Royal's ships 2023/24

[Chiliburn]

Friends are on Ovation and it docked  in Auckland today at the container terminal and apparently the dock is Oasis ready!!! 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Chiliburn

[geoff2802]

12 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Friends are on Ovation and it docked  in Auckland today at the container terminal and apparently the dock is Oasis ready!!! 

Interesting.. did that info come from an official source?  

[Chiliburn]

3 minutes ago, geoff2802 said:

Interesting.. did that info come from an official source?  

No ,they said they where told by a officer at the suite party.

The container terminal is pretty substantial ,it should be able to.

 

But even with Ovation docked is better than being stationary in the middle of the inlet.
They said there’s a shuttle bus service into queens dock.

[bretts173]

18 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

No ,they said they where told by a officer at the suite party.

The container terminal is pretty substantial ,it should be able to.

 

But even with Ovation docked is better than being stationary in the middle of the inlet.
They said there’s a shuttle bus service into queens dock.

Only problem they didn't have enough shuttles running. Was taking people 2 hours to get off.

 

 

[bretts173]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

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.

There are 2 types of cards from different suppliers apparently one has the wires running around the outside one more in the centre if you hold them up to the light you can see them. Just luck of the draw what they have at the time.

[Chiliburn]

19 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

There are 2 types of cards from different suppliers apparently one has the wires running around the outside one more in the centre if you hold them up to the light you can see them. Just luck of the draw what they have at the time.

I did put it up to the light but couldn’t see anything as I was thinking about putting my own hole it.

Are you on there now are you?

Edited November 29, 2022 by Chiliburn

[bretts173]

13 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I did put it up to the light but couldn’t see anything as I was thinking about putting my own hole it.

Are you on there now are you?

No, did first one back, but my mother is on Quantum. Hers is punched, but others on same cruise can't be.

 

You need a fairly high powered light.

[gbenjo]

3 hours 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. 

Yes, you still get your cruise card  but you don’t get it till you go to your stateroom ( cards outside the door) The most asked question we get when scanning guests onboard.😁

[gbenjo]

4 hours ago, Rassa said:

Edited November 29, 2022 by gbenjo

[gbenjo]

5 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

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.

So in fifty years time the water “might” be an inch higher. 

[Chiliburn]

25 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

 

You need a fairly high powered light.

I might get my welding mask out and a powerful light and see if I can see the chip.

[Rassa]

12 hours ago, Cruisers47 said:

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

Good to know, thanks.   Did you do the Holy Land cruise?

[Chiliburn]

15 minutes ago, Rassa said:

Good to know, thanks.   Did you do the Holy Land cruise?

Rassa ,when I was in Noumea I went looking for French cat food for you.

 

[Chiliburn]

11 hours ago, geoff2802 said:

Interesting.. did that info come from an official source?  

There was talk a few years ago of the bigger ships using the container terminal in Auckland.
They must have worked something out with who ever owns it.
Hopefully the same could happen with port botany container terminal?

 Especially ,now Newcastle is going to expand.

[Cruisers47]

28 minutes ago, Rassa said:

Good to know, thanks.   Did you do the Holy Land cruise?

Loved it.    Luckily there was no problems at the time we visited.   Although it was during Jewish holidays and it was very busy.

 

we have done Israel before so we did some diffferent excursions but on a few excursions pax got lost.   That was why ship excursions were a good idea.

 

eileen

[Rassa]

1 minute ago, Cruisers47 said:

Loved it.    Luckily there was no problems at the time we visited.   Although it was during Jewish holidays and it was very busy.

 

we have done Israel before so we did some diffferent excursions but on a few excursions pax got lost.   That was why ship excursions were a good idea.

 

eileen

Pre-covid we were booked with Leo Tours (which did not happen of course) but I have seen things that you have to present to Border Control on your first day to Israel and it is better to be on a ship tour because they leave first.   Travel Guides was about Israel last night and that was good to see.   The Dead Sea just looked like a normal beach so I would rather tour  more interesting places.

 

On a previous cruise which included Israel, the ship had to sail past due to shooting - hope we get in this time.  Thanks for your comments.

[arxcards]

4 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

There was talk a few years ago of the bigger ships using the container terminal in Auckland.
They must have worked something out with who ever owns it.
Hopefully the same could happen with port botany container terminal?

 Especially ,now Newcastle is going to expand.

Newcastle won't be complimenting the load through Port Botany but will be in competition. That is why they fought to keep it from happening, and I can't see them freeing-up the container wharf for cruise ships. Very tight for space on those wharves, and I can't see them fitting-out a container with check-in counters.

[Cruisers47]

1 minute ago, Rassa said:

Pre-covid we were booked with Leo Tours (which did not happen of course) but I have seen things that you have to present to Border Control on your first day to Israel and it is better to be on a ship tour because they leave first.   Travel Guides was about Israel last night and that was good to see.   The Dead Sea just looked like a normal beach so I would rather tour  more interesting places.

 

On a previous cruise which included Israel, the ship had to sail past due to shooting - hope we get in this time.  Thanks for your comments.

I am sure you will enjoy.

 

most people on the cruise did the first day with the cruise ship.   Yes it took time to get through Border Control.   You get a slip of paper to put in your passport and need to make sure you do not lose it as it has to be shown each time you leave the ship.

 

eileen

[Chiliburn]

1 minute ago, arxcards said:

Newcastle won't be complimenting the load through Port Botany but will be in competition. That is why they fought to keep it from happening, and I can't see them freeing-up the container wharf for cruise ships. Very tight for space on those wharves, and I can't see them fitting-out a container with check-in counters.

That’s what they said about Auckland.

In the short term  and I’m sure if the money was right.  Patricks would think about it.

But they would have to do a off site check in ???

[Chiliburn]

@gbenjo

Graham , I have friends currently on Ovation and doing a B2B.

They where told by the concierge that at the end of this cruise. They might have to pack their bags and leave the ship. Apparently they will be tested in the terminal and if positive will have to leave the ship.

Is that correct?

[gbenjo]

31 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

@gbenjo

Graham , I have friends currently on Ovation and doing a B2B.

They where told by the concierge that at the end of this cruise. They might have to pack their bags and leave the ship. Apparently they will be tested in the terminal and if positive will have to leave the ship.

Is that correct?

As far as I know, there is no testing done at the terminal. I would have thought they would test them on board but they may have made some arrangement to have a test  at the terminal.  All B2B pax would normally leave the ship and can  return when boarding commences and luggage  is left on board but perhaps the ship has made a call to unload/ reload the luggage. We just do what the ship wants  ( if possible)   but they make the call.  Hopefully not too many B2Bs  if this is the case.

[Chiliburn]

17 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

As far as I know, there is no testing done at the terminal. I would have thought they would test them on board but they may have made some arrangement to have a test  at the terminal.  All B2B pax would normally leave the ship and can  return when boarding commences and luggage  is left on board but perhaps the ship has made a call to unload/ reload the luggage. We just do what the ship wants  ( if possible)   but they make the call.  Hopefully not too many B2Bs  if this is the case.

Apparently they were told that ,luggage has to leave the ship also.

This is probably not your department but just say one was tested positive.

Could someone else be substituted into the booking at short notice on the day? It’s only a domestic cruise so immigration wouldn’t be involved.

[arxcards]

9 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Apparently they were told that ,luggage has to leave the ship also.

This is probably not your department but just say one was tested positive.

Could someone else be substituted into the booking at short notice on the day? It’s only a domestic cruise so immigration wouldn’t be involved.

If one tested positive and they elected to disembark them, everyone on the booking would be disembarked.

 

B2Bs are handled differently, depending on the itineraries. It is normal for passengers to disembark with luggage when an overseas cruise is followed by a domestic one. As you say, they are arriving via immigration, which won't be there to process them after the following domestic cruise. While treated like B2B transit passengers by Royal, they are really classed as arrivals through immigration at the end of this cruise.

 

Domestic B2B with overseas - luggage can usually stay on and moved to next cabin if needed. Passengers have to go in transit to cycle through immigration before returning to the ship.

 

Domestic B2B domestic - passengers and luggage can stay aboard, as no immigration processing is required.

[gbenjo]

33 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Apparently they were told that ,luggage has to leave the ship also.

This is probably not your department but just say one was tested positive.

Could someone else be substituted into the booking at short notice on the day? It’s only a domestic cruise so immigration wouldn’t be involved.

No.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

That’s what they said about Auckland.

In the short term  and I’m sure if the money was right.  Patricks would think about it.

But they would have to do a off site check in ???

I was just looking at maps of Port Botany, and it could actually work at the North end with access via Sirius Rd. Being so close to the airport runway though would create an issue with ship lights close to runway lights, and that was an objection from the airport when they were planning a new wharf at Yarra Bay.

 

Would be a cool view from the top deck. Watching planes much more interesting than a view of the cemetery.