arxcards

Oh, I get it. I think that before it was just meant to be for T/A's eyes, but there was always something circulating out there before the intended launch date. Now they just say taa-daa on a pre-announced day. Even though these will be announced next Thursday, I don't expect they will be available for elites to book until Tuesday the following week, at the earliest. Plus, if these are close to the mark, we also get a bonus week here.

Maybe covid jumped things around a bit, but Princess is early compared to the past two seasons. 2023/24 was mid November 2021 2024/25 was in March 2023 (amid a nervous restart) 2025/26 was mid November 2023 At the time of release, they are pretty much 24 up to 34 months ahead.

Throw it all on the bed. Pack half the clothes, take twice the money.

What ship? Nat Geo Explorer was at Lifou a few days ago, but that is a very different proposition to Noumea. Even then, the ship isn't Aussie based and being guided by Australian DFAT advisories. Fingers crossed for everyone that the situation improves there, especially the locals, but Noumea currently has armed police patrols and night time curfews.

It has been evolving on a spreadsheet during my coffee breaks over the past few days. I have been hearing so many versions that I couldn't help but go digging. I will give myself a pass mark at 85%, and won't have to wait too long to find out for sure. It might take away a bit of the fanfare for next Thursday, but I have never been one for spin anyway.

As mentioned, that is a 35 night Hawaii/Tahiti cruise, which is more than awesome in its own right. What Princess calls a Pacific Circle also includes parts of Asia plus the West Coast of the US, including Alaska. In the past, they have been 75 nights, but this one looks to be a bit longer.

Some of this discussion has been triggered on the Cruise Addict thread, but it needs its own thread. The 26/27 Australian season will be announced on 31st October, one week away. To get an idea of the season, I have been trawling through port entries around the country, and piecing that with Princess usually offer for cruises of the lengths between those dates. Crown Princess The current schedule ends on 7th October 2026. It looks like she will only be adding one more cruise to that schedule, then departs our shores. The 2026 World Cruise on Crown currently remains per schedule, but Princess has two bob each way with port bookings in Brisbane and an in-case one in Fremantle. There is some speculation it could be broken into Circle cruises, but I can't find any port bookings to support that. To be added to Crown's schedule: 7th October 2026 - 28 nights, clockwise around Australia (bookings in several Australian ports) 4th November 2026 - A relocation to somewhere else. I would presume across the Pacific, as there are no bookings via Fremantle or Darwin. Grand Princess The day before Crown Princess departs, Grand Princess arrives into Sydney. This relocation would appear to be across the Pacific, as Sydney is her first port entry. There is a 45-day gap in her schedule between her final Vancouver date and Sydney, so perhaps a drydock in Portland before departing. The port schedules around the country all point to Grand becoming our year-round Princess. Some itineraries could vary, but others have enough port bookings to be confident about them. Tassie & NZ schedules aren't available that far ahead, so I have marked those as being just educated guesses. Some may also be some dual port offerings between Sydney & Brisbane. 3rd November 2026, Sydney 15 Nights - NZ or Islands, hard to tell. 18th November, Sydney, 12N - Southern Australia (Melbourne, KI, Adelaide, Port Lincoln, +Tassie?) 30th November, Sydney, 9N - QLD Coastal (Bris, Airlie, Cairns) 9th December, Sydney, 2N relocation to Brisbane 11th December, Brisbane, 12N Tassie? (Newcastle, Sydney, Eden, +Tassie?) 23rd December, Brisbane, 14N NZ (probable) 6th January 2027. Brisbane, 14N NZ (probable) 20th January, Brisbane, 12N Tassie? (Newcastle, Sydney, Eden, (+Tassie?) 1st February, Brisbane, 14N NZ (probable) 15th February, Brisbane, 14N NZ (probable) 1st March, Brisbane, 7N QLD Coastal (Townsville, Cairns, Airlie) 8th March, Brisbane, 7N QLD Coastal (Townsville, Cairns, Port Douglas) 15th March, Brisbane, 4N relocation to Sydney (Newcastle) - likely to be available as an 11N combo with the previous cruise 26th March, Sydney, 13N Fiji (probable) 2nd April, Sydney, 28N Around Australia (clockwise) 30th April, Sydney, 17N to Fremantle (anti - over the top) 17th May, Fremantle, 17N to Sydney (clockwise - over the top) 3rd June, Sydney, 14 nights PNG? (Airlie, Cairns, Port Douglas, (2 x PNG ports?), Brisbane) ** 17th June, Sydney, 79N - everything points to an anticlockwise Pacific Circle, returning via Darwin & Brisbane. Last date in Port schedules is 2nd September for Brisbane. I am presuming this would continue to Sydney on 4th September, but the schedule doesn't extend that far. Royal Princess After a season of Discovery Princess, Royal Princess returns for 26/27. The final date of her current schedule is 12th September in Seattle, at the end of her Alaskan season. She first shows in Darwin 65 days later on 16th November. This fits with a similar relocation via Singapore that is being done with Discovery Princess in 2025/26. She then arrives via Cairns & Brisbane to Sydney on 25th November. All departures listed are for Sydney 25th November 2026, 10N QLD Coastal (Airlie, Cairns, Port Douglas, Brisbane) 5th December, 13N Islands/Fiji? 18th December, 4N Hobart & back? 22nd December, 13N Islands/Fiji? 4th January 2027, 12N Islands? 16th January, 14N New Zealand 30th January, 8N Tassie? (Hobart?, Melbourne, Eden) 7th February, 13N Islands/Fiji? 20th February, 14N New Zealand 6th March, 13N, Islands/Fiji? 19th March, 6N, Tassie? (Eden, Hobart?) 25th March, 3N Eden (Eden) 28th March, Final Aussie port booking - likely Pacific relocation On your marks, save the date for any that are of interest. It would pay to be ready to jump if you have been waiting years for a Pacific Circle cruise to return.

If the cruise is ending in Seattle, nobody can embark in Hawaii, as it would become a US to US line voyage. If the cruise ends in Vancouver, they can embark passengers in Hawaii. I guess they could take Voyager to Vancouver, but if they are basing her in Seattle, that would be followed by an awkward Vancouver to Alaska cruise that returns to Seattle, which I gather don't sell as well.

Just a note, particularly for Cairns. Celebrity Edge will tender at Yorkeys Knob, which is 20 - 30 mins north of Cairns. By the time you have tendered and paid for a shuttle bus into Cairns, and allowed for the opposite in the afternoon, you have lost a good 3 hours out of your port day. If you are looking for anything independent to the reef on this day, forget it. For anything else, try to find a tour that will pick you up and return you to Yorkeys Knob. We have done some nice tours over the years from Port Douglas. The wharf/tour area is really well staged. The aforementioned sites only carry reliable tour operators.

The problem is the ship isn't in port, it is at anchor. 5pm departure could also mean that last tender could be 4:30, or earlier. I agree with above, rather than risking dollars you are also risking an awesome day on the reef if you can't connect with your tour. If the tour operator can't guarantee a timely return, what they are also saying is they are not about to leave early to get you to the ship and reduce the reef experience for others on their boat that are staying in Port Douglas. Usually, I would suggest looking at options from Cairns on the previous day. The ship is docked, so you would be able to make it to an independent tour much more reliably. If for some reason you are late and miss the ship, Port Douglas is only an hour or so drive north to catch-up with the ship the following day. Alas, for your cruise it does show an unusually late arrival in Cairns, so that may not be possible either. There is also a late departure, but I figure all the independent tour boats will be gone by the time you have docked. Princess is indeed expensive, but guaranteed and the tour boat collects you and returns directly to the ship, maximising your hours at the reef.

Yes, it will be blocked from new bookings until those already aboard have been given time to decide if they are staying on the new version or cancelling, as you say, 24th October. Till then, you can look but can't touch. For me, it reads a bit more accurately now - price not available. A bit strange though, if I login, those Circle cruises don't show at all in the "find cruises" search results.

Still cruiselagged Mic?

I will have the occasional Chiko, but 10 mins in the air fryer and these potato scallops are awesome. Our local Woolies started stocking them a couple of months ago, and they are as good as the fish & chip shop. https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/906143/lamb-weston-jumbo-potato-cakes-scallops-original

Hallelujah Chez! And it is $18 x 2, enough for a Carnival cocktail each. We used to part cheat. Get off the train at Mascot, then walk to the Holiday Inn and pay for a airport shuttle - $7 at the time. We are still spoiled to be walking distance to the train at either end, so that spoils us a bit. Even so, I am equally enjoying the bus to Newcastle Airport to fly and cruise out of Brisbane.

No probs - it is on the opposite side to the ship. The promenade deck ashtrays are on starboard, you are on port.

For Crown, Diamond etc, the all-hours promenade ashtrays are on the starboard side just outside from the doors at the aft lift lobby. If you have an aft facing vista suite, Port side is better than starboard but both should be OK. If you have a side facing mini suite, The even numbered Port ones are fine. E721 would be at the bottom of my preferred list, then gradually improving as you head further aft.

+1. I am happy to let anyone do their own thing on their cruise, as long as they don't interrupt me from having a great time. I don't judge or play ship cop. On our last 1/2 dozen P&O cruises on Explorer/Dawn/Eden we have seen several examples of thongs and casual shorts in the dining room, including on the optional cocktail nights. I will add football jumpers to that as well as the quintessential Queensland formal shirt - the long sleeved fishing rashie. Doesn't worry me in the least, but if someone asks whether they need to make a special effort, my observations will guide my answer.

I think the worst spot for any of those minis is to be aft, starboard above the ashtrays. We had handpicked an aftish port cabin on deck 9, handy to the aft lifts. We saved a shipload by switching to a Black Friday guarantee too, but it is so much nicer to have control.

That is easy then - no masking tape for you. No probs if I am going to the bathroom, as I am already awake. Much different when the light wakes you each time your partner goes to the bathroom. I get the need for them, but unlike all the other cabin lights, you don't have the luxury of turning them off if you don't want them.

It is also on the "Live" Board, linked there by the admins so that anyone interested in following active cruises would see it. Glad you were given the tip. I agree with Julie's comments. Aussie content and relevance gets somewhat lost on the Sun Princess board. This is exciting for us, as this will be the first Aussie based Crown Princess cruise, and she will be relevant to the forum as she will be our locally based ship for the next two years.

You can apply for several at the same time with the same statement. But, you can currently only do Carnival brand shareholder OBC for 2024 cruises. The current arrangement expires on 31st December 2024, with Carnival expected to extend it sometime next month. "The benefit is available on sailings through December 31, 2024. Applications to receive this benefit should be made at least three weeks prior to cruise departure date." The message I get is come back and try again in November - no specific date. The report I used to upload for our July Splendor cruise has expired, and I will need to pre-load another when I go to apply for our Feb cruises.

We are looking forward to a night in Southampton pre-cruise next June. There are heaps of places of interest, cheaper than the extra night in London, and a 15-minute stroll to the terminal on embarkation morning.

IMO, the only downside to getting a mini-suite guarantee on this ship is to be allocated one starboard on deck 8. If you are overly sensitive to tobacco smoke, you won't want to use the balcony often, as it is above the promenade deck smoking area. Aft starboard on deck 9 would also be affected. They may allocate one of the six available, or they could upgrade others into those cabins and allocate you one well forward or well aft. But for $600 cheaper, I would likely take the odds.

The launch will be information for everyone and will detail the available booking dates for both groups. I do wonder if Elite still gets an additional 24hr head start over the other Captain's Circle tiers? The launch is on 31st Oct, but I don't expect anything will be available to book until 4th November, or later for those new to Princess.