Royal's ships 2023/24

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

Apparently Noumea is getting 50 ton bollards which is all that is required for Oasis class.

Villa is interesting how Quantum class is doing so many overnights.
As someone said they probably have  a legal agreement with Lelepa to have so many stops in Vanuatu.

 

I know Oasis class aren’t supposed to tender but the resent tender I had on Ovation  in Vila  went very well and wth a bit of work on wharfs. I think Oasis could do it.

 

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/130557203/new-zealand-supports-vanuatu-with-10m-to-build-climateresilient-wharfs

That is very generous support from the NZ Government, which has always had a close relationship with Noumea. 

[springaussie]

4 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

Apparently Noumea is getting 50 ton bollards which is all that is required for Oasis class.

Villa is interesting how Quantum class is doing so many overnights.
As someone said they probably have  a legal agreement with Lelepa to have so many stops in Vanuatu.

Lelepa and overnight stays in Vanuatu are probably connected.

I have trying to work out how long Royal will spend at Lelepa on these 7 night cruises. I assume it will be at least 10 hours. Considering one ship visits weekly and the other every 10 days on average.

I assume Lelepa will be first on the schedule so it can rescheduled if the Mother Nature has puts on crap conditions. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by springaussie

[gbenjo]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

That is very generous support from the NZ Government, which has always had a close relationship with Noumea. 

Climate resilient wharves???????????

[Chiliburn]

42 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

That is very generous support from the NZ Government, which has always had a close relationship with Noumea. 

I think we could expect a few more punters to help rebuild their economies. Australia,uncle Sam,the French and I believe Japan is becoming quite active in our region to counter the Chinese.

 

I spent the whole day walking around Noumea yesterday (16,000 steps) and I couldn’t believe how they have cleaned the place up.

Along the esplanade near the cruise terminal ,they have built a heap of buildings that will have restaurants and bars. It has the potential to be very nice.

Just inland from the cruise terminal it was fairly clean,no graffiti. Coconut square was very presentable.

I used the local buses to get around ,buses where good,there was some new electric articulated bus !!!

There seems to be some upgrades around Lemon bay and Anse Vata .

The other side of the container terminal near the power station is probably worse that before the pandemic.

 

[Chiliburn]

3 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

Climate resilient wharves???????????

That’s the catch phrase these days Graham ,climate,climate,climate.
 

Hey ,I was just listening to the ABC radio on the internet 
and the U.S government is going to make a proposal to move Miami (U.S.A.) to Lismore (N.S.W.) when it goes under with climate change.

I don’t think I could even come up with such a stupid idea .

[gbenjo]

26 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

That’s the catch phrase these days Graham ,climate,climate,climate.
 

Hey ,I was just listening to the ABC radio on the internet 
and the U.S government is going to make a proposal to move Miami (U.S.A.) to Lismore (N.S.W.) when it goes under with climate change.

I don’t think I could even come up with such a stupid idea .

Thought they might be paying people to rub block out on the wharf structure or something. 

 

Go woke,  Go broke. 

[Chiliburn]

Stowaway pianist on Ovation .

 

 

 

[Chiliburn]

What do you make of this?

Lelepa next year??
 

 

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/lelepa-chief-to-cruise-liner-visit-dependent-on-conditions/article_cedec975-e030-5d48-a64b-c7a235a2dc93.html

Edited November 26, 2022 by Chiliburn

[geoff2802]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

What do you make of this?

Lelepa next year??
 

 

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/lelepa-chief-to-cruise-liner-visit-dependent-on-conditions/article_cedec975-e030-5d48-a64b-c7a235a2dc93.html

Maybe all those overnight stays in Vila will become a day in Vila and a day in Lelepa.  It’s not far between the two.     
How long would it take to build a small shore dock and wharf for tenders?  
 

[Chiliburn]

19 minutes ago, geoff2802 said:

Maybe all those overnight stays in Vila will become a day in Vila and a day in Lelepa.  It’s not far between the two.     
How long would it take to build a small shore dock and wharf for tenders?  
 

I’m thinking they could drop Mystery or as you say ,a day in Vila and visit Lelepa.
I’m sure they could knock up a small prefabricate dock and put on a barge.

 

[Hogbay]

5 hours ago, geoff2802 said:

Maybe all those overnight stays in Vila will become a day in Vila and a day in Lelepa.  It’s not far between the two.     
How long would it take to build a small shore dock and wharf for tenders?  
 

Ovation captain corner it was said it was shelved due to the lockdown and now looking like  2025/6 .

[Chiliburn]

9 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

Ovation captain corner it was said it was shelved due to the lockdown and now looking like  2025/6 .

He also said they are going to build another class of ships smaller than voyager , I don’t think so.

 

I’m sure they would be under contacting obligations to get something happening before then. The landlords would have their hands out for money.

 

[geoff2802]

2 hours ago, Hogbay said:

Ovation captain corner it was said it was shelved due to the lockdown and now looking like  2025/6 .

Perhaps he was referring to the big resort project which is of course delayed.
I was thinking of just a tender whart and seafood, beer and souvenirs available from the locals, like Mystery Is.  

[arxcards]

21 hours ago, geoff2802 said:

Maybe all those overnight stays in Vila will become a day in Vila and a day in Lelepa.  It’s not far between the two.     
How long would it take to build a small shore dock and wharf for tenders?  
 

Considering the size of the village, it is a surprise they don't already have a pontoon for supplies and tourist traffic. I guess the timing would depend on whether they want to attract visitors or not.

[MMDown Under]

48 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Considering the size of the village, it is a surprise they don't already have a pontoon for supplies and tourist traffic. I guess the timing would depend on whether they want to attract visitors or not.

I don't think big cruise ships should be visiting small South Pacific islands during the current Covid outbreak.  Fiji, Samoa and Tonga have had measles outbreaks in the past.  They don't have the same resistance to disease that western nations have.  

[arxcards]

1 minute ago, MMDown Under said:

I don't think big cruise ships should be visiting small South Pacific islands during the current Covid outbreak.  Fiji, Samoa and Tonga have had measles outbreaks in the past.  They don't have the same resistance to disease that western nations have.  

That is for those countries to decide though. Some islands have made that choice, others need the tourist dollar to grease their wheel.

[MMDown Under]

38 minutes ago, arxcards said:

That is for those countries to decide though. Some islands have made that choice, others need the tourist dollar to grease their wheel.

I understand.  I wonder if they have been given the truth of the current situation.  Indonesian Government stopped Queen Elizabeth visiting Bali.  South Sea islands don't have a big Government looking out for them, however NZ is usually quick to come to their rescue during outbreaks.  

[Chiliburn]

Some of the drink prices on Ovation and gratuity is included in the price!

 

Prices weren’t that bad, I got my 5 C&A drinks each day and bought a few .

my bill for 10 nights was $135U.S.

The C&A drinks start at midnight,so if you are thirsty you can go down to the casino after 12:00 and get some more .

The upcharge coffee shops take the C&A vouchers for coffee or milk shakes and on debarkation day you do have your vouchers.
I tested it and you do have vouchers on debarkation day.

 

 

[SinbadThePorter]

On 11/24/2022 at 12:13 PM, gbenjo said:

Climate resilient wharves???????????

 

I don't understand how this is a difficult concept. They are wharves built to standards that take account of rising sea levels and greater storm intensities.

[Rassa]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

Some of the drink prices on Ovation and gratuity is included in the price!

 

Prices weren’t that bad, I got my 5 C&A drinks each day and bought a few .

my bill for 10 nights was $135U.S.

The C&A drinks start at midnight,so if you are thirsty you can go down to the casino after 12:00 and get some more .

The upcharge coffee shops take the C&A vouchers for coffee or milk shakes and on debarkation day you do have your vouchers.
I tested it and you do have vouchers on debarkation day.

 

 

What was it like on Ovation and back to RCCL - as good as before or better?   Are you still issued with a cruise card etc?   I thought I saw something about doing something minor on the phone but my RCCL cruise is not until 2024 - too far out to think about it.   The Princess changes with the medallion are not that bad. 

[Chiliburn]

15 minutes ago, Rassa said:

What was it like on Ovation and back to RCCL - as good as before or better?   Are you still issued with a cruise card etc?   I thought I saw something about doing something minor on the phone but my RCCL cruise is not until 2024 - too far out to think about it.   The Princess changes with the medallion are not that bad. 

It was quite different from a few years ago @Rassa.The only problem with sea cards is they won’t punch them.

I didn’t think the food was as good in general.

I used to like the solarium for dinner but I thought is was a bit of a letdown.

I used to prefer windjammer over the dining room because of the view but the food in the dining room was much better.

I wasn’t in a suite so I can’t comment on the lounge or coastal kitchen.

It wasn’t bad or better just different.

I back on in a week so see what happens, let’s see if I can give @gbenjothe slip this time. LOL 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Chiliburn

[Rassa]

10 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

It was quite different from a few years ago @Rassa.The only problem with sea cards is they won’t punch them.

I didn’t think the food was as good in general.

I used to like the solarium for dinner but I thought is was a bit of a letdown.

I used to prefer windjammer over the dining room because of the view but the food in the dining room was much better.

I wasn’t in a suite so I can’t comment on the lounge or coastal kitchen.

It wasn’t bad or better just different.

I back on in a week so see what happens, let’s see if I can give @gbenjothe slip this time. LOL 

 

The change I liked the most about Princess was the dining.   While I didn't mind traditional dining, they have done away with it and you choose to dine by yourselves or (as we do 'with others') and you are with different people most nights.  The food in the dining room and buffet was quite OK, we are not hard to please.   I just like the whole experience to be enjoyable i.e. good shows etc. which Princess does well.  We really like Radiance and Voyager class ships on RCCL.   5,500 on Odyssey seems large but we will give it a go and shall see if we like it.

 

Enjoy your next cruise.

[Cruisers47]

29 minutes ago, Rassa said:

 

The change I liked the most about Princess was the dining.   While I didn't mind traditional dining, they have done away with it and you choose to dine by yourselves or (as we do 'with others') and you are with different people most nights.  The food in the dining room and buffet was quite OK, we are not hard to please.   I just like the whole experience to be enjoyable i.e. good shows etc. which Princess does well.  We really like Radiance and Voyager class ships on RCCL.   5,500 on Odyssey seems large but we will give it a go and shall see if we like it.

 

Enjoy your next cruise.

We were on Odyssey on the Med and really like it.   Prior to that we were on Wonder but preferred Odyssey.

 

do not think either ship was full so plenty of room.

 

eileen

[valantine80]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

It was quite different from a few years ago @Rassa.The only problem with sea cards is they won’t punch them.

I didn’t think the food was as good in general.

I used to like the solarium for dinner but I thought is was a bit of a letdown.

I used to prefer windjammer over the dining room because of the view but the food in the dining room was much better.

I wasn’t in a suite so I can’t comment on the lounge or coastal kitchen.

It wasn’t bad or better just different.

I back on in a week so see what happens, let’s see if I can give @gbenjothe slip this time. LOL 

 

We have just been on Quantum and our Sea Pass cards came pre punched.

[Chiliburn]

14 minutes ago, valantine80 said:

 

We have just been on Quantum and our Sea Pass cards came pre punched.

That’s strange, I asked the diamond concierge,guest service and they said in interferes  with the chip . They said they won’t punch it.

But I like just to put in my pocket.