AuzzieCruiser

Here in Australia, all fares must by law include all taxes and fees. All cruise lines bar one here includes the gratuities. So that bargain $469 8 night Splendor cruise is exactly that. Nothing else to be added on.

I'll be sailing on the Glory from New Orleans in October for 7 nights and wondering what type of crowd will be onboard.

I would have just got off the Spirit 3 days earlier from doing the Panama Canal and I have a feeling that is going to be a more chilled vibe with an older demographic.

I have only sailed Carnival twice, both from the US (Miami and Charleston), and the experience was fine even though I'm not a night owl. Is it a party type of cruise when sailing from New Orleans compared to say Charleston? 

Thank you

This is interesting. I'm usually a Royal cruiser and you don't change tiers halfway through a cruise.

I'm a lowly Red with Carnival but will change to Gold towards the end of my Panama Canal cruise so looks like I'll get the card at the start of the cruise. And with deals like $485 each for 10 nights including taxes and tips, I might be doing more Carnival cruises in Oz even though I would have hit Diamond Plus with Royal.

I have 3 booked for 2023 doing Alaska, Panama Canal and Eastern Caribbean. Have a credit to use with Royal for a cancelled cruise and compensation for Radiance in Feb 2020. Expiry dates have been extended a few times but hoping to use them for Alaska in 2023.

5 hours ago, zalusky said:

The big problem for me is that 2022 does not have the circumnavigation itineraries they have in 2021.

I have already done the traditional Sydney to NZ routes.

 

I may have to look for something else entirely.

I've done the circumnavigation twice. It's looking more than likely we were on the last one this year.

I'm disappointed because it's a great cruise. And now with Sydney having two Quantum Class ships, I can't see it happening again unless another Radiance Class ship does it.

We cannot even leave Australia. We can't go anywhere and to be honest, I'm all for keeping our borders closed. Most of our new cases are international arrivals arriving on maybe 10 flights a day into the country.

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Wouldnt most diamonds be older in general than say gold and newbie cruisers. I'm not sure encouraging top tier older cruisers would be a good idea. But hey anything extra pts I'd like

I turned Diamond just before I turned 31. First RCL cruise was when I was 20 so all my points are my own.

More and more people are Diamond are at a younger age, especially here in Australia where cruises are typically 10-14 nights long. We are lucky that we get 4 weeks paid annual leave a year if you're full time, no matter how long you've been with a company for.

On my recent Radiance B2B cruise there were over 900 Diamonds and above and 92 Pinnacles. All 92 stayed on for the B2B. And i heard the pax count when we were getting off. There were 1996 passengers, so quite a few high high tiered!

5 hours ago, zekekelso said:

 

That would be good. Better still, fold them into the cruise price. 

They do that here in Australia. The price we see is the price we pay. It's a legal thing. 

Also, with the exception of the Spa, the 18% gratuity is included in the prices for drinks etc when sailing to/from Australia. So no adding 18% on. The price in the menu is the price charged.

Does anyone know where the Muster Station would be for R206?

Was 35 nights B2B on Rhapsody in 2009. Was fantastic!

Have a 26 night B2B coming up very soon on Brilliance :D

This time next year, it will be a teary farewell to a great ship with many wonderful memories :(

Except for having the smallest seats, space between seat rows, and aisles on that route.

 

Avoid.

I found Air New Zealand's 747's a great ride! Their 777-200 was average in comparison. Top notch service as always!

I flew Virgin Australia in 2011 flying Economy to LA and Premium Economy LA to Sydney.

In my opinion, it was worth the extra $$ coming home! I didn't see the point Sydney to LA as the flight left at 11am and would be awake virtually the whole flight.

I slept like a baby coming home in Premium economy. I got about 10 hours of solid sleep.

I'm flying Air China in August to London and home from Vancouver. I'm dreading it in a way lol.

Interesting couple of weeks coming up :)

Is there enough space for 2 medium size suitcases?

There should be enough space under the bed for two medium suitcases.

Our large ones were just a tad too big. We put one in the wardrobe and the other one at the end of one of the beds as we had 2 single beds.

The cabins on Rhapsody are quite small compared to Voyager and Radiance. We managed to survive for 5 weeks and got used to the space around us.

Quiet and not as much movement and good exercise to get up to that buffet !

I feel like a lazy slob now :p

RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS is in Civitavecchia (Rome) according to Rome Ports website.

Between July and September 2015 in Rome every Sunday.

I love her!! I'll be sad to see her go!:(

Just booked this week a B2B on Brilliance of the Seas for August/September 2014. Booked a 12 night Baltic cruise and 14 night Transatlantic cruise that goes via Iceland with an overnight stay in Reykjavík.

I was on Radiance in March and never once did I have a problem finding somewhere to sit.

Yes, it was around Vanuatu and New Caledonia when it was warm, but the outside seating area at the back was nearly always empty??

If the inside Windjammer area was close to full, I either went to Rita's or Izumi. And yet again, one person does it, others follow.;)

In the end it became automatic to head outside the glass doors. Not only was it quiet, but got some nice fresh air as well.:)

We are booked on 8166 for June Alaska southbound and we are waitlisted on 8102. Will keep our fingers crossed.

We were in 8102 a few weeks ago. What a fantastic balcony.:D Shame about our neighbours though. :rolleyes: Hope you get 'my cabin' ;)

Leave tomorrow morning for LA for my holiday and cruise on Carnival Valor to the Western Caribbean. Stops are Grand Cayman, Roatan Honduras, Belize and Cozumel in Mexico.

I'll be back in Oz on the 9th of September :(

I think a loyalty programme would be great. Some sort of recognition for loyalty is always good.:)

We're Platinum with Royal Caribbean, though the benefits were basic, we did get discounts while onboard. They used to have a gift of a hat for each cruise, but due to the GFC stopped that. They have just this week tweaked their programme with 'better' benefits. Only 3 cruise credits till Platinum and 18 till Diamond Plus.:rolleyes:

Thank you Gail and Jim for the wonderful video!! Was fantastic!!:D

Thanks for the wondeful photos Icy and Dogboy. My gosh, your wifes arm looked really bad dogboy. Certainly hoped it has healed. Didn't have much luck did she.

Can't wait for more from both of you.:) ;)

Ok, I've finally gone through & posted some pics. I apologize in advance for boring anyone. There's a few there & it's possible I've doubled up on some (particularly inside the ship) because I haven't been through them again to check.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/camrak

 

Karen

I'd love to see them....but at work. Will do though tonight. I'm getting excited!!:D

 

Out of interest, how did you put the little squares around Epal & Charliegirl in your flickr?

Just clicked on 'Add Notes'. Quite simple, even for the technically challenged like me!!:p ;)