are they would be restricted to Australian and NZ passengers only. Our Prime Minister has stated that  Australian borders will remain closed to international arrivals through to end of June 2021 except for the possibility of those in specific travel bubbles. 

 

 

Please be kind enough to post a link...we are from Wales, GB and have a cruise ex Sydney booked at the end of March, 2021. Princess hasn’t cancelled yet..but reading this it seems getting into Australia will be the problem. If I am honest, think I would prefer to defer for a year anyway!

As well as the links and quotes Docker 123 posted above the Qantas CEO Alan Joyce also says it's unlikely to resume international flights until July 2021. 

 

Leigh

[NSWP]

1 minute ago, possum52 said:

As well as the links and quotes Docker 123 posted above the Qantas CEO Alan Joyce also says it's unlikely to resume international flights until July 2021. 

 

Leigh

Holy Moly I want to fly to UK again. 

[LittleFish1976]

On 9/7/2020 at 6:14 PM, Reina del Mar said:

 

It's unlikely that any cruises will be operating in Australia by then. Even if they are they would be restricted to Australian and NZ passengers only. Our Prime Minister has stated that  Australian borders will remain closed to international arrivals through to end of June 2021 except for the possibility of those in specific travel bubbles. 

 

 

Please be kind enough to post a link...we are from Wales, GB and have a cruise ex Sydney booked at the end of March, 2021. Princess hasn’t cancelled yet..but reading this it seems getting into Australia will be the problem. If I am honest, think I would prefer to defer for a year anyway!

I can't see any cruise line being allowed to operate out of Australia in March, 2021.

[KatPem]

On 8/26/2020 at 8:17 PM, NSWP said:

Sounds like they are trying to suck gullible people in, thanks for outlining it all, as you can say you can basically the same price yourself booking direct with Carnival.

Not really.  We booked a similar deal in 11/21.  10 day cruise to NZ.  We had a 'free' inside but paid for a balcony instead. Our  total cost is approx.  $1200 US(1663 AUD) for two of us for 10 days.  We paid $432 deposit and will receive $600 AUD OBC (so basically $768 US (1003 AUD). Plus $250 AUD (180 US) to spend in Casino. My husband usually takes $300 US to spend in the casino for the week(total, not per day) so not having to budget as much will be nice as well. We also get free drinks for both of us while in the casino, as well as gifts and special things in the casino.  and we don't have to pay gratuities like we normally do here (which would be $280 US) so for us, it is a great deal on a cruise, yet alone a cruise to New Zealand that is #1 on my husband's list of places he would like to go.    We are hopeful we will get to go but if not, that is ok....worth the chance at this point and for this good of a deal.  We haven't ever been overseas due to being busy with kids but now that they are getting older, we hope to be able to go more places....this would be a great start. 

[Rassa]

On ‎9‎/‎6‎/‎2020 at 6:46 PM, Elorac123 said:

Keep on booking,Princess needs money to pay us Aussies fir our cancelled cruises

 

Cheeky, I have been paid everything owed to me by Princess, even though it took 6 months and I have booked 2 more from December 2021.   Not sure if we will go on the December 2021 cruise and I have a deposit on that one as I only had one FCD.  I possibly will only cruise if a vaccine is available.

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, KatPem said:

Not really.  We booked a similar deal in 11/21.  10 day cruise to NZ.  We had a 'free' inside but paid for a balcony instead. Our  total cost is approx.  $1200 US(1663 AUD) for two of us for 10 days.  We paid $432 deposit and will receive $600 AUD OBC (so basically $768 US (1003 AUD). Plus $250 AUD (180 US) to spend in Casino. My husband usually takes $300 US to spend in the casino for the week(total, not per day) so not having to budget as much will be nice as well. We also get free drinks for both of us while in the casino, as well as gifts and special things in the casino.  and we don't have to pay gratuities like we normally do here (which would be $280 US) so for us, it is a great deal on a cruise, yet alone a cruise to New Zealand that is #1 on my husband's list of places he would like to go.    We are hopeful we will get to go but if not, that is ok....worth the chance at this point and for this good of a deal.  We haven't ever been overseas due to being busy with kids but now that they are getting older, we hope to be able to go more places....this would be a great start. 

Amazing pricing, Carnival Splendor, AUD$80 pptws for balcony, no way we could get that price booking here. Hope the cruise is a goer for you, time will tell.

Edited September 22, 2020 by NSWP

[Elorac123]

12 minutes ago, Rassa said:

 

Cheeky, I have been paid everything owed to me by Princess, even though it took 6 months and I have booked 2 more from December 2021.   Not sure if we will go on the December 2021 cruise and I have a deposit on that one as I only had one FCD.  I possibly will only cruise if a vaccine is available.

Lots of activity today.

Got our long awaited (7 months) out of pocket expenses.

Got our March 21 on Sun cancelled, didn’t think it would go anyway.

Vaccine needed for us too.

Cheers Carole

[MMDown Under]

14 hours ago, Elorac123 said:

Lots of activity today.

Got our long awaited (7 months) out of pocket expenses.

Got our March 21 on Sun cancelled, didn’t think it would go anyway.

Vaccine needed for us too.

Cheers Carole

7 months wait for out of pocket expenses is a disgrace.  

I suspect cruise lines are getting the message that many people aren't going to make new cruise bookings whilst they are still owed money by the cruise lines.  

I always thought they'd expedite refunds before they start cruising down under again. 

[Aus Traveller]

15 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I suspect cruise lines are getting the message that many people aren't going to make new cruise bookings whilst they are still owed money by the cruise lines.  

 

Don't count on that! People are booking. Around a month ago we decided to book a P&O cruise for next May. I said to the TA that we wanted to book it but we wanted to make sure that a promised FCC was in our account. I thought we had plenty of time before locking in the booking. Wrong! When I followed up on it a few days later, the cruise was booked out. We then booked for August.

 

When Princess opened their bookings for 2022 there was a feeding frenzy. When bookings opened on Tuesday 15th for Elite members of the Captain's Circle, I was only able to book one of the two segments of the world cruise that I wanted, but the other segment was fully booked. The next morning when general bookings opened (with more cabins now available), at first the message was that the type of cabin I wanted was booked out. Eventually my TA managed to get me a guarantee.

[Elorac123]

30 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

7 months wait for out of pocket expenses is a disgrace.  

I suspect cruise lines are getting the message that many people aren't going to make new cruise bookings whilst they are still owed money by the cruise lines.  

I always thought they'd expedite refunds before they start cruising down under again. 

I agree but what can you do, fortunately we were able to do without the $2000 plus amount but I am sure there were some who scratch to save for holidays were left paying off their credit cards.

Cheers Carole