Kangakid

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Cruiselines have dropped the testing requirements and mask mandates on overseas cruises as soon as they were allowed. I cannot see them behaving differently here.

I am cruising Viking Cairns to Bali on 26 October and Viking are insisting on a certified RAT for those of us embarking in Cairns.  It is obviously a Viking policy as the current Aus policy only required self administered RAT….now to find a chemist that provides a certified test along with the other 250 pax embarking….🤷‍♀️

Wishing every one on this amazing cruise safe travels and calm seas.  Enjoy every minute I am so very jealous of you all….

cheers Vicki 

2 hours ago, Tug 1947 said:

Conflicting advice about covid test one email says certified supervised RATS the other says self administraded RAts. Which one is correct leaving from Cairns to Bali

Tug,definitely agree re conflicting advice from Viking re the embarkation in Cairns protocols.  I have emailed Viking today seeking clarification, as the Eastern Seaboard Protocols that govern cruise ship requirements and the Queensland Protocols both indicate Self Administered RAT test and not the Certified test that Viking indicate.  I queried whether the certified RAT was an additional requirement from Viking???  I am also on the Cairns to Bali section.  
So will wait and see if I get a response from Viking.  
 

cheers

V.

Mrs F … My dermatologist recommends both 

Sunsense by Ego

Hamilton Sunscreen 

both can be purchased from a Pharmacy or Discount Pharmacy such as Chemist Warehouse.  I am sure there will be a Chemist Warehouse in the Sydney CBD.
 

cheers V
 

Viking has a couple down early 2023

Oceania also has one or could be two down the R class.

Then a couple of super expensive like Regent and Silverseas.

I would also probably now include HAL and Cunard in the small ships, with the new mega ships sailing now..any ship under 1,500 could be classed as a small ship 🤷‍♀️

Yippee we can hardly wait, once pricing is released on 26 September we will be ready to book when bookings open on 29 September.  We are a Disney loving family and the opportunity to cruise on a Disney ship before my GC’s are teenagers is not to be missed.  We will have over 12 months to save, hi de ho, just too excited…we have been waiting for this.  We usually sail with the whole family at least once a year, so Disney will get our business in 2023. 

I do wonder if RCI will now send down an Oasis class ship, seeing Celebrity are sending down Edge also in 2023/24?… also a win on Tatts may come in very handy to provide some funding…
 

Matkai, yes they do, I sat next to a woman on Ovation at the pokies one night and she was telling me she gets cruises (yes plural) comped every year.  She had 3 comped cruises lined up.  All the staff knew her, she told me she has a limit each night she is on the cruise and from what I could see she probably spent over $200. I didn’t hang around long, as my limit of $30 was quickly taken by those pokies.  

Just a thought with Utopia launching next year and our market share 3rd largest and with China not proving the returns anticipated.  Not sure why you tubers and influencers got the guernsey over TA, did any TA’s get the gong to attend does anyone know?
It all may ride on the pax level on the 2 quantum class arriving this year…just food for thought.

Would not be surprised if Wonder heads downunder soon.  RCI have just comped a large number of Aussie you tubers and influencers on Wonder out of Barcelona and Odyssey cruising Greek Islands.  They wouldn’t spend this money comping trips unless plans afoot.  Just a thought 🤞🏻

Hi all from Melbourne Australia.  Well what a crazy 2 years we have all had.

Our borders are slowly opening, currently only 2 states open.  Cruising is yet to recommence here, fingers crossed soon ships will once again grace our shores.

Take care all

Vicki

Chilliburn - is my TA I have used over many years - she is part of the Travel Managers group.  We have put a huge amount of business through her over the years, but these are certainly different times and once I wouldn't have questioned it, but the time taken to refund is now ridiculous...will email Celebrity today.

Thanks for your help.

Vicki

I will try calling Celebrity - but as I used a TA - I wonder if they will speak to me about this, anyway worth a phone call isn't it...

Cheers V.

Hi All - I was just wondering we are still waiting for a refund from our April 2020 cruise with Celebrity.  The TA advises that the wholesaler hasn't refunded as yet.  But it is now 12 months since we paid for the cruise and 7months since the cruise sail date (it was the transpacific from Sydney to Hawaii).

Should I be putting pressure on the TA or are refund delays taking this long?

Thanks 

V.

Busan??

An issue could be that those who board in Singapore could have issues, as some Countries have embargoed anyone who has transited through Singapore.  On my recent cruise on RCI Ovation of the Seas, New Caledonia instigated a new policy wherein any pax who had transited through Singapore were not permitted to enjoy the stop over in Noumea, they had to remain on board.  This impacted quite a few pax who had travelled from the UK.  So this is something to also keep in mind, you may not be permitted to get off the ship at certain ports of call.

Ellie Daisy, I am just off an Ovation Cruise from Sydney and am booked on Celebrity transpacific in April.   The cruise lines are now under taking a double screening process for any passengers who have been anywhere near Asia in the last 14 days prior to sailing.  They all must pass screening by a visit to the doctor at the dock as well,  prior to boarding.   I have no concerns with sailing in April from either NZ or Oz.

hope this alleviates your husbands concerns somewhat.

Cheers Vicki

I just want to convey my thanks for the compassion shown by you all, as understandably  it has been a very stressful 24 hours for our family.  My son and his family have now flown back to Melbourne, and we leave Sydney on Ovation at 4pm today.  

My whole reason for posting was to maybe save others from the terrible disappointment we have gone through.  The lack of comms from RCI is unbelievable, we first were made aware of the change to the itinerary when my son was checking in at the Port.

We were well aware of the 3 day policy so chose this cruise because it had only one 2 days at sea  and the remainder days were only 1 sea day.  RCI have now decided that we will be stopping at Noumea followed the next day to Mystery Island and then 3 sea days back to Sydney, a day between Noumea and Mystery would have avoided the situation our family found themselves in.

A lesson learnt the hard way, never ever cruise with children under the age of 12 months, and would definitely be advising anyone in future just don’t risk it, not worth the heart ache of leaving half your family on the dock.

Our TA is contacting RCI to ascertain whether any further compensation to my son could be forthcoming.  

Once again, I thank everyone for your support.

We will now try and make the most out of this cruise, especially for my grand daughter and family here with us.

Vicki 

HI all, I want to thank everyone who has shown compassion for our situation, to say the least it has been very stressful for the remainder of the family who are sailing without one family.

We were well aware of the 3 day at sea policy, so at no time when contemplating booking this cruise did we have any concerns as we only had 2 sea days consecutively, the remainder of the days were only 1 sea day before land.

Our issue is with RCI and the comms re notifying us of the change and therefore prohibiting our grandson from boarding.  We were only made aware of this change to itinerary at 11:13am, when we arrived at Sydney OPT to board.  Surely RCI didn’t make this decision at 11am????

For the RCI warriors here, who won’t hear a wrong thing said about RCI, this is not our first cruise with RCI and they are in fact our cruise line of choice when travelling with the family.  We are platinum level.  Our issue is the lack of comms by RCI and the decision to change the itinerary extremely last minute, so therefore having 3 sea days consecutively.  For those who travel in the South Pacific, our new itinerary has us stopping Noumea, followed by Mystery Island and 3 days back to Sydney, a stop between each of these island would have avoided the situation we are now in.   

I would in future ensure we never put us or our family in this situation again, and lesson learnt never book for anyone under the 12 month age limit, but RCI seriously need to look at their communication process, waiting until we had arrived at the OPT is just not good business, shows a definite contempt for its loyal passengers.

We sail at 4pm, my son and family flew out of Sydney back to Melbourne today...😞

Feeling disheartened and upset by the actions of RCI today.

My family flew up from Melbourne to join Ovation for a 9 night cruise.  When my son and family checked in they were taken up to level 2 to be told they can no longer join the cruise, as it was decided this morning to change the itinerary which meant 3 sea days and RCI policy is no under 12 months can cruise.  We were not made aware of this until we checked in after flying into Sydney this morning.  RCI have offered full refund, (which goes without saying) putting them up at a hotel for the night, before they can fly home tomorrow.  They need to organise own flights.  To say the rest of the family are devastated is an understatement.  The ship is staying in Sydney tonight and at this time we could be anchored in the harbour until midnight tomorrow.  Just really bad form by RCI as there were numerous other families impacted by this decision as well. 

What should have been a fantastic family holiday has turned into a extremely disappointing experience for our family.  We arrived at the OPT terminal in Sydney after flying up from Melbourne this morning, to join Ovation for a 9 night cruise.  When my son and his family went to check in, they were taken upstairs and advised that as the itinerary had changed this morning they could no longer cruise, as there were now 3 sea days in the new itinerary and under RCI policy no child under 12 months could cruise.  They have a 10 month old and a 7 year old, so this meant they were no longer able to join the cruise.  You can imagine the tears from the 7 yo who was meeting up with her cousin from another state.  RCI have offered a full refund [which goes without saying] hotel for the night until they can get a flight home tomorrow.  Needless to say the rest of the family are saddened and deeply upset by the decision to change itinerary at the last minute.  We are not alone as there were numerous families with under 1 YO that this impacted.   Bad form RCI.  There were other options available with respect to the changed itinerary.  To say this has coloured our view of RCI is an understatement.

Thanks for doing this.  We are always looking for options other than the mainstream ships.  Just one query there was listed Club HAL and Loft.  I noticed Club HAL ages differed from 3 to 12 and at times 7 to 12.  Our GD will be 8 and 5 so just wondering is there 3 age groups or just the 2.   Did your kids manage fine without the kids water park, rides, etc that the mega ships have for kids...

thanks

Vicki

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.

Christmas on Majestic Princess last year

Thanks Chez for the review.  We have been debating between Splendor and a Ovation as both dates work for the whole mob.  Reading your review Ovation will be our choice, as we have never sailed on Carnival so was very unsure of what to expect, but reading between the lines, not your preferred option...

cheers Vicki

We did a Xmas cruise on Majestic last year and great weather, no rain apart from Dunedin which they tell me is usual.

I have also recently this year did a 14 day cruise on Sapphire.  Ship is in good condition, no complaints about the rooms or any other area.  Only let down was the food, absolutely the worst food I have encountered on any ship ever.  The breakfast in the buffet were shocking, not sure why frankfurts are a breakfast choice.  Overall the standard was poor even in the MDR.  On many nights food was sent back and complaints made to the Maître D.   Fingers crossed they up their game with respect to food once Sapphire his Australian waters.

cheers Vicki

Uncle Les, my prayers are with you and your family at this time, you need to try and keep positive, and keep your spirits up......

cheers Vicki