arxcards

See the other thread for the itineraries. Pricing looks hush hush till tomorrow, unless some higher tiers get a preview.

Yep, us too. Diamond is awesome.

There are some subtle differences with the water slide towers. Not that it confirms anything, but the one used in Royal's social media photo looks like it belongs to Voyager.

Yes, I noticed the not so subtle use of Adventures in the AMPed up WOW posts.

Not originating, but she has added a port entry in Sydney for 18th Feb 2026. Looks very much like what Island Princess has been doing, so quite possible to book a sector when it becomes available, but $US aboard.

That is the standard Carnival PNG itinerary for Brisbane. They have had it in 2023 and have it available in 2024 & 2025. Hopefully it repeats for the years beyond.

That is 2 separate cruises being sold together as a 7 night Bris-Bris Qld Coastal and a 4 night slow relocation back to Sydney via Newcastle. As a standalone Brisbane to Sydney 11 nighter, it would be a hard sell for Princess. The longer the cruise, the less passengers that can do them. The above is only practical as part of an end of season relocation. A Sydney to PNG cruise with stops in QLD on the way up and back starts to look like a 16 or 17 night cruise. Awesome cruise, but they wouldn't fill it.

If you like the WC, it looks like Coral will have another in 2026.

Yes, I wouldn't pay any more than a couple of extra dollars. There is a large menu to pick from (well, except wines by the glass), and I can easily drink between the flags.

Not much of the WOW being talked-up. Maybe tomorrow when the itineraries come out. For now: Anthem, based on Sydney port entries 31st October 2025 (3 nights) 3rd November (7 nights) 10th November (10 nights) 20th November (8 nights) 28th November (3 nights) 1st December (10 nights) 11th December (8 nights) 19th December (9 nights) 28th December (10 nights) 8th January 2026 (9 nights) 17th January (2 nights) 19th January (8 nights) 27th January (10 nights) 6th February (7 nights) 13th February (2 nights) 15th February (12 nights) 27th February (9 nights) 8th March (5 nights) 13th March (9 nights) 22nd March (12 nights) 3rd April (8 nights) 11th April (3 nights) 14th April (relocation) Voyager, based on Brisbane Terminal schedule. 13th December 2025 (3 nights) 16th December (4 nights) 20th December (8 nights) 28th December (9 nights) 6th January 2026 (7 nights) 13th January (6 nights) 19th January (4 nights) 23rd January (7 nights) 30th January (7 nights) 6th February (6 nights) 12th February (3 nights) 15th February (4 nights) 19th February (8 nights) 27th February (7 nights) 6th March (3 nights) 9th March (4 nights) 13th March (3 nights) 16th March (5 nights) 21st March (7 nights) 28th March (9 nights) 6th April (relocation)

One account is as told by staff, the other is based on what is being charged. Remy XO was $30 in February, and I think the prices are stable for now. I would presume that is a +$8 charge. Remy & Hennessey VSOP's are covered by plus at $18 each. Scary on a World Cruise - the packages and prices might change twice by the time you get back 🤣

Nice itinerary, as it has 2 stops at Conflict Islands https://www.carnival.com.au/itinerary/11-day-papua-new-guinea-cruise/brisbane/luminosa/11-days/jg2/?itinportcode=bne

They have tried them. They didn't sell very well. There is something about 4 sea days up and 4 sea days back that deters the majority of cruisers. The best ones started in Cairns. The last two of these departs next month, of which one also includes Honiara. PS: P&O is still doing short seasons from Cairns in late 2024 + 2025

And for @NSWP The final trip of the former Regal Princess in 2007, before she became Pacific Dawn. Webcam capture from a day around the bottom of NZ, with waves hitting The Dome.

I also love the rock & roll. Bad weather ends up with everyone indoors and treading on each others toes. Really bad weather is uncomfortable at best, and scary when you get bounced out of bed. I think they do a better job of avoiding storms than 15 - 20 years ago, largely due to better predictions of ocean conditions. Our worst, crossing from Sydney to Noumea through an ex-tropical storm (hybrid low) on Sun Princess (the previous one) in late 2007. Gales and 9 metre waves for a day & a half. We had the added joy of having an aft-facing mini suite for maximum see-saw benefits. Similarly, a large number of passengers hid away in their cabins, and we almost had the MDR to ourselves for breakfast. Great to know we could handle the movement, but a summer holiday with 2 days of no outside decks was a downer. I think the worst I have seen accounts for locally are for Pacific Sun on a cruise out of Auckland in 2008. It should never have left Auckland, but they thought they could dodge it. They got in a bit of trouble, as most of the stuff sliding was in breach of SOLAS as it was supposed to be bolted down. Strap yourself in 😁

If they are cruising overseas for variety, as long as you choose their brand they still win. P&O lack the ability to have you cruising with them overseas, yet they also have less variety than they did a few years ago. Currently, for most brands, it is lowest common denominator cruising. That would appear to be driven by lower price point, and shorter itineraries fit with that. When I lament the lack of variety, I look at where Melbourne and Freo currently are and am happy to mostly settle for what is available from Sydney or Brisbane. For great island itineraries, look at Pacific Explorer ex-Auckland. They have pinched the good ones. https://www.pocruises.com.au/cruises/fiji-encounter/x431 (plus 5 more dates). https://www.pocruises.com.au/cruises/tongan-discovery/x532

Pacific Explorer is currently circling cyclone Olga as she makes her way from Broome to Komodo Island. That is much better than what Celebrity Edge will face heading to Tassie & Ovation of the Seas will encounter returning to Sydney from NZ this week. Carnival Spendor, Brilliance of the Seas & Pacific Encounter should be able to dodge the worst of it.

Is it a colony somewhere in France?

We are the minority John. The mainstream lines are catering to the boring bottom line and are selling cruises in a way to fill the ships. Sydney attracts international cruisers, and they help to fill these 2-week Pacific itineraries out of Sydney. Karen from Princess marketing things that anyone from QLD only wants to cruise for more than 9 nights if they are going to NZ. Aside from the dual porting of the long voyages, it is a bit of NZ, a bit of Tassie, one to the Pacific and one to PNG, Everything else is 8 nights and under. On top of that, your Princess QLD season shrinks rapidly with Coral Princess leaving. Phyllis from P&O agrees. They do a few PNG with encounter, but mostly out of peak season which is also out of cyclone season. Encounter is your year-round ship, yet between now & early 2026 they go to Fiji once (in May) and a Bounty cruise in August. They are both off-season and outside of school holidays. Very few cruises longer than 7 nights. Short cruises from Brisbane are an easier sell for P&O. Carrie from Carnival is in the same boat. The only local Luminosa cruises longer than 8 nights go to PNG, of which there are 3 over the next 2 seasons. I haven't checked Royal, but suspect Voyager will be the same as it was for Quantum, with most cruises up to 8 nights. It costs me less than $10 to get from home to OPT, yet we have cruised out of Brisbane in 2022, 2024 and have two cruises out of BICT next year. I actually like the option of doing 7-night cruises from Brisbane. It isn't that far back that Brisbane only had a single ship from P&O, so hopefully there are incredible alternatives ahead in the next few years.

Fingers crossed for Lelepa, or it will be more of the same itineraries on a ship from the 20th century.

Width in the channel is also a factor. Voyager has had port entries for Yorkeys Knob for several months. To save on having 3 tender posts, they are overnighting at Yorkeys instead of going up to Port Douglas.

WOW, just WOW. That is so funny. I was just about to post here. I have just been reading Royal's Australian social media feeds, and they are copping a bagging for trying to WOW their loyal patrons with a cookie-cutter ship. Apparently the show is different. Flogging a dead giraffe? I look forward to them spinning the WOW of a 20th century ship heading for Brisbane. I would be more WOW'd if I could get a Southo & Coke for under $AU15 and a meal at Chop's for under $AU70. At this stage, until I can get the last few nights to diamond qual, it looks like I can only afford Anthem if we are going on a detox cruise.

In the end, she has kept south past Sydney Heads. I hope she comes back for her passengers before heading to Hobart.

Ouch indeed. Footy days over Mic?

Not just the ship. How marvellous is that skyline!