Yaya_in_Oz

I've been to Japan a number of times on land trips, train trips and ships. In the cities its easy to get around because they have the romanised English written underneath station names so easy to navigate. Whether you have Japanese hosts or not on a ship, the locals will always help. When I've been a bit lost I have had people look things up on their phone, walk me a number of times to the place I wanted to go and once when I really went the wrong way, a couple drove me back to the main station. Japan is one of my favourite places to visit and look forward to going again in Sep on the Diamond. There would also be short clips on the Internet how to use various machines and so on.

The price for the Internet is just a rip off. I thought it was a bit pricey at $10.50 a day but now its almost $20 per day for plat/elite and double that for lower tiers, its taken price gouging to a whole new level. The last time my Internet Usage was monitored at a hotel a few years back, I used 300MB in 9 days. You'd use that much streaming for half an hour. Pricing is unfair and I suspect it has more to do with making the packages look attractive as younger people who have been brought up on it simply can't do without it. Not me, so I'll have to work around it. I'm doing all my research now, booking any tickets I might need. I'll just have to suck it up and watch BBC or CNN for news and catch up on a bit of home news when in port. Same for checking e-mails. The good thing is any texts come through the moment you hit the port. When cruising started up again the cruise to NZ I went on actually cost more for room only than room + package, go figure. Anyway I used to have a coffee in the morning, a cocktail in the arvo and a glass of port or a drinking chocolate before bed. Plus 3 small bottles of water in total. The mini-bar came home. A package is a total waste of money for me and I'm sure others like me. Princess could easily give a few hundred MB of free wifi.

China?

Full marks for a complete answer! Your turn. Looks great doesn’t it 😎

Same for me on my app, so I think I'll pass. I'll just check e-mails in port and read the latest headlines from back here. Just like the old days. Does anyone know how much a single day costs? I'll need the last day and if anything comes up.

Dreamin' of my next holiday. Where am I?

Looks like Whyalla

I've yet to see the value for money. I think they charge outrageous prices for solo travellers, that is exactly double so in effect you are paying double port fees or more than double for the cabin whichever way you want to look at it. Also they seem to be rather limited in what they offer solo travellers with most cruises sold out when you enter 1 person into the booking form. I'm paying 4.2K for a solo balcony for 11 nights. Hardly a bargain but not too bad. They do have specials but as mentioned they are not available to solo travellers. I guess they want to fill the rooms with folks who'll pay $100+ for booze everyday. Well its the only affordable ship leaving from Melb next January so its go on the Explorer or stay home. I'm actually looking forward to see what I make of it as I read so many differing opinions.

I also tuck my lanyard in as I don't want it flapping everywhere and now I order the ship crest one, no-one would know and I never take any notice of what others are wearing. Last year my medallion conked out at the 30 day mark and they couldn't get it going again and they gave me a pink card. Did I think 'thats terrible, will people think I'm Ruby and not show me the right amount of deference' no I thought at last I can access my cabin and get off the ship! I've never had anyone ask how much I paid for a cruise, I mustn't 'chat' enough.

Same when I was in Hawaii a few years back. I asked why it just wasn't included in the price seeing its not optional. I got a shrug and was told "all hotels in Hawaii do it'. I just thought TG we are upfront with costs in Aus.

I much prefer a balcony to a mini-suite. I like to be cozy. I was in a mini-suite once and if there was a knock at the door, the person would have knocked twice by the time I got off the couch and answered. Didn't like the bath. Didn't like the open balcony although I would just go out in my nightie if I wanted to look. I did like the champagne on arrival and the Chivas Regal whisky in the minibar! But there is only one of me so I don't need as much space. I doubt if anyone is ever satisfied with cattle class but the entertainment options make it bearable compared to the old days of a couple of TV's dotted around the cabin which you usually couldn't see, but I liked the music back then.

Where have I heard that before? 😁

Well I never knew that. I thought they probably had a few as a previous safety demo on Princess used to mention a few people would have to go down the shute! but I figured being a senior citizen I wouldn't be one of them. Now I think I should be practising on a water slide if I come across one just in case! Seriously, I just think the bigger the ship the more life rafts they probably have and there would be almighty chaos on the Icon if passengers did have to abandon ship in any sort of hurry. if you are in a suite to do get first choice of life boat? How have they got that worked out? I always assumed I'd be put in one of the tenders. They don't tell you any of that. Perhaps its best not to know until it happens. The reason I thought I'd be in a tender was that when I was on HAL a few years back they actually marched you out to the lifeboat you would get into if something happened. Now I don't know what to think!?

As I said, its a once never to be repeated offer. I sail in a month, just too good to pass up. Its even cheaper today as they have some BF balconies but I like BE to be away from the noise.

I'm from Clan MacLeod 🙂