-
Posts
23,545 -
Joined
Content Type
Forums
Store
Blogs
Downloads
Events
Gallery
Everything posted by OzKiwiJJ
-
Excursions for Australia & New Zealand
OzKiwiJJ replied to Teachkids2's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
If a Cradle Mountain excursion is offered from Burnie then I recommend it. The Cradle Mountain National Park is beautiful, plus you'll get to see a fair bit of the Tasmanian countryside as well. It's a long day trip though. -
Free Shuttles for Lyttelton
OzKiwiJJ replied to arxcards's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Two cruise ship wharves? I thought there was only the new one. -
Free Shuttles for Lyttelton
OzKiwiJJ replied to arxcards's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Unlike Port Chalmers, the Lyttelton wharf is a working wharf ie the whole area services freight vessels as well as cruise ships, which is why you can't walk off it. -
Free Shuttles for Lyttelton
OzKiwiJJ replied to arxcards's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
That's just crazy and may result in people who do want to spend the day in and around Lyttelton clogging up the public buses still. Most people who used the public buses did so because they didn't want to pay the shuttle bus fee but if the shuttle to Christchurch is free that issue goes away. And if Lyttelton doesn't want cruisers shopping, or having coffee or lunch in their town then stuff them, I'll stay on the ship. Akaroa may be happy to have a few cruise ships back there. -
Hmm - last time with P&O for us.
OzKiwiJJ replied to bazzaw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I haven't created it yet. I'll start it later this week. We fly to Japan on Saturday. -
Your opinion on gratuities, please
OzKiwiJJ replied to lovedecruise's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Apparently that's quite common on USD cruises where the gratuities aren't included in the fare. I think it goes back to before they started charging daily gratuities. -
Your opinion on gratuities, please
OzKiwiJJ replied to lovedecruise's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
They ask for your cabin number and write it on the envelope. Then the envelopes are checked against your booking to see whether you've removed the daily gratuities or not. If not the crew member gets the envelope back. -
Now for something completely different
OzKiwiJJ replied to Blackduck59's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Shhhh! Don't tell anyone that it isn't part of the Sanctuary! 🤣 Those pools are really nice. We had one cruise where it was almost bath temperature one day. They did cool it off a bit after I mentioned it to our Sanctuary steward who was also in charge of doing the daily water checks in that pool. Most of the Princess pools aren't heated, they warm up from sun but cool off if air temps are cold. -
Now for something completely different
OzKiwiJJ replied to Blackduck59's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Coral is the only ship that has a dedicated Sanctuary pool. The Sanctuary is aft on Coral instead of forward like on Emerald. -
Your opinion on gratuities, please
OzKiwiJJ replied to lovedecruise's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Ditto. Sometimes there is an option to prepay the gratuities. If the offer is in AUD check how it compares with the current exchange rate. For our upcoming 9 night Japan cruise we saved about $20pp by prepaying the gratuities. -
Yes, that is true, a fee to cover service glasses etc, but $30 per bottle is more than excessive! Princess needs to take a reality check on things like that. Just converting the US price to AUD doesn't take into account local charges for such things. There might be the odd three hat restaurant that might deign to allow someone to bring a special bottle of wine to that restaurant and charge them $30 corkage but Princess is a long way from a three hat restaurant. If they're going to charge me $30 corkage I expect to get the correct Riedal wine glasses for the wine I'm drinking and that doesn't happen on Princess. They do have decent wine glasses if you can get your hands on them but they aren't specific to the type of wine. No, there is no requirement for soft drinks and water to be in cans on Princess. This is a myth perpetuated by P&O cruisers.
-
Now for something completely different
OzKiwiJJ replied to Blackduck59's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I only swam in the Sanctuary pool. It had a very shallow section with a ledge around the edge to sit on, then a deeper section which I think was posted as 5ft 2ins deep, which I think is around 1.5 metres, in the middle but a bit less around the edges. It was the perfect depth IMHO. -
Majestic Princess boarding time
OzKiwiJJ replied to lesands77's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
At the OPT there is usually a separate queue for priority check-in, after that you used to be given a boarding group card with a letter on number on it. Priority boarders got letters and those were called first. -
Hmm - last time with P&O for us.
OzKiwiJJ replied to bazzaw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
We've stayed onboard at the occasional port, ones we've been to before. The only downside is the MDR isn't open for lunch. We have to go to the buffet! 😲 -
Majestic Princess boarding time
OzKiwiJJ replied to lesands77's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
No, the boarding time won't change unless the ship arrives late. Essentially they've gone back to the pre-Covid style of boarding. -
HAL is similar to Princess but quieter, especially after 9pm but that wouldn't bother you as I know you retire early at night.
-
Hmm - last time with P&O for us.
OzKiwiJJ replied to bazzaw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
That helps but it's the port days that are an issue with the mega ships, especially if there are 4 or 5 of them in port at the same time. It's not so much of a problem here at the moment but in other cruise regions some ports are starting to resent the number of cruisers visiting. I believe Barcelona recently announced it was reducing the number of cruise ships in port per day. If more ports in the Mediterranean follow that line then cruising there will become very boring as there won't be enough ports that will accept the mega ships to give variety to the itineraries. -
Very few ships go to both South Africa and Australia. Every few years Princess used to do a Circle Indian Ocean cruise. I'm not sure if they offer segments but keep an eye out for it. Cunard might visit South Africa as part of one of their world cruises but it would probably be Australia to South Africa. Otherwise you might find something on one of the luxury lines.
-
Hmm - last time with P&O for us.
OzKiwiJJ replied to bazzaw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
No thanks! Way too big for us. -
updates for Australia cruise ship covid protocols
OzKiwiJJ replied to Twonomads's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Yes, the cake shops. A feast for the eyes let alone the tummy! Shame about the pier being out of action but it looks like it will be really good when it's finished. -
Have a great cruise! We're doing the world cruise next year, leaving Sydney April 30th. BTW do you like oysters? If the timing is right you might be in NZ for the start of the Bluff oyster season. They are the best oysters in the world. I can never decided whether I like them best natural, or battered and fried, so I always get half a dozen each way.
-
updates for Australia cruise ship covid protocols
OzKiwiJJ replied to Twonomads's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
And don't forget St Kilda beach, just a tram ride away, with its iconic pier. Does Acland St still have those amazing shops, and that great bookshop?