arxcards

Absolute sticklers. Apart from your bottle of wine at embarkation, no liquid in bottles can be bought onto the ship at embarkation or in any port. Yes, that includes bottled water.

Welcome back. I Missed that one, as well as Crystal Serenity. You would think they would have made a decision on QE prior to embarkation day. Seven Seas Explorer has made a decision to be faster than the cyclone and getting to Townsville early. It is possible that they have timed everything well enough to have minimal disruption if the cyclone stays well south of Cairns.

Prepare for incoming would indicate a personal attack. I think this forum is above that, even when invited. Not Carnival as in Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival Australia as in the local operator for Cunard & Princess, you know, the local management from the Cunard & Princess ships that are being taken away. It is not just about reality, but more about perception. Even then it isn't just about a flashy opera house, but the ability to walk from port to hotel, an easy public transport link to the airport to fly home, and port infrastructure being maintained/improved. The puzzle of why Melbourne is failing, even to the non-beer swilling, non-mud wrestling Cunarders has been discussed at length, so I will cheat and ask AI "How do you attract cruise ships to your city?" Interesting to see if any of this lines up with reality .... oops, 3 and 4 have nothing to do with mud wrestling. Marketing the destination: You need to promote your city as a desirable destination for tourists. You can highlight the unique features of your city, such as its natural beauty, cultural heritage, and local cuisine. You can also collaborate with local businesses to offer attractive deals and discounts to cruise passengers. Destination desirability: You need to ensure that your city has enough attractions and activities to keep the passengers engaged. You can offer guided tours, adventure sports, and cultural events to make their stay memorable. Port satisfaction: You need to ensure that your port facilities are up-to-date and meet the standards of the cruise industry. You can invest in building new terminals, improving the infrastructure, and providing efficient services to the cruise lines. Port value: You need to offer competitive pricing and incentives to the cruise lines to make your port an attractive destination. You can offer discounts on port fees, provide free shuttle services, and offer attractive packages for shore excursions. Remember, attracting cruise ships to your city requires persistence and patience. It takes time to build relationships with the cruise lines and establish your city as a desirable destination. But with the right strategy and execution, you can make your city a popular port of call for cruise ships.

Yes, too much salt isn't good for you. For anyone with any issues with salt, they need only check the box and touch base with the maitre d after boarding. It won't account for the buffet, but meals are made to accommodate, although MDR may require pre-ordering the night before via your waiter.

As will be most of their crossing to Port Vila departing Monday. At this stage, no other cruise ships will be within kooee. The precautionary part is that even the BOM is only guessing on a likely track, the models can't agree, and it is possible it will track south instead of crossing the coast. That outcome could also affect some of the cruises to the islands. Current ocean predictions: http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml?type=sigWaveHgt&tz=AEDT&area=NEAu&model=CGW&chartSubmit=Refresh+View

Those that look to be affected this coming week with the predicted cyclone: Pacific Encounter - 23rd Jan, 4 nights to Airlie Beach. Seven Seas Explorer - left Sydney yesterday, on her way to Singapore. Due in Townsville on Wednesday. At this stage the crossing to/from Noumea looks doable, and the seas will dissipate again by the end of next week.

Sounds fair. And as with the question earlier, they can wear the "farm shoes" is Sydney one day, but don't get to declare them till the next.

Is the green one the pistachio dome, or the fish ball 😁

I was going to mention the same. In our case, customs officers boarded in Dunedin and processed us on the way to Hobart. That was pre-covid though, and I believe it was partly related to them not having customs facilities/staff in Hobart. After restart, I heard they were no longer allowing the officers to fly over and board the ship, but that was largely due to rules around distancing, quarantining, isolation etc. No point sending 3 officers to do a job and have them in isolation instead. Things change, and that may now be an option again.

The rumour would be a bit OTT. Surely there will be no decision required until they reach Singapore, and that is 3 months away. Island Princess departed LA yesterday (our time) and it is still per schedule. Lots will need to improve over the next couple of months, or drastic changes will be inevitable.

I can't be sure. I think it will be all or nothing, whichever day it happens. Maybe @gbenjo has a heads-up for how Celebrity Edge will be handling this in Feb?

If something isn't up to scratch, it is worth telling them. Sure, it isn't meant to be fine dining, but it is meant to be good quality, tasty and hot/cold as required. Most important, it should be edible. Barb will often feign that she isn't hungry when she gets something she doesn't like, but I make sure they know she didn't enjoy it and is just being too polite. It is a shame your dishes have been inconsistent, and I hope it hasn't left too bad a taste in your mouth. I don't mind a good creme brule, but the main reason I get them is to check whether they know what they are doing. It is a magically simple dessert, but also easy to stuff-up if they are cutting corners in the galley. Thanks for your daily updates. It has been fun to follow your cruises again. Enjoy your last sea day.

Do you have any wardrobe changes?

There are some curious possibilities. Is Sydney the first Australian port on your cruise? It is the norm to be processed as arriving into Australia before going ashore in your first port. That would normally be done in a secure zone inside the cruise terminal. If Sydney is your first Australian port, I can only see it working from anchorage in Athol Bay if your arrival is processed on the ship before tendering.

Lots of new CDs on P&O over the past year. I am not sure what changed, but most of the established ones have left and gone on to other gigs since restart.

Also make sure you have picked up a local signal before turning on your data roaming. It is quite likely you will still be connected to the ship in port while you remain close to the ship.

Correct. They are booked into Sydney until late June in 2026, and they are also selling Splendor cruises ex-Sydney up until that date. It is highly likely that will remain as is, but nothing is certain. As above, she is also booked into Tahiti for a day on 3rd September 2025 as well as being in Sydney on 4th September. Quite often these blips are just that, but sometimes they are the start of a bigger trail.

It would be a different Sophie. This one has been with Princess back before & since the shutdown, so not possible for Encounter. She does remind me a bit of "mini me", and I do wonder if she is still with P&O.

If you are on international roam, you will ping to the ships' cellular at sea. It will remain your dominant signal even as you are arriving into port.

Yes, 20km's up the road.

When doing aquatherapy, one needs aqua. Ideally, it would be in an aft pool like the one on Grand or any of her sisters. Coral suffers in comparison.

Royal takes on new passengers in Auckland on many of her NZ loops. Is Auckland a current gastro hotspot that would be seen as an elevated risk?

As good as the internet is compared to the past, there is no way it costs them anywhere near that to provide & maintain internet services. A big target to rake in dollars, as I know of hardly anyone under 35 that can go a day without connection. Still, I think they are trying to make it easier for passengers to justify springing for a plus package, as with their plug in the announcement of the price rise. I don't think it will be long until the packages are also increased in price.

If you do decide to drive to Kempsey to the Akubra factory 😉 , you will drive by very close to where Mr Gut lived. This is likely more than 100km's away from any of your intended plans, but we have a shared experience from good pies at a few local places. I can't recall what Mr Gut's absolute favourite was.

Sophie Gideon. She looks like fun - rather energetic.