Review - Sydney to the South Pacific on the Splendor

[Jandex]

On 6/2/2023 at 10:02 PM, jimbo5544 said:

Nice review, thanks for doing it.  I was surprised to read about the covid requirements.  Is there a mandatory number of vaccines required to cruise?  Is the pre cruise quick test readily available?

At least two doses. 

[jimbo5544]

8 hours ago, Jandex said:

At least two doses. 

Thanks

[LBKTCruiser]

On 5/25/2023 at 5:09 AM, aussielozzie18 said:

Arrived at Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) Circular  Quay at 11.30am.  I had selected a 12noon boarding time, when options opened 2 weeks prior.  
 

After dropping off my suitcase, I was permitted to go through.  Probably because I was a solo and there was a short space of time with no-one going through.

 

Currently, travel insurance that covers Covid is mandatory if you are cruising to the South Pacific. So signs up everywhere reminding us of this plus announcements as well.

 

Also, until two weeks ago, Carnival Australia cruisers were not permitted to take alcohol on board.  Thankfully this rule was finally changed so cruisers are  now permitted to carry on one bottle of wine or champagne on board.  Yay!

 

And you do need a self administered negative RATS test taken within 24hrs of boarding, with photo proof of ID and time (passport & the time displayed on another mobile phone).

 

So all boxes ticked, it was onto to border control, short wait of 10mins or so while they cleared the queues ahead, x-ray of your carry on and then you were on board the ship. Nice seamless process.

 

Next step was Muster Drill.  Lifejacket demo with staff member on outside deck in very small groups of 8 or so.

 

Then time for lunch in MDR.  Cruise - the only place to can have two slices of cake with no guilt.

 

Got chatting to a lovely couple seated at the booth next to me.  I find cruisers very friendly to solos.

 

 

 

 

I really appreciate your review as we are headed out on this trip in August/September.  I am confused about the travel insurance as there seem to be a wide range of options and prices.  If you are willing to share what you used and what it cost, we would really appreciate it.  We are looking to meet the requirement with minimal investment.  🙂

[aussielozzie18]

On 6/4/2023 at 12:15 PM, Jandex said:

Thanks so much for the review!!
We are on this same cruise on June 30 and I hadn’t been able to find many reviews of the ship so this was great to read! 
Have sailed South Pacific numerous times and was great to see pictures that are now so familiar to me! 
Regarding the swimming in Noumea - I had seen a post on their tourism website a few weeks ago stating they had roped off a small (200m) area of Lemon Bay - patrolled by lifeguards - between 8.45 and 4 - for swimming. This was as of May 5? Did you see this? 
For those who’ve asked, Covid testing and immunisation is still a mandatory requirement sailing out of Australia. 
You can test using a RAT - available at any chemist or supermarket - as long as you take a photo of the negative result along with your ID and proof of date - you will be fine. These rules are being reviewed in July - so not sure what the outcome will be in terms of relaxing them from then on. 

Sorry for the late reply.

Yes, there is a very small area that is roped off that you can take a dip in.  Enjoy your upcoming cruise and glad my review was helpful.

 

[aussielozzie18]

47 minutes ago, LBKTCruiser said:

I really appreciate your review as we are headed out on this trip in August/September.  I am confused about the travel insurance as there seem to be a wide range of options and prices.  If you are willing to share what you used and what it cost, we would really appreciate it.  We are looking to meet the requirement with minimal investment.  🙂

Happy to advise what I bought but being American you will have different insurance available to you.  Just make sure your policy covers Covid and states the South Pacific countries you are visiting.  

 

I bought Allianz travel insurance with a cruise pack add on and I called them up closer to cruise to get a cover letter than specifically stated that coverage included Covid.

[LBKTCruiser]

On 6/12/2023 at 2:42 PM, aussielozzie18 said:

Happy to advise what I bought but being American you will have different insurance available to you.  Just make sure your policy covers Covid and states the South Pacific countries you are visiting.  

 

I bought Allianz travel insurance with a cruise pack add on and I called them up closer to cruise to get a cover letter than specifically stated that coverage included Covid.

Thank you.  I appreciate the advice.  

[aussielozzie18]

On 6/13/2023 at 6:44 AM, LBKTCruiser said:

I really appreciate your review as we are headed out on this trip in August/September.  I am confused about the travel insurance as there seem to be a wide range of options and prices.  If you are willing to share what you used and what it cost, we would really appreciate it.  We are looking to meet the requirement with minimal investment.  

 

This may help.  Posted today  in a Carnival group that I am in elsewhere.

 

I know like yourself, several American cruisers on our cruise struggled beforehand with insurance & other requirements.

[Ocean Boy]

46 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

 

This may help.  Posted today  in a Carnival group that I am in elsewhere.

 

I know like yourself, several American cruisers on our cruise struggled beforehand with insurance & other requirements.

The South Pacific really needs to evolve on this matter.

[2022cruisey]

The South Pacific is sparsely populated and they are not wealthy countries.  They do not have the medical facilities available for large scale outbreaks so need to take precautions to ensure they are not lumbered with unwell passengers.  That is one of the reasons they are making sure everyone has insurance to cover them so I’ll people can be evacuated to bigger countries like NZ or Australia.  
Don’t disparage them for trying to protect their people and economy.

[LBKTCruiser]

14 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

 

This may help.  Posted today  in a Carnival group that I am in elsewhere.

 

I know like yourself, several American cruisers on our cruise struggled beforehand with insurance & other requirements.

Thank you so much! 🙂

 

[KKB]

Thanks for your review! 

I just booked the Splendor next Feb--8 days to New Caldonia & 12 days to NZ. 

First trip to the area--the cruise prices were too good to pass up & even my flight was cheap--DH & I each got a one way to Sydney in April for a Transpacific & it was the same price as this RT flight to Sydney in Feb!

[Ozwoody]

Thanks aussielozzie18

 

Great review, I was hooked right from the first post right through to page 5.

Well done.

 

Regards

John

[drsel]

On 5/25/2023 at 4:52 PM, aussielozzie18 said:

Thought I’d do a mini review of my recent 9 day cruise and throw in a few photos - for anyone who might be interested.

 

In Australia at present, you have the option of Carnival Splendor sailing out of Sydney and Carnival Luminosa sailing out of Brisbane.

 

Guests are still required to be vaccinated and the Luminosa (new to Carnival from Costa) hasn’t been selling well due to the lack of water slides for families.

 

There have been some ridiculously cheap deals as a result.  Last December, my daughter and I did 7 day cruise from Brisbane on the Carnival Luminosa to the Great Barrier Reef.  Prices were so cheap I booked us adjacent solo balcony cabins and we had a great cruise and loved the Luminosa.  If we lived in Brisbane, we would have happily booked more cruises on her.

 

As a result of cruising on the Luminosa, I got an offer too good to refuse for 9 days sailing out of Sydney to the South Pacific on the Splendor for this month.

 

Thanks for the detailed excellent review!

I just wanted to know for New caledonia (the ports of Noumea & Lifou) is cruise specific travel insurance mandatory for boarding Carnival Splendor from Sydney, or will regular travel insurance be adequate?

 

I already have a one year multi trip travel insurance for the whole world with a covering letter that mentions that Covid is covered.

It includes Covid, but it doesn't mention anything about cruises.

So how much Cruise specific travel insurance should I take for 12 nights on a Carnival cruise from Sydney to New Caledonia ?

USD 50000, 150000, 250000 or 600000?

Edited February 27 by drsel