Live report for Coral Princess 16th June

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

To do those 53 B2B cruises over 2 years I would need to take 10 suit cases just for my stay alive pills. How would you get your prescriptions? Ships Medical Centres don't have the full variety.

 

Longest cruise we ever did was 7 weeks on Arcadia in 2012, Sydney to Southampton via Africa, that was long enough thanks, but have done 3 x six week cruises and plenty of 3 and 4 week ones. For me, 3 weeks is just right.

You forget - the Coral Princess is based in Brisbane. Therefore they come back into Brisbane continually. This couple can easily get a taxi to visit a doctor for new prescriptions and go to the chemist.

[Porky55]

13 hours ago, joejoe 59 said:

Just saw on the news that a couple embarked today & are doing 53 b2b cruises,  don't get off until August 2024. 

My first thought was 💸💵💰💸💵💰💸💵💰💸💰😳

[NSWP]

28 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

You forget - the Coral Princess is based in Brisbane. Therefore they come back into Brisbane continually. This couple can easily get a taxi to visit a doctor for new prescriptions and go to the chemist.

Was not sure of the itineraries. They can return home in between b2b's and mow the lawn at their penthouse, lol. And get their scripts, do you think they have a concession card lol.

Edited June 16, 2022 by NSWP

[Porky55]

3 hours ago, bazzaw said:

How would you even organise such a thing?????  Go to your travel agent and ask them to organise the next x number of  cruises on a certain ship? Does the cruiseline even know what they are doing with that ship so far out??  

It says they have organised all cruises through a clean TA 😉

 

My mind still can’t get around the cost of 795 days at sea - the rough maths 😮 :

 

- eg: assume $250pp/pd = $500.00 x 795 - TOTAL: $397,500.00AUD. And I bet they aren’t in an interior cabin - so I say double that, as a minimum. And ……… unless they sold their home, they have rates, upkeep, insurances, car rego/s ……………

 

See …… mind boggling 🫠🫣😵‍💫😵🥴

 

Have to say not for me, on just one ship even,  - but good luck to them I say - if this is what they have chosen to do 😆

 

We will be able to pick who they are on any given Coral cruise - they’ll be the ones calling all the crew by first name, asking about crew member families, etc etc etc 😂

[NSWP]

1 minute ago, Porky55 said:

It says they have organised all cruises through a clean TA 😉

 

My mind still can’t get around the cost of 795 days at sea - the rough maths 😮 :

 

- eg: assume $250pp/pd = $500.00 x 795 - TOTAL: $397,500.00AUD. And I bet they aren’t in an interior cabin - so I say double that, as a minimum. And ……… unless they sold their home, they have rates, upkeep, insurances, car rego/s ……………

 

See …… mind boggling 🫠🫣😵‍💫😵🥴

 

Have to say not for me, on just one ship even,  - but good luck to them I say - if this is what they have chosen to do 😆

 

We will be able to pick who they are on any given Coral cruise - they’ll be the ones calling all the crew by first name, asking about crew member families, etc etc etc 😂

The 'Clean people in Brisvegas must love them, think of the commissions, lol.

[Porky55]

30 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

You forget - the Coral Princess is based in Brisbane. Therefore they come back into Brisbane continually. This couple can easily get a taxi to visit a doctor for new prescriptions and go to the chemist.

Regardless - still the $$$ just confounds me 😵‍💫 Too much for this old brain to comprehend. Each to their own though  😎

[CDaze71]

They will be the couple playing Table Tennis each morning.
They said on the Today Show interview that they play Table Tennis together each morning for an hour and then go their separate ways for the day. He goes to the activities like Lawn Bowls, Golf putting etc (I'll be joining him at these lol), and she goes "downstairs to trivia". 

Edited June 16, 2022 by CDaze71

[MMDown Under]

3 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Was not sure of the itineraries. They can return home in between b2b's and mow the lawn at their penthouse, lol. And get their scripts, do you think they have a concession card lol.

you loose concession card if you leave Australia for longer than six weeks

[Porky55]

Sorry Cbtours back on track ~ how are things going for you this morning, how was dinner/show and first night?
(At least we are all in the same time zone atm)

Loving the suite?
 

Rose 🌹

 

 

Edited June 16, 2022 by Porky55

[Aus Traveller]

9 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Was not sure of the itineraries. They can return home in between b2b's and mow the lawn at their penthouse, lol. And get their scripts, do you think they have a concession card lol.

With two years' of cruising booked, I think it is more likely they have rented their home. Most rents are around $500+ per week so that would help to offset their cruising cost.

[Aus Traveller]

3 minutes ago, CDaze71 said:

They will be the couple playing Table Tennis each morning.
They said on the Today Show interview that they play Table Tennis together each morning for an hour and then go their separate was for the day. He goes to the activities like Lawn Bowls, Golf putting etc (I'll be joining him at these lol), and she goes "downstairs to trivia". 

I know Jessica plays trivia. I have seen her there.

[Aus Traveller]

3 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

you loose concession card if you leave Australia for longer than six weeks

It is now 19 weeks. The rules were changed a few (3 or 4) years ago. We used to have to apply every time we were away for more than six weeks. With the new rules, the downside is that the new rules regarding qualification apply, not the rules when you originally got the card.

 

Anyway, they won't be away from Australia for more than two weeks until it comes to the world cruises where they will be away for 104 days each time. Still within the 19 weeks.

[NSWP]

18 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

you loose concession card if you leave Australia for longer than six weeks

I doubt they would have a concession card lol, paying the $ for 53 cruises.  I mean Uncle Les cannot get one and my bank accounts are bleeding to death, just that my defined benefit fortnightly income stream is over the limit for those cards, which is $55k for a single person like me, no dependents.

Edited June 16, 2022 by NSWP

[thistledoo]

14 hours ago, joejoe 59 said:

Just saw on the news that a couple embarked today & are doing 53 b2b cruises,  don't get off until August 2024. 

Good on them!  

[By The Bay]

Here is the happy couple, and only 2 suitcases.😵 In the interview I saw last night, he said they moved to a over 50's village after selling their home.

[Aus Traveller]

17 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I doubt they would have a concession card lol, paying the $ for 53 cruises.  I mean Uncle Les cannot get one and my bank accounts are bleeding to death, just that my defined benefit fortnightly income stream is over the limit for those cards, which is $55k for a single person like me, no dependents.

We wouldn't know if they have a concession card or not. Before the changes four or five years ago, eligibility was based solely on income, not assets (including superannuation accounts). Now it is on both.

[MMDown Under]

30 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

It is now 19 weeks. The rules were changed a few (3 or 4) years ago. We used to have to apply every time we were away for more than six weeks. With the new rules, the downside is that the new rules regarding qualification apply, not the rules when you originally got the card.

 

Anyway, they won't be away from Australia for more than two weeks until it comes to the world cruises where they will be away for 104 days each time. Still within the 19 weeks.

I had to reapply for my card after being away a little over six weeks.  

What are new rules regarding qualification?

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

Here is the happy couple, and only 2 suitcases.😵 In the interview I saw last night, he said they moved to a over 50's village after selling their home.

I would need more than one suitcase. 🙂 Of course, they can always pick up another suitcase when the ship comes back into Brisbane.

[MMDown Under]

Just now, MMDown Under said:

I had to reapply for my card after being away a little over six weeks.  

What are new rules regarding qualification?

Does Government write to people who currently have a concession card or are you just supposed to know?  

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I had to reapply for my card after being away a little over six weeks.  

What are new rules regarding qualification?

Now your assets are used to determine your eligibility. Previously, it was only income so a sizeable balance in superannuation accounts didn't count. The family home doesn't count, but now extra properties are included in the persons assets that are assessed.

[MMDown Under]

12 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

Here is the happy couple, and only 2 suitcases.😵 In the interview I saw last night, he said they moved to a over 50's village after selling their home.

I met a couple on my last cruise who sold their home and moved to an over 50s village.  They stayed in the most expensive cabin on the ship.  Sounds like a great way to access cash for retired folk. 

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Does Government write to people who currently have a concession card or are you just supposed to know?  

I am pretty sure we were notified in writing of the impending changes. I am trying to work out when it was. My guess is probably five years ago, having in mind that the last 27 months or so have been non-cruising months.

 

Under the old rules, we had to apply several times when we were out of the country for more than six weeks. It was a PITA having to assembly all the financial data etc and go for an interview at Centrelink.

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

Now your assets are used to determine your eligibility. Previously, it was only income so a sizeable balance in superannuation accounts didn't count. The family home doesn't count, but now extra properties are included in the persons assets that are assessed.

Is that only if you travel overseas for a certain period, or any period you go overseas?  

Cruising within Australia is looking more attractive.  

[Porky55]

Hi again Cbtours - I gather you are heading for Airlie today? I tried really hard, but it’s a touch cloudy & cool for up here, so I’ll try to do better tomorrow 😳😎

Edited June 16, 2022 by Porky55

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I met a couple on my last cruise who sold their home and moved to an over 50s village.  They stayed in the most expensive cabin on the ship.  Sounds like a great way to access cash for retired folk. 

We don't know if this couple have any family. If a couple doesn't, it makes sense to spend their money and enjoy it.