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Everything posted by SinbadThePorter
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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.
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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.
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Would that would be Man O'War Steps, which is a very historic landmark in its own right?
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Anyone been to PNG?
SinbadThePorter replied to Ethel6666's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
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. -
Hmm - last time with P&O for us.
SinbadThePorter replied to bazzaw's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
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. -
Anyone been to PNG?
SinbadThePorter replied to Ethel6666's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
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. -
New ships coming to Australian Waters
SinbadThePorter replied to MMDown Under's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
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. -
Opinions . Booking a Xmas Cruise 2024
SinbadThePorter replied to Zanny's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Keep an eye on the prices over Black Friday and also Christmas. The cruise lines often have specials pop up. -
Velocity points for Virgin Cruise.
SinbadThePorter replied to By The Bay's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
That might be a conflict of interest since they currently sell cruises for most cruise lines. -
Velocity points for Virgin Cruise.
SinbadThePorter replied to By The Bay's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I suspect that Virgin might be more flexible with prices than Disney. We'll have to see what they do with unsold cabins when they get close to sailing date. -
Velocity points for Virgin Cruise.
SinbadThePorter replied to By The Bay's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
After. It is a strange booking process. It's essentially a guarantee cabin, except you get told what cabin you have up front at booking. -
Velocity points for Virgin Cruise.
SinbadThePorter replied to By The Bay's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Has anyone tried to change their cabin assignment? -
Velocity points for Virgin Cruise.
SinbadThePorter replied to By The Bay's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
They sent me an email without a key and then another email 2 hours later with a key. Booked the 6 day 1st Feb cruise to Sydney and Hobart. We'll see what all the fuss is about. 😎 -
Weren't they fitted last March?
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Wifi free anywhere on Princess ships
SinbadThePorter replied to Candycane10's topic in Princess Cruises
That way madness lies! -
Wollongong 3rd Cruise Port?
SinbadThePorter replied to woodscruise's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I seem to recall that Norwegian did a departure from Port Kembla, but I can't find the proof. -
My first time to Broome by cruise ship will be next year, but from what I gather docking large vessels there is currently limited by the tidal range. "The existing Port of Broome consists of a fixed jetty that is at the mercy of some of Australia’s biggest tides, reaching off the coast into a sea that can rise and fall by 10 metres in just six hours. This has presented challenges when loading and unloading vessels, particularly for live cattle exports to Indonesia, gas rig tenders for the Browse Basin, and cruise ship passengers wanting to visit the historic pearling town."
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Best time to cruise Australia
SinbadThePorter replied to yorkshirephil's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
The seas in the south are generally better in March than October. In the north March is still in cyclone season, October is not. -
I (along with many others) have often decried the lack of facilities for cruise ships around the Australian coastline, but now it looks like Broome is stepping up with a new port facility called the Kimberley Marine Support Base. https://www.kmsb.com.au/ With a deep water anchorage and a huge floating dock, it should be able to handle almost anything. Building to take place during 2024 and planned to be open in 2025.
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Sad news about one of our members.
SinbadThePorter replied to MicCanberra's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
He was a gentleman and a scholar. As he goes off on the Long Cruise, may his ship be merry, his seas smooth and his ports always sunny.- 66 replies
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Wollongong 3rd Cruise Port?
SinbadThePorter replied to woodscruise's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
There are buses and ferries nearby in East Balmain if they could just allow an exit from the cruise terminal. -
Pacific Encounter Owners Suite (11751)
SinbadThePorter replied to ceeceeDee's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
Edit: I finally found a deck plan of the old Star Princess and it has the same deck 11 layout as Pacific Encounter, but I still think the Owner's Suites on Grand should match the Owners Suite on Encounter. I'm pretty sure that Grand, Golden and Star Princess had the same cabin layout. If that's the case then it looks like the Princess Owners Suites on deck 11 were kept as Owners Suites by P&O. Except that one Penthouse Suite (B748) and one Owners Suite (B750) on deck 11 were combined by P&O into one Grand Suite numbered 11748. That only left one Owners Suite (ex-S2) on each P&O ship, which is cabin 11751. So the Grand Princess cabin B750 should be the mirror image of 11751 cabin on Pacific Encounter. Link to video of Grand Princess B750. Grand Princess Deck 11 Aft. Pacific Encounter Deck 11 Aft -
Leaving a cruise before the final port
SinbadThePorter replied to Cruisers47's topic in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
I'm not sure what you mean, the link works for me.