crochetcruise

On sea days there was always a morning session and an afternoon session on our 2015 cruises. Don't know about fleet wide, but that has always been the schedule I've experienced. No electronic devices on Princess, and I'm personally happy about that! You can buy a Princess cruise ship themed dauber for like $1.50. I collect them on every cruise to use at home. Good luck!

 

 

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THANK YOU!Another item added to the Cruise Souvenirs list, price is guesstimated at AUD$2. I will have additional On Board Credit ready for any unplanned budget blowouts!

Hi crochetcruise

 

The formal photo I got was $30 It was only one but the one above was only $14.99

 

The Wheelhouse bar and all the other bars where easy to use if you had a walking stick or walker. I am sure you could manage.

THANK YOU! Duly noted on my Cruise Budget!

Gorgeous photos too!

Lovely photos, especially of the Wheelhouse Bar. It looks as if I could practise ascending and descending the 2 steps using my walking sticks rather than the walker quite safely

By any chance, do you know the cost of a Formal Portrait please? I get a Free Sitting as a Suite Perk, am guesstimating AUD$50 for the photo. Already know about the Welcome Aboard Photo Package, it's on my list of On Board Purchases to Pre-Pay, still have Gift Services, Internet, Soda & More Package, On Board Credit to pay for Cocktails, Culinary Delights, Lotus Spa and Casino Credits to organise.

My TA's just done a 2 night cruise on the Pacific Eden, she warned me that the selection in the on board shops is FAR more extensive than Gift Services-start "squirrelling" extra money. I did see the price of a plush bathrobe AUD$125, and probably bulky to pack! Not this time, I'll enjoy it in the Window Suite, and get the mugs my cousins would like as their Cruise Souvenirs/Christmas presents-too good an opportunity to get something useful and practical!

I'm taking liquid pods, in their own bag, when I sail. Will have multiple nights in my State Capital, with my cousins at their property, aboard and a single night in the Disembarkation city, so will need a 20 pack of pods-got 1 on special for AUD$5.

Can anyone confirm if the drink prices have gone up since the spreadsheet was last updated in July 2014? I'd be very surprised if they haven't.

Here it is - the updated version with all of the additional & updated prices my parents found on their cruise last week! They took a ton of menu pics for me - the list has almost doubled in size. There are a few repeats on the list - for example, if a drink is offered on multiple wine lists, I did show it multiple times on the list. Hopefully that's helpful for folks as they think about what they like to drink at specific venues.

 

The only 2 sections that aren't updated are the iced coffees from the International Cafe and the Flavors of Mexico. I have indicated the update date for each item, so it will be obvious how current each price is.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions, and as always feedback and correction suggestions are appreciated! :D

Just copied and pasted this. HTH.

When I sail in November aboard the Golden Princess, I intend to check as many prices as I can, and post the Australian prices.

I think as OzKiwiJJ said, if you like variety the most inoffensive way to approach it is to ensure you are one of the first to arrive and sit wherever you like.

 

If someone has already chosen the seat you wanted, there's obviously a reason for that and I guess you need to weigh your irritation against the irritation they might feel if you ask them to move for no particular reason other than you want a 'turn' at their view.

 

Having said that, I'm a grumpy old cow, which is why I won't share with strangers in the first place, so perhaps I'm alone in bristling at the thought of others dictating where I sit. The general population may be far more reasonable!

Hi clairebearinaus, I see we're on the same cruise in November. Have you joined the Roll Call yet? There's several of us so far.

Looking forward to our sailing.

HopesToTravelMore,

THANK YOU! The screenshot of the Messenger App explaining how to logout successfully, answers a concern of mine-knowing HOW to successfully log out of the Internet on board. I've written down the step-by-step instructions on my Cruising Notepad #2, I need to buy another notepad, this one's nearly full, and I've already finished 1 other! SO much useful information on Cruise Critic.

Yes, you still get the cup when you buy on the ship.

 

If you prepay you get the cup delivered to your stateroom

THANK YOU1 I was puzzled about that myself. Planning to pre-purchase as much as possible, and cost what I cannot-mainly Cocktails and a Lotus Spa Treatment.

I have the price, but the Lotus Spa credit won't entirely cover it. I could allow extra On Board Credit to cover the cost and tip, that is the easiest option, now I've had a chance to think calmly.

I love coming on Cruise Critic, I can feel myself relaxing as the website loads! 36 weeks and 2 days until Embarkation Day!

Glad you are all in a mini suite, at least the kids won't BOTH be in bunk beds.

 

Having a 20 and 15 year old sounds crowded to me, but I can understand the desire to say a bit and have everyone together in the room. It sounds like you will mostly be sleeping in your cabins, and doing nothing else there. We currently cruise with both our boys in the room, but they are 12 and 8.

 

Hopefully you will be on a ship that has a good spa to use the showers in (I was crushed when the Grand did not have showers in the Spa to use unless you were in a treatment room):eek:

 

Organization, we put the luggage under the bed and fit them into each other, so 2-3 suit cases take up the space of the larges one.

 

Two women, well, try to bring as few shoes as you can. I myself take 2 flip flops (in case one breaks, I've had that happen before), one pair of tennis shoes, nice dress shoes and Tom's. I find it so difficult to coordinate the shoes with outfits, but I do my best to mix and match outfits at home before I pack so I take minimal clothes. Luckily my husband and the boys don't take as much.

 

We put all our dirty clothes in one laundry bag hanging from the closet.

Having some many people in the room, I don't know if you may want to consider doing laundry on board. It takes a chunk of time (30 wash, 60 dry) and there can be lines. Some people like to do it, some don't because they are on vacation. I've heard mini suites have good storage space, but I've not been in one (we are usually in an inside cabin!:eek:)

 

Good luck coordinating and organizing. I'm sure you will have an amazing cruise!!:)

THANK YOU! I wanted to know how much time to allow for a load of washing from start to finish, you've provided the information. :D

Less than 1 hour and 254 days to go for me! Yes, I AM wildly excited!

Noted the Happy Hour listed in the Patter, hope that's available when I sail, it's described as A Repositioning Cruise. It's between 2 Australian Capital cities, so no need for a passport. I shall find out when I embark.

The Disembarkation information was useful, I now have a better idea of how to organise myself the last morning.

Hi crochetcruise,

 

On the ship, you can access "golden.princess.com" by connecting to the ship's wifi and opening the webpage in your internet browser. You won't be charged for the internet usage if you're only using it to access the "golden.princess.com" website.

 

As Hawka mentioned, there are e-kiosks on deck 6 where you can print out your account statements to keep track of your spending.

 

I've set up a thread on the Aus&NZ Cruisers board for Q&As and possibly a mini review. Go to http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2321946

THANK YOU! Great, detailed directions which are most helpful.

I have decided to get an Internet package, the 4 hour one, which should be more than enough to log in to a website where I earn points for logging in daily, and making a bullet point report of the day's activities to another group, who keep an anxious eye on each other-we ALL worry when someone's not well. I carelessly disconnected my Internet on the weekend, had them REALLY panicking, until someone found my phone number and called me. She reported back to the ground I'd disconnected the Internet, and couldn't sort out the plugs myself! Much laughter, but I won't be so careless again in a hurry $192 for a technician's visit! That's nearly 2 Future Cruise Credits! I'll know definitely by the morning of November 12, 2016, whether I need to go to the Future Sales Office and get 1 or 2 Future Cruise Deposits!

By searching the Melbourne and Sydney Port Authority Cruise Ship schedules, I think I've identified a similar cruise leaving from Melbourne, not quite a year after we sail from Sydney. I already have a baseline price for flights, and hotel bookings, and I may only need 2 nights in Adelaide if flying in from Sydney. I get into Adelaide too late to safely connect with my home town airport, and get a meal at a take-away place near me. I'll deal with that problem when I need to.

Please would you clarify a couple of points for me, if you have the relevant knowledge of course?

The golden.princess.com contact for laptop is interesting. Do I need to download anything to my laptop? NOT very strong on the technical side at all! Does this enable me to monitor my spending, so I know I have the bill covered? I am pre-paying as much as possible, intending to put money into On Board Credit, but not sure of the prices of magnets, pens and tshirts/sweatshirts yet.

With the electrical items, if any only use 220volts, should I bring a transformer-I think it's called-with me? I know about the adaptor plugs, am planning to get both the 2 and 3 pin varieties from my local motoring organisation, it's still on the To Be Purchased List! LOL.

Was delighted to see the Happy Hours mentioned in the Patter, hope they're available on my Repositioning Cruise in November, bit concerned as it's a local cruise. I shall see.

Thanks for your help. I eagerly read your posts, and have learnt SUCH a lot of useful information.

If you are still paying off 2 cruises you prove my point, you can't afford to cruise without going into debt. That's a major problem in our country, people spending more then they earn.

 

Sympathy to you and your husband. Regardless of how much you put down you get it ALL back before final payment. I have someone very close to me in the same situation but it doesn't change the amount of the cruise or final payment, I don't under your statement of not wanting to loose anything if it's before final payment. Good luck with the treatment your husband is about to receive, it's tough but necessary.

That 1st paragraph might not be true IMHO. I am on a Government Pension here in Australia due to Disability. By careful planning and budgeting, I will be enjoying my 1st cruise in November this year. By checking the Port Schedules of the Embarkation and Disembarkation ports, I have located another possible cruise for 2017-no information available from Princess until late April. I may not be able to make the booking until I return from my November cruise with a Future Cruise Credit, I may even get another FCC, as it would enable me to book the appropriate future itinerary ASAP. This 1st cruise is the most expensive, with a lot of new experiences to try, but I now have a very accurate baseline price for future cruises, and can budget better. I have been making regular fortnightly payments towards my cruise, establishing a history of reliability in payments. I DID thanks to information read here on Cruise Critic, make sure that International Travel Insurance-required for a Domestic Cruise as Medicare here doesn't cover Cruise Ship travel, was bought on the same day I made the booking. Have had to adjust it due to a variation in dates, but it only cost my AUD$50, think that's about USD$40, so very happy for the peace of mind.

In a Calendar year I will be sailing to Melbourne.

 

I'm counting down the days in excitement.

 

Still to buy:

 

[

1. rash vest
   
2. adaptor plugs-2 & 3 pin types
   
3. extra memory cards
   
4. orange shoes
   
5. sunscreen
   
6. torch batteries
   

 

Have planned the flights and hotel accommodation, just got to make the bookings in January.

 

Have date for final Cruise Payment, also date by which all On Board Purchases including gifts, Culinary Delights, Photography, On Board and Casino Credits must be completed.

 

Get prescription issued for Stemetil-due to prescribed medications I won't buy over the counter for fear of a reaction.

 

Make sure all paperwork is printed off and carried in the Cruise Clipboard Folder.

 

Pack.

 

Travel and enjoy myself.

 

Write a review and post on Cruise Critic.

 

If I've forgotten anything, please remind me.:D There's many far more experienced cruisers, who's generosity in sharing hints and tips have streamlined my packing. To everyone THANK YOU!

UPDATE!

In 37 weeks I'll be aboard the Golden Princess en route to Melbourne!

Shopping is still mostly in the planning stages, but did, when tidying out a cupboard, find a pair of orange shoes that may do on board-must check the soles. Not good for flying, the strap passes through a metal holder and doubles back on itself to secure with Velcro, but ok for on board if the soles are suitable.

1 Hotel accommodation and flights are booked and paid for-with 3 out of the 4 bookings being discounted, much to the TA's amazement, and my delight. Have put the savings towards a relaxing scalp massage on the Sunday afternoon.

10 payments to Final Cruise Payment, then 6 to finalise On Board Purchases, Casino, On Board Credit, and Photography Credits, Drink Package, Internet Package and Culinary Delights. Know the total cost, it's just getting the cash transferred.

Only known clothing still needed is the rash vest for sun protection. It's our winter season in the shops now, so will "squirrel" the cash and be on alert when the next summer season's stock starts arriving in the shops-have a choice of 2 that are easy to get to for me.

Sponge bag is ready to be packed. Medication will be done in October-on the watch for over-the-counter tablets/capsules to come on sale in a suitable size for travelling-and have an expiry date well AFTER the cruise!

No the blue bags are not for sale.

THANK YOU! I'll make sure to get some cheap-0.15 cents a bag, plastic reusable bags from 1 of the supermarket chains before sailing. Makes it easier for me to pack the cousins" souvenirs together-they don't mind if their Christmas present comes a bit earlier, it's what they asked for!

In 248 days I'll be sailing down the East Coast of Australia

Are these tote bags available for sale in, I think it's Calypso Cove, that sells souvenirs, and if so, please may I have a price? So I can "tweak" my budget if I need to buy 1 tote bag or more for friends-easiest packing of souvenirs out, just pop it in a bag and hand the goodies over!:D

I'm on a 3 night cruise, have no problem with actually-shock, horror! PAYING for a tote bag or several as mementos of my cruise, and handy packaging for gifts for friends.

I was being inquisitive, and searching the Port Authority information for both Sydney and Melbourne ports. I've possibly found in November, 2017, a 3 night cruise sailing Melbourne-Sydney, the same sailing the original 2 night cruise was to sail. I should know next year's cruise schedule here in Australia by late April, and if I'm right in my guess, must put money aside to buy myself at least 1, possibly 2 Future Cruise Credits!

My TA explained that when I buy 1 or more on the ship, she will receive an email with the details, so I will have a reduced deposit on a future cruise. As I understand it, this would mean I could arrive home on the Tuesday night-staying overnight in my Disembarkation port and flying home the next day, and go to the TA with all the relevant details to book my next cruise on the Wednesday morning!

I would like to achieve Elite status BEFORE I sail to Tasmania for my possibly Belated 60th Birthday present to myself. 1 cruise every 12-14 months will do this, with 5 years to complete 4 cruises. Sailing solo in a Window Suite, based on information I read here on Cruise Critic, I should, on completion of the 5th cruise, earn my 15th Cruise Credit and become Elite. I do have the option of leaving about 18 months between 2 cruises, which would help with "squirrelling" cash towards the Big Cruise.

Debating whether to sail Golden Princess in a Window Suite Round Trip from Melbourne for 6 nights, or Emerald Princess in a Penthouse Suite Round Trips for Sydney for 8 nights. I costed the 2 sailings, and it's between $3,000-$4,000 difference-don't have my notes handy to verify my calculations. I'm not sure having a Balcony for my 60th Birthday AND the Suite Perks, is all that important to me. Sure a Balcony is nice, but a friend warned me that opening the Balcony door can be quite difficult due to the door being heavy-she was concerned I wouldn't be able to do it myself due to physical disability-I can travel independently, just not good at balancing and opening a heavy door! To have both, I need to sail on the Emerald Princess, but needing Handicapped Access means the Handicapped Accessible Penthouse Suite, which in turn means spending $$$$$!

260 nights to Embarkation!

Yes, I AM eagerly counting down the days. I bet I'm not the only person to do it either!

Sailing out of Fremantle on 24th March on Sun Princes, have been told beverage package costs AUS$64.90 pre sail then AUS$59.00 if purchased on board,how come?

Peter.

That's the cost of the Australian 10% GST. Don't know why GST wouldn't be applied if purchased AFTER the sailing, unless US-based ships are exempt from paying Australian GST once they've sailed.

I'd check your Cruise Personaliser-can't get the All-Inclusive-Beverage-Package as my cruise is only 3 nights, but the Soda and More is AUD$8.69 per day, and that's what is showing up as the price. Still haven't decided whether to pre-purchase it, will have some money from family and friends and have been told to choose what to buy with it-souvenirs; Cocktails; the Soda and More Package; a Specialty Dinner or a Lotus Spa treatment-the choices are endless. I'm changing my mind every day!

Your mention of the AIBP, has reminded me I meant to check the price of my preferred liqueur at the local bottle shop, I shall do that tomorrow. Knew I'd forgotten to put something on my shopping list, now I know what it was!

They usually require to carry off your bags on cruise from 1 to 4 days in length.

THANK YOU! THAT'S the question I keep forgetting to ask my TA here in Australia to check for me! She's just done a 2 night cruise with P. & O. and was caught by having to leave the luggage outside-only 1 case, so she carried it off.

I'll have a suitcase, the carry on case and my handbag, so hope the big case can be unloaded for me. 1st cruise so not sure how I'll handle the ship's movement, and we berth at Station Pier in Melbourne, so must travel Bass Strait which the TA warned, "It's rough!" She reacted to her anti-nausea medication! I'm hoping the Golden Princess, she was on the Pacific Eden with 1500 passengers, having around 2600 passengers from memory, will be more stable. I shall find out in November!

I was told by my friend who advised me about the Window Suite originally, that she was gifting me OBC, so I could choose my own treat, they all wanted to choose something different, whether Sabatinis, Crown Grill, a Lotus Spa treatment, Hairdressing, a massage, or buying souvenirs! Much easier to gift someone OBC.

I don't know how they'd go sending a message to the person if they didn't know their Login Details though.

My TA's just done a 2-night cruise Sydney-Melbourne herself, with P. & O (Aust) on the Pacific Eden in an Inside Cabin. She reminded me about anti-nausea medication, she unfortunately reacted to my preferred choice :eek: ; and reminded me about diligently using hand sanitizer., so that's on my shopping list to price, and purchase over several shopping trips. She and her husband had rough weather, the comment was, "No good when Sick bags are hanging everywhere!"

Bass Strait is notorious, as is the Rip just outside Port Phillip Bay, so I might have a bumpy end to the cruise!

At this time in 38 weeks, the cruise will be over, and I hope to have purchase a Future Cruise Credit. Think, on checking the Sydney and Melbourne Port Schedules, I might have identified a possible Melbourne-Sydney cruise for next year, another 3 night cruise! So I'm impatiently waiting for the 2016-2017 Australian Cruise Calendar to be released in April.

Hi All

 

Note as cute as my fur babbies,

 

Is that a Samoyed dog Shogun?

GORGEOUS! So white and fluffy.

OMG' date=' so adorable![/quote']

 

My House Cleaner has a Husky girl puppy called Indi, and with my delighted agreement, I received a visit 3 nights back. Indi is gorgeous-brown and white; eagerly sniffing all the new smells; and accepted the chance to sniff the back of my hand under her owner's careful supervision. I will get more news of her on Tuesday, and might be lucky enough to get another visit some time.

 

Her owner told me I'd done everything right on meeting a strange dog, she knew I was wildly excited at the chance to meet Indi, but I was quiet, careful to move slowly, and kept looking at her to check I was doing the right actions, so a future visit is possible if I don't mind visitors? Not these gorgeous girls, Indi's even nicer in the flesh than on a small camera screen! I told her, it was the very 1st time I'd ever seen a live Husky, I'd only seen pictures of them previously, and she was better than I'd ever imagined!

 

She's just had "her operation" so I think she's about 6 months old. Curious at all the new sights and smells, but very obedient to her owner, and came to me willingly to smell my hand before accepting a careful pat.

According to the schedule provided by an earlier poster, I'll be 5 months too early for the new bedding on the Golden Princess. It looks VERY comfortable, hope the schedule is sped up so the Suites have the new bedding. That would be a marvellous surprise.

Have noted to pull the bottom sheet out and check the mattress, armed with my camera to accurate record the details.

Don't think I've ever seen the room service beer package in the Cruise Personaliser but it's worth a look. We've ordered a similar room service wine package in the past - 4 mini bottles for about the same price as the beers - but we were told it's not available on the Australian cruises.

My Cruise Personalizer is showing several 5 for the cost of 4 beers packages-think Heinekin and Dos Equis IIRC. Not a beer drinker here. HTH.

Wow looks like we will not be buying many photos if any for our Cruise later in the year, being from Australia that's around $35.00 and $48.00 Au per photo cannot justify that.

I'm getting the Welcome Aboard Photo Package for AUD$50-2 photos and a ship shapes USB stick IIRC-can't easily manage 2 website open at the same time due to sight issues. I plan to budget another $50 to get an 8" x 10" photo from the free Portrait Sitting I receive as a Suite Perk. It's my 1st cruise ever, so I'm excited! :D Been diligently scouring for prices so my budget is mostly pre-paid, and I don't get too much of a shock!