arxcards

Good Sprits coffee is still good. As it is still AM, I have resisted an XO chaser, although Baby Josh recommends it.

For those wondering about the 4 weeks where they were reviewing the Resilent Lady itineraries. BS. The St Maarten port bookings were showing at the time this topic was started. Suggestion they were shadow bookings that were intended for Brillient Lady before her inaugural cruise was delayed BS The same day they announce the cancellation of the OZ season, they announce the Caribbean itineraries go on sale on Thursday. This whole season has already been stitched together while they were just "reviewing" the Australian itineraries. More BS. As with the last paragraph above, it is about money. They spruik a successful season. BS. Yes, other lines are reducing cruises, but they are not removing a ship that has booked passengers and itineraries that are 8 months away. A longer distance/ same no of nights relocation around Africa would not be onerous, but the Red Sea is the reason they have cited.

Martinis Plus a Vesper on the next page For the first time ever on Princess, we had a bar person not know how to make a Milky Way last night in Bayou.. Tasted like Bailey's plus Amaretto - not pleasant together.

Drum roll, the deck chairs confirmed, of which most already had mentioned. Prom deck, port side: if you get there early and lay along it, you can be 100% reclined and in need of a chiropractor in the next port 😉

The short cruises allow Princess the flexibility of selling longer cruises from multiple ports, with the short offerings filling the gap. Yes, that route through Moreton Bay is the shipping lane to the Point Cartwright pilot station. It is still a long way to navigate north away from the next southern port, but it is also way too shallow to navigate between North Stradbroke & Moreton Islands.

Bollocks of an excuse, but the one they were always going to use. Ad with the relocation at the end of the season, they don't need to navigate the Red Sea to get from Europe to Australia. If the current season was such a success, they would have been back next summer with bells on. I agree with your dissatisfaction. They had made this decision weeks ago, yet sat on passenger money for extra month. From the start, they failed to convince me enough to part with money to cruise with them this season. Virgin has long been a transient brand, but they will try to find a way to be back here when there is a dollar to be made. Ahoy First Mate - what a great way to greet you so informally with bad news. Yep, sod-off Captain!

It isn't Richard. It is a venture capital company with Virgin badge. The licenced use of that badge is Mr Branson's only connection. At times, it seems those aboard are the last to know - loose lips sink cruise ships.

Our only sea day today, and there is the usual Alfredo’s pop-up in Sabatini's. There is nothing new about it, except the cover charge for anyone without a package. On a shorty, I doubt we will see Salty Dog, but will see if I can get hold of a menu.

A nice suite breakfast in Sabatini's this morning, where the coffee is great & the crispy bacon is nuked off the planet. It looks like a calm day ahead. A nice day to be at sea. I haven't heard any numbers, but if feels like the ship is only 75% full.

He makes an excellent old fashioned. Dunno about coffee yet. The ocean now ones delivered to cabin were horrible, but I can't comment on Good Spirits yet.

Josh will be on till September, presumably in the same role.

Also not exhaustive, as Woodford Reserve is another nice one:

Baby Josh.

These are the beers showing on the app, plus VB as well. It isn't exhaustive, and I expect some will be replaced by US beers on the relocation.

A $39 taxi through moderate traffic brought us to the terminal. A nice and efficient Brisbane terminal helped us onto the ship at 11am. All mustered and in Good Spirits for her 11:30 opening, and ready for a Bordeaux lunch at noon.

As companies, they are very different. Yes, the CEO of CMV bailed and played phoenix for Ambassador. CMV had virtually no assets, so when they lost cash flow with covid, it all fell over quickly. CMV wasn't much more than a cruise wholesaler. The money and ship owners for Ambassador bear little connection with CMV, and carried no obligation to CMV passengers - not even morally. Given that the ex Pacific Dawn was headed for Alang, it is great to see she is still sailing.

I am another that will book refundable accommodation with a booking site like booking.com. Often it is just a banker that we will cancel if we can find a better last-minute deal. I prefer to pay at the hotel when checking-in, whenever possible.

'tis the season.

Another shortie with a Premier package, and a passenger that has a bit of steam to get rid of. Coral Princess is nothing new, but we know what to expect and that is the best part. We have flown to Brisbane today. Flying out of Newcastle Airport is dead easy, but the Virgin priority line was longer than the general one. Turns out we were sharing our flight with Matchbox Twenty. It has been a Long Day. 😉 We came in over Moreton Bay, which gives a nice view of BICT from the port side of the plane. P&O UK's Arcadia in residence. $38 cab fare from the airport to Alcyone. We have scored a minor upgrade to an exec room, but the added desk area isn't of much benefit for our single nigjt. A few hours to relax then out to catch up with some cruise friends at Northshore eat street.

I have never been a fan of those long flights. Less so year by year. We have a Dover departure to look forward to next year, after another of those flights.

And their next door neighbour is ❓

She is old, but Ambassador is a classic offering. The ship came out of a drydock in early January, and she has made it half way OK. Friends that saw her up close today mentioned that she looked tired, but she has had lots of recent sea days. No posts or blog from the WC that I am aware of. What do Brisbane & Tilbury cruise terminals have in common?

Good luck with more numbers. Carnival has tried to own their own online conversations for quite a while now, aided by JH and his anti-CC commentary. Alas, Carnival roll calls here have fallen away as a result.

Reminiscent of Oct/Nov 2007 when Regal Princess arrived from the US, then departed for Singapore to be made over into Pacific Dawn. She still scrubs up OK, at least from the outside.

Enjoy your cruise. I will give you a wave when we cross paths on Tuesday morning.