arxcards

Given that the 28 nighter usually sells out so quickly, it is also possible that some have been given offers they couldn't refuse and changed to another cruise, or even bumped from the cruise to make way for quarantine cabins.

Have you technically been upgraded? They always do "upgrades" to an identical cabin on a higher deck, and because it is considered a better booking category they do it. The only way to avoid that is by electing "no upgrades" when you book. Same as with other lines, a "complimentary upgrade" isn't communicated and it just shows up that way in the personaliser. That said, it looks like you have been shifted from a BE cabin to a BE cabin, which isn't an upgrade, so should be communicated. Still, I can't see there will be any real difference in motion from an aft cabin on deck 8 and an aft cabin on deck 12.

We have cruised on Jewel & sister Pearl. Hard to compare directly, but I think the general vibe is closer to Royal than the others. We cruised in mini-suites on both, and found them to be nice, but very compact for that grade of cabin. If you like fixed dining, NCL doesn't really cater for it. The various restaurants are good, and it works well to mix and match where you dine each night. If there is a restaurant you prefer, it is easy enough to lock in same table - same time for the following night. Public areas are a bit more contemporary than Princess. The ship has a relaxed feel, and we used to love an afternoon drink each day at the aft bar. I can't recall much about the entertainment, good or bad. Sounds like an awesome cruise.

You are not alone in your thoughts. Just a couple of points. Vanuatu is open to cruise ships, but I have no idea on where New Caledonia is at. Royal Caribbean has no say over pre-cruise testing here. It is presently required by our state governments. As with the US, the pre-cruise testing doesn't prevent covid being on board, and it is present on nearly every active cruise ship in the world, but within pre-defined levels. The test is just a point in time, and anyone infected during transit will still bring it onto the ship. You get more protection by adhering to mask and sanitising than anything a pre-cruise test can provide. In current conditions, covid will be present on the ship so the risk remains. Unvaccinated travellers don't pose any additional risk, as vaccination is not stopping people from spreading it. The risk is to the unvaxxed individual, and that is entirely their choice. You currently need to be vaccinated, have a medical exemption, or be under 12 to cruise from Australia. 95% of passengers need to be vaccinated, while medical exempted and unvaxxed under 12 can only be a maximum of 5% of passengers. I can't see that being relaxed by the end of the year.

For Coral Princess, I gather? We have had a couple of cruises that come to mind where there was quite a few Eastern Europe waiters - Carnival Spirit and the early days of Sun Princess being based in Oz. I love that you use the word experienced, as that is a definite plus. For Encounter, i am expecting a few friends to jump aboard in Singapore. They have previously worked out of Brisbane on Pacific Dawn & Aria, and have been away from sea for such a long time now.

Yes, lots of crew to board in Singapore.

It was 90 days at the time I booked, but they may have shifted to 75 days since. We have had the booking in place for years, and it has been cancel/switched twice. I will follow-up, but don't expect to know whether the cruise will go to schedule till well after then anyway.

They allowed for late final payments during the ban, but I haven't heard of them offering that since the ban was lifted.

Cruise ships have lost total power, but I am not aware of any in rough seas close to the coast. The Carnival Spam cruise comes to mind - oops, that was on Carnival Splendor. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/10/carnival-splendor-towed-san-diego Part of the findings from that was that a cruise ship power could no longer be totally lost from a single engine room fire, and that at least one engine have separate controls. With multiple engines and more than one control room, that would be unlikely to be repeated. If a 7-9 metre swell was present off a departure port, I think it likely the cruise line would delay the sailing for passenger comfort alone. There is also a likelihood that port authorities would close the port to such a departure. Cruise ships are much more stable than empty cargo ships. They don't need to pump ballast water into the holds to be stable. That would make them easier to tow than a vessel being bounced around by waves. We have tugs capable of doing the job. SOLAS has a pretty long list of safety requirements. The greatest risk to life at sea is fire, and there is inherit risk in any type of travel. A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

Both, sort of. Governments of the east coast have set a cap of what they consider to be an acceptable number of positive tests during a cruise - max 3% of passengers/crew. Before considering this as outrageous overreach, this is modelled on other markets around the world. Similar protocols have been in place in the "land of the free" for around a year, with no immediate sign of change. The cruise lines have realised that the 3% cap can be challenged on longer cruises, so make "operational decisions" to reduce the odds of that happening. The easiest way is to keep the cruises short. As with post #142, there are several passengers that have tested positive since arriving home. That doesn't count on the cruise numbers, but had the cruise been a few days longer they would have been testing positive on the ship and the numbers would have counted. The cruise lines had generally managed their numbers in the US, then of all ships, Ruby Princess does a 2 week cruise through the Panama Canal - big numbers upon arrival at San Francisco. Then they send Ruby Princess out on another 2 week cruise to Hawaii, and it returns with 140+ infections. Only one person hospitalised, but uncontrolled spread all the same. It matters little what you or I think about our own personal risk, that is just what is in play for now. You can count the seeds in an apple, but not the apples in a seed - that is the mentality of health department statisticians. I can't wait till October with ships full of passengers arriving after 3 week Pacific crossings. Cruise line, government and media response will be interesting.

Sadly, their minds will be made up month by month. I am facing the same concerns for an 11 night domestic cruise in late October. Final payment is next week. It is not about PNG, even that that was part of the reason given, but about the length of the cruise. I will cross the bridge when it comes, but either way, I doubt a decision will be made before final payment. A key cruise is a 12 night P&O Fiji cruise that leaves in a month or so. If that remains in place as is and they don't have scary infection rates, we might both be lucky to get the cruises we have been waiting for.

Correct. To prevent inundation of hospitals which would have seriously restricted emergency treatment of all illnesses and injuries, as well as deaths by covid. The original rationale - flatten the curve. That was the strategy that was held in place until whatever % could be protected via vaccination. The thing they didn't count on, was they expected vaccination to also significantly reduce transmission as well. That is why the ships have a % number of infections to adhere to. The protocols are purely about transmission numbers, and that they are considered under control. The risk of serious illness from covid is less than the flu, but the odds of catching it are still high - as mentioned above.

I think there was an assumption that Vanuatu had a separate cruise ban, like we did here. I don't think there ever was, just a total ban on visitors & tourists. That has ended. The link at the start of the thread refers to requirements for air arrivals. Likely they have developed cruise protocols too, but no point announcing them until cruise ships are due to arrive. Not sure if there is one sooner, Pacific Explorer is due to call at Mystery Island in just over a months time.

The new sailings for Luminosa out of Brisbane are imminent, and Carnival has added a page for pre-release information. Carnival Luminosa™ | Newest Ship Sailing in 2023 | Carnival Cruise Line

I must admit I am a tad disappointed. It seems that P&O hasn't had a flash sale going for at least a week now. 😉 Is that price auto-tips inclusive? It is a good deal, but does that include the possibility of an obstructed balcony? I am tempted.

The stricken cargo ship Portland Bay is currently approaching Botany Bay, assisted by 4 tugs.

I hope not. If we agree with everyone all the time, we don't learn much. We all have different risks in our life. I have accepted the risk of catching it aboard, and am hoping good health hygiene will defend us in the most part. My mum is not so keen to go back cruising yet, and I agree with her as her risk of catching it is different to mine. One case is too many, but even that offers the same risk, just better odds in a coin flip.

After previously languishing at anchor off Cyprus for several months, Encounter's call there this time was just a brief service call. All aboard towards the Suez Canal. Brisbane, your only scheduled full-time ship is on the way

It appears Coral Princess will be spending a lot of time in Australia & New Zealand, so it is only fair that she gets her own thread as she prepares for her transit to Brisbane. It is the first time Coral Princess has been sighted in front of a camera for a while. She is currently berthed at terminal 19 in Fort Lauderdale. She will remain here till tomorrow morning (our time), then back to sea for a bit before returning to the same berth for another short stay. It is expected she will start he journey to Oz next week, likely Wednesday (guesstimate), via the Panama Canal. After a service stop in Papaeete, it is onward to Brisbane for the morning of 7th June. She will spend much of her time at the new international terminal until her 1st passengers depart on 16th June, except for a couple of days at sea between 11th & 13th June.