SinbadThePorter

Covid couldn't kill the cruise business, but that could. 😜

He couldn't get along with crooks and psychos like Fletcher Christian and John Macarthur. 😁

Every time I get off a P&O cruise it's always the last time.

All I can say is, that's grouse. 😉

I knew exactly what the title of this thread meant as soon as I first read it, but I suddenly just wondered if anyone under 40 would.

It's ye old marketing trick. This is the idea behind creating different price levels with various conditions attached to each level. It's designed to catch the unwary. Hopefully there are few such on CC! 😉

This place.

The official cruise terminal in town is too small for Majestic and most modern cruise ships. She will dock at the industrial port across town from where the only way off is the shuttle bus to the official terminal.

I'll second Whitehaven beach. Especially if you are provided with a lunch. A wonderful place to have a picnic.

Not being a coffee drinker and having a weakness for a morning hot chocolate, can I find it at the Grounds Club?

There's no way to know for sure. On any cruise there are always last minute cancellations. The best way to take advantage of them is to talk to a travel agent and try to be put on standby, or wait and see what happens.

Out at sea the air temperature will generally mirror the sea temperature. For the sea around Vanuatu and New Caledonia that's about 24-26 degrees at the moment. By November that should be about 28 degrees, but in an El Nino year as we now have, it may reach 30 degrees. The temperature on deck will depend on the exposure to the sun and the wind.

I have a Feb booking on Resilient Lady which should have come with a $300 bar tab. Should I be able to see that bar tab in the app? When I view Add-ons it shows Deep Blue Extras and also a Bonus $100 Bar Tab. I would have thought that the $300 Bar Tab would show up there. Maybe it appears closer to the cruise date?

The Australia ETA is visa subclass 601. My guess is that they applied for a 600 visa or that they have spent time in a country with a high prevalence of TB. The health examination requirements according to Home Affairs: "This arrangement applies to applicants for the following visa subclasses, and only if you are already in Australia: 403 - Temporary Work International Relations 405 - Investor Retirement 407 - Training 408 - Temporary Activity 417 and 462 - Working Holiday 461 - New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship 462 - Work and Holiday 476 - Skilled Recognised Graduate 482 - Temporary Skill Shortage 485 - Temporary Graduate 500 - Student 590 - Student Guardian 600 - Visitor 870 - Sponsored Parent (Temporary) This is temporary measure and applies to all eligible temporary visa applications currently with the Department and new applications made in Australia. The Government will review these arrangements in early 2023."

I don't think you can drive to Fitzroy Island, it's a ferry from Cairns. Cape Tribulation is a bus day tour from Cairns. As for Cairns itself, there is an aquarium in town. Outside of town there is Hartley's Crocodile Adventures. You can get a shuttle bus there. For dining you could try any of the restaurants along the Palm Cove Esplanade. You can get there by bus or taxi.

There is also Cape Tribulation, north of Port Douglas. Fitzroy Island, south of Cairns is also nice.

Jetstar is the least reliable. It's a low budget offshoot of Qantas. I'd go with either Virgin or Qantas and choose based on price and arrival/departure times.

Oct/Nov is a bit early for NZ, unless you like cool weather. Temperatures for this week in Auckland have highs in the low 60s. In Dunedin you are looking at the low 50s. You might get better weather in late November. Jan, Feb and Mar are the best months for NZ, but nothing is guaranteed. Dec/Jan is summer school holidays in both countries. For Oz anytime between Oct and Apr is good. Dec-Mar are the hottest months.

Would that would be Man O'War Steps, which is a very historic landmark in its own right?

Not anymore, it's all credit card now. The problem with using AUD instead of Kina is that on the smaller islands it's often a problem for the locals to exchange money. Besides a lot of things are 5 Kina, if you use AUD it will be $5 which equals 10 Kina.

Diamond is not so bad and she is coming out here Sept 2024. But I know what you mean, I've been on Encounter twice and it's just too crowded, especially when trying to get into the Encounter Hotel where most of the activities are held. I really like the P&O itineraries, but to get the budget fares they have just cut too many corners. I'd pay a bit more for for better food and less crowding.

If you cruise is like any of the others I've been on to PNG, at Alotau the local bank will send some people on board just after docking to exchange currency. As for Alotau township itself, I'm hard put to recommend getting off the ship.

I've always thought Nhulunbuy could be a candidate. A deep water port a good stopping distance between Cairns and Darwin. On some of the most scenic parts of the Arnhem Land coast. Town in the doldrums since the refinery shut down.

Keep an eye on the prices over Black Friday and also Christmas. The cruise lines often have specials pop up.

That might be a conflict of interest since they currently sell cruises for most cruise lines.