eamondzhang

On 10/30/2022 at 5:40 PM, Cbtours said:

Yes that’s his name! Yes he’s hilarious. 
 

BTW did you get your FCD sorted out in June?

Yes Irene, thank again - I get the FCDs over the phone and applied to the cruise that is sailing in three days. Hooray!

I'll have to admit this is the first time I successfully *used* a FCD - last ones were on the cancelled cruises during the pandemic

Cheers

Michael

As others said both modes are good - for the two of us I booked a transfer for our 12 Nov cruise as it's $24 pp and cab costs just as much

However if you have more persons cab might come out as a cheaper choice 

On 10/29/2022 at 3:21 PM, Cbtours said:

We used princess transfers when we boarded 11 Oct $24 each. No problem at all and no worries about a meter running. Plus the “host” guy was hilarious and certainly got the cruise mood started right at the airport. He was the same one hosting three years ago. Obviously brilliant at his job.

I bet you must have run into Rodney, and he's very good at his job 🙂

On 9/26/2022 at 6:32 PM, MicCanberra said:

Perhaps go club class, I believe they have the same table waiters each night.

Yep club class has the same set of waiters dedicated to club class section only (during lunch time and dinner time; I saw them hanging around in different areas during arvo tea time)

Michael

On 9/26/2022 at 7:41 PM, Aus Traveller said:

I have booked an early flight, but not quite that early. Now I have to work out how to book the Princess transfer from the airport. It doesn't appear under the 'excursions' page for the cruise. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Or you just show up at the airport to a representative carrying Princess logo, and they'll fill in a form for you (so you get charged onboard) and send you onto the next available transfer

They're usually hanging around in M&G area in arrival halls

Michael

On 9/23/2022 at 3:55 PM, arxcards said:

I think Carnival has pretty much gone down the same line as P&O here, but Princess is pretty much as it was. There is one possible blip, and that is in the cruise terminals. If your port of call is handled through a terminal, the private X-ray staff will do the security screening, and may get their ships/policies muddled from time to time. Ship security will put them straight though.

I knew in Melbourne even though they did handle through the terminal, x-ray was done by shipboard staff - when Majestic paid a port visit (shorex) just before Covid shutdown and we went onboard as invited by CAU, the terminal is absolutely deserted and everyone was screened onboard, both visitors and passengers.

Only difference was security swap visitors' IDs for an onboard visitor badge inside the terminal before we went up the gangway.

Michael

Yeah it's an absolute massacre. Once the cats managed 6 goals in Q1, fate is literally sealed. Swans just can't find their pace to fight back.

As a cats supporter I'm happy tho.... 😄 After 11 years and multiple attempts (5 prelim and 1 GF) we're finally there again

Michael

11 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

On Princess there is no limitation on taking soft drinks (or water) on board either when you first board, or at ports of call.

 

Alcohol - At embarkation one 750ml bottle of wine is permitted free of charge. You can take any quantity of extra wine but you will be charged AUD$15 per bottle. This used to be at embarkation, but now it seems to be when you take the bottle to the dining room.

 

Spirits - Not permitted.

1 minute ago, arxcards said:

I think you will be OK, unless the bubbles are funny bubbles. I can't find anything in their passage contract or FAQs that would prohibit it. I was surprised to see that kava was on the prohibited list, so just as well they don't make kava cola in Vanuatu any more.

Thank you both 🙂

Looks like we'll be safe lol

I thought Princess also has the can drink only policy like P&O does but looks like I'm wrong!

Cheers

Michael

8 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

That is good policy.  One of the joys of travel is trying drinks from other countries.  

Agreed! Although ours are within Oz and Oceania isn't one that we can afford right now 😞

Michael

15 hours ago, arxcards said:

Which ship? 

P&O won't even let you take a bottle of water aboard, and only sealed cans of anything non-alcoholic. I think most others would allow you a bit of bubble tea in port.

Majestic Princess

Sorry I shouldve mentioned that

Cheers

Michael

Hello everyone,

Just a quick question regarding bringing drinks onboard

Are we allowed to bring soft drinks (like a cup of bubble tea) onboard when the ship's in a port visit?

Cheers

Michael

1 hour ago, Cbtours said:

This is sounding hopeful because he mentioned he only had a Chinese type name with a declined credit card! 
I’ll check tomorrow.

irene

Oh and if you don't feel comfy talking here about these feel free to shoot me emails at eamondzhang@gmail.com

Thanks again 😄 

Michael

56 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

This is sounding hopeful because he mentioned he only had a Chinese type name with a declined credit card! 
I’ll check tomorrow.

irene

Emmmm I hope I havent put up the wrong cc number on file!! 😞 (the cruise I had was with OBC that I haven't spent so I didn't incur any charges)

I'll be damned if that's the case!!

Michael

11 hours ago, Cbtours said:

If you can send me your full name then James will check back and see what he can do

Thanks Iris, apologies got a bit occupied. Can you get James to check for Jizhou Zhang (that's what's on the passport) and Yeting Wang (for my wife)? Hope he still gets me in his system as it's been a while. We both purchased two lots each

Appreciate your help! 🙂

Michael

15 hours ago, Cbtours said:

Can you query it with anyone, ours went through instantly yesterday. And it said it was charging the credit card on file, so didn’t need to give any details.

wonder if we can ask for you? While we are still on board?

 

If you don't mind that'd be fantastic 🙂

Maybe even as a general enquiry asking if they have processed all FCDs for the 19 Jun cruises first I guess? When are you debarking?

I'm sure when I clicked through the app it says my FCD request was successful but silly me I shouldve taken a screenshot (the minute I swipe through that page is when I started to regret!!)

Cheers

Michael

14 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Did you get an email confirming your FCD purchase? Ours came through very quickly.

Unfortunately no, and I knew previously they came relatively quick (but my last one came a day after my debark as well)

Michael

11 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

You can do it through the Medallion app. Easy-peasy! They get charged to your credit card on file for your cruise.

 

 

 

Bad news, I havent got my FCD charged to my cc even though it's half a week since I debarked 

I'm sure I have done everything correct via the app... Damn!

Michael

14 hours ago, Jean C said:

Hehehe, this really made me laugh, sadly I fully understand, I have a kitty who I haven't yet broken the news to that he's being left behind for a week 🥴. I joke about smuggling him on board and how we'll manage the cabin steward, hehehe, judging from the photos posted, kitty will love the food 😄 

We thought exactly the same!!! I even googled if any cruise lines allow us to take cat onboard, sadly only on QM2 but even that pets are kept separately!!

Leaving our cat for a few days made him evidently wanted to stay close to us.... well until today when he smashed my cup onto the floor!! 😡

A good idea to keep a few Wi-Fi cameras around the house... so you know he'll be alright 

Michael

20 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

Were in regular balcony for our next three but at least we change to elite after we finish 4th B2B cruise on 3 july

We'll settle with balcony and Plat for the next one (and likely the next one only!)

As long as we have OBC to buy cans 'n plus package, I guess.....

Michael

2 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

We were contemplating coming to the warmer qld climate for a holiday when princess released these short cruises. Seriously it would have cost us more for a really nice hotel on GC for a week than we paid for suite 17 days!

For me the one reason was price for a suite costs just as much as a normal balcony and even less so if you factor in the Wi-Fi and drink package. The 19th cruise also crosses my b'day and we eagerly wanted to get back to sea so it was a no-brainer for us

I was planning to add one of the 3-nighter before or after but no she didn't like the idea of being away from our cat for too long - now she's yelling!!! 😄 

Our next cruise had no suite left when we booked it so I might got some more complaints now!!! 😄 😄 😄 

Michael

7 hours ago, Cbtours said:

We have just loved the whole suite experience. Never done it before and it has probably spoiled us for life lol.

 

Yeah we definitely spoiled ourselves with suite as well lol - who doesn't love being in a much larger room

We only did the one 4-niter and wifey is now complaining it's too short!! (She was the one who vetoed my B2B plan lol)

Michael

6 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

We couldn't get any sort of deal on the minibar. Probably because we went though Room Service. All she would do is to swap the six existing cans for no sugar coke. I said we didn't want the little alcohol bottles either and she said they would take them away. I asked what we would get in return and she said, nothing. I told her we'd keep them.

 

 

That's strange as we swapped the entire mini-bottles with Coke cans since we don't drink vodkas and such - no issue from Room Service (we rang to get this swapped)

We did not bother coffee cards or other beverage package since we have the plus package already

Michael

14 hours ago, nz1 said:

I just googled it and omg the photos look so good! Reminds me of the “hamburg steak” rice meals that are popular in Japan. I was obsessed with a chain called Pepper Lunch ペッパーランチ on our trip there 🤤

Then you'd better come to this size of the pond, as Pepper Lunch is everywhere in Melb 😄 

Michael

15 hours ago, Cbtours said:

I rarely eat steak but my bayou prawns last night again were tops

 

Prawns are okay I agree it's just the steak that I can really taste the difference

Michael

39 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

She should haved asked to see the full wines by the glass menu. They are trying to fob off that limited selection for the packages implying they are "special" for that package but they must have wines by the glass available for people that don't have packages.

I did manage to see the wine listing (apologies no photos here) - they did have a fair selection of wines however most of them are sold by bottle only. I bet they intentionally limit the choice of wine by glass so they can make some extra money knowing a lot of people have plus package and would like to buy inclusive wines.

Michael

On 6/21/2022 at 4:48 PM, Cbtours said:

We have bayou first night. However in MDR last night they had prime rib and the club class extra was four huge grilled prawns and a crab sort of saucy thing on the plate. I didn’t have this, Frank did. He always orders steak medium rare….. to me it nearly walked off the plate and I couldn’t bear to look at it. He could only finish one of the two huge pieces of steak and ate every scrap the the prawns and crab mopping the sauce even with the steak. 
they told us steak Diane was on tonight. 

When I had Bayou on the first night the steak served were the tasteless USA steak..... Before they switched to Aussie steak from third night onwards at Club Class. Huge difference.

Michael