P&T

The restriction of what is allowable is quite tight. Must be cans, not bottles, not plastic containers, not water, not alcoholic contents. Must be in hand luggage Suitcases will be x-rayed Strictly speaking to answer your question directly, yes you can bring bottles of wine along to check-in or on returning from a port excursion, but if I read the T&Cs correctly - you will not be able to drink it on board, it will be confiscated at check-in or on boarding and returned to you at the end of the cruise.

Sorry to highjack this thread, but for those who have taken this cruise, were there any good duty free facilities at any of the ports? There was a great place in Vanuatu when we went there a few years back.

Thanks - I haven't been on P&O Aust for a few years. Have two with them this coming year.

Apparently based on zipcode. People we were travelling with shared their fare details and they paid approx 25% of our fare (booked via AU agent) in same class of cabin. We also have friends in California that regular go away for short cruises "for a song" based on their zipcode.

It wasn't an Australia Based cruise. Based out of Fort Lauderdale. US passport holders were given different rate to Aussie passport holders. If you live in Florida, or LA, the cruise lines give an extra incentive discount to locals off the fare offered to other passengers.

I tried making a booking with an o/s online agent (pre-covid) for an amazingly cheap fare and all was fine until they asked for passport details and immediately the cost of fare nearly doubled. Worked out not much different to booking locally. There were people on board from the US who got triple discount - US passport holder rate, seniors discount, local port discount - and paid approx 25% of what we were charged as Aussies. I thought about contacting the ACCC about the differential against Aussie passport holders but if the company is registered overseas I don't think ACCC have jurisdiction.

Bit put off with P&O Aust policies on what may be brought on board. Last time I was on Princess (pre covid) I saw people bringing on slabs of drinking water and soft drink and a couple bottles of wine which seemed to be all OK. I see from details on my next cruise on P&O Aust, seems they don't allow any alcohol at all to be brought on board (unless you want it confiscated for the duration) and no liquids in a plastic container, even water.

LOL What can I say - I try to keep my life uncluttered on holiday. 😊 BTW: I have not so good eyesight and wear multifocal transitions so I only need one pair of glasses for all situations.

Interesting topic My partner and I have travelled to 70+ countries by sea and air, including some listed above like, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Malaysia, UAE, Turkey, Russia, Kenya, Namibia. We have stayed in two Muslim owned & run hotels. We are not into PDA or holding hands but 99% of people who spent more than 5 minutes with us would "know" as we don't go out of our way to hide our relationship, introduce ourselves as partners and plainly obvious not "brothers" (mixed race, mixed age group). There have been only two incidents that made us step back and think we weren't that welcome were 1. A hotel in Singapore refusing to give us a room with one bed and upgraded us to another room with two double beds in the hotel next door (bonus - moved from 4* to 5* at their expense) and 2. on a tour of several states of the US where the "cowboy wannabe" coach driver (from Arizona) made it plainly clear he was very uncomfortable did not want to be in our presence. As the tour progressed, it was funny to observe him as the other passengers from various corners of the world had no issue and they made him feel the odd one out. Pretty sure it wasn't just that we were LBGT, but he was also racist. There have been plenty of amusing episodes over the last 25 years where people are just plain dumb and couldn't work it all out (the greatest proportion from North America) and and asked a series of dumb questions until they had an a-ha moment.

Yes! Treat them with respect, don't act like a self entitled ........ and say a genuine thankyou.

If you are buying drinks, the tip is added to the tab, that goes onto your account at the end of the cruise. For general tipping, you can either let the cruise line add an amount to your final account and they disburse among the crew or you can ask at the pursers office for envelopes and put money in them and hand them out individually on the last evening before you disembark.

There is nowhere on board to use cash. Pointless carrying a purse anywhere on board. Just your cruise card on a lanyard around your neck. The only things I need with me while out of the cabin might be sunglasses, hand sanitiser and phone maybe. There is zero requirement to have your purse with you. The only time my wallet comes out of the safe is when I am going ashore. My phone is usually on the bedside table, and my laptop on the main bench. Jewellery and cash etc (and passports if the ship hasn't taken them) in the safe.

https://www.lifewire.com/internet-connection-sharing-software-packages-817795

You can download software to your laptop that will let you share the internet connection to multiple devices. The laptop needs to be switched on obviously (same as router). The devices would need to be in range of the laptop (the same as the situation with the router). You will not be able to wander around the ship (out of range of the router or laptop i.e. outside the cabin) with multiple devices without buying multiple packages.

Actually Diners is readily accepted at the largest retailers in Australia without any surcharges (Coles, Woolworths, Target, Kmart, Bunnings, Myers, David Jones etc) and big chain / international hotels. I use mine everyday (especially with unlimited frequent flyer points, lounge access and other perks. However, most smaller retailers won't accept Diners as with their turnover, they can't negotiate a good deal with the provider.