mum and son

4 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Full refund  and 25% FCC is pretty good as well.

If they're not letting me get on the cruise then I'd expect a full refund! So really they'd only offered a 25% FCC as compensation.

I just read that one of the couples who received the letter, which only happened after they tried to hand over their bags at 2pm at the dock, were phoned by RCI the following morning (because they complained all over Facebook and everywhere they could) and were offered a full refund, 100% FCC, and a complimentary deluxe beverage package. Now, that seems more suitable to me.

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

I agree. 50% refund + $300 OBC was pretty good.

Certainly is compared to what RCI are offering for leaving people on the dock!

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Did it end up as a full refund? The last I heard was 50% refund plus $300 OBC.

Yes, I saw a post from P&O that they had "listened to their customers' feedback"... blah blah blah

As a person who does live near the cruise port, for most of my cruises, and doesn't have issues with work leave etc I still think this is pretty bad. I've heard of it happening quite a bit recently on P&O as well.

Of course I expect a full refund for a cruise I have just been kicked off! An additional 25% cruise credit is a joke for people who have made significant travel plans, or maybe booked 12 months in advance. People are currently being offered better compensation on P&O for a changed itinerary, but this is so much worse. How are cruiselines still getting this so wrong?

I'm not onboard but the current Pacific Adventure that has skipped NZ with a full refund plus $300 OBC would be a big win for me. I wouldn't have got off the ship in any of the NZ ports, and wouldn't get off in the substituted ports in Aus either so I'd be happy with the free cruise and some spending money as well!

I get that its a bummer for most folks though.

25 minutes ago, qbay46 said:

Mae Kong Railway Markets, Bangkok

Correct, your turn - such an amazing thing to see. Here's the before and after photos for those playing at home.

I'm worried this might be too easy...

25 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

Yes.  Can you name the spot?

Portmeirion? (I did have to google that spelling)... 

9 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

Nope.  No chianti produced here, but you could feel quite merry after a glass or two of port.

Wales?

3 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't want to be controversial, but I wouldn't be surprised if QANTAS was/is tougher on women flight attendants regarding grooming than they are on their male flight attendants.

That's more controversial than me berating thongs!

6 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

People judge you by your shoes in most parts of the world. I was on a plane last week from Q'ld to Melbourne. Looked at the black shoes of the male flight attendant; they were scruffy and unpolished and I did think how much they needed a good polish. Surprised that's not part of the airline's message to staff (Qantas). Is being proud of your appearance now an old-fashioned thing?

I don't think its an old fashioned thing at all but I'm guessing a lot of people do. In fact, I'm guessing there are a whole lot of people who don't even think it's just old fashioned, they probably don't know it was ever a thing at all. 

My sister was a flight attendant with Qantas for 30+ years and I can guarantee you she would never have shown up to work with scuffed shoes, or a hair out of place. If things have got so bad that an employer can't set minimum dress standards, and ensure they are being met, then I hate to think where we'll end up. 

9 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

can't you have clean feet in thongs or sandals?

 

although I cant say  I really look at other people's feet that much

Yes, you can have clean feet in thongs or sandals. My dad is almost 90 and growing up in "ye olden times" they always shook someone's hand while looking them in the eyes and then looked at their shoes to check they were clean. He always taught us when we were growing up to have clean shoes for that reason. He still gets his grandsons to bring their shoes over so he can polish them.

So that habit of wearing/looking for clean shoes has extended to feet now for me, because we seem to have a lot more exposed feet these days, and in places we didn't used to see them before. 

1 hour ago, cruiser3775 said:

What worries me is fragile older women thinking they have to dress up in very high heels to be fashionable on formal nights.  I spoke to one woman who was moving about on a ship that was rocking about. She was clinging to handrails and walls and looking very unsteady.  I was wearing evening shoes with a sensible heel for the conditions, and she commented on how much more practical that was.  I'd hate to have my cruise ruined by a fall and a fracture, just for the sake of fashion.

I never take heels with me on a cruise. I wear flat shoes, even on dress up nights. They're not thongs though!

2 hours ago, Kristelle said:

I realise this isnt super serious - but always seems odd objection to me - women wearing stilettos with fancy dresses is ok but thongs are not - but you see the feet and toes of both.

 

and anyway you don't see the feet while you are eating - feet are under the table.

 

I live in rubber thongs in summer but  I wouldnt wear them into a nice dining area - but  I would wear something like this, which from a 'seeing feet' issue is the same

 

I think if I see stilettos with clean and manicured toes I feel distinctly different to grubby feet in thongs. I am equally as offended by a woman with dirty feet in sandals, no matter how nice the shoes are!

3 minutes ago, arxcards said:

High tide heels should be OK then?

Yes, all good. You have no choice but to lift your feet up when walking in them!

3 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Open toed sandles are OK per the dress code.

Crocs are debatable, but crocs n socks wearers should be required to walk the plank.

Besides the ugly feet I think it's the scuffing sound of "thonging" into a dining room that adds to my pain. Walk properly, pick your feet up... please! And when the thongs are completely worn down on the inside because of the wearer's sloppy walking style, oh please. Crocs are horrific, but at least I don't have to see a bunch of manky toes 🤢.

So I can't help myself. My personal opinion on this topic is just bubbling to the surface 😆.

Ok, shorts are fine, but thongs? No, just no. Of course I realise that I shouldn't be bothered by what others are wearing but I am! I can't help it. I don't want to see any feet while I'm eating. Especially feet that have spent the last 10 years in thongs. If you're comfortable wearing rubber thongs into a nice dining room then you're a pretty experienced thong wearer. I don't want to think about your feet, or where they've been while I'm enjoying a meal in any decent restaurant.

I'm glad that's out of my system. I can rest now 🤣.

By the way, I do realise the OP didn't even mention thongs.

24 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I don't know if you did or not. My wife had the same issues previously.

 

After you board, log out of medallion user/pw account. Log back in to just your cruise - name/dob/cabin.

Thanks, I'll try that fix.

15 hours ago, arxcards said:

How so? I find it easy, and am happy to help. The staff at the Ocean Now counter are briefed to offer any assistance to help once aboard.

 

@arxcards Thanks for your kind offer of assistance Geoff 🙂.
 

I find it is really laggy. Perhaps its an android thing. In non technical speak, it feels "heavy". Too many images and moving parts. It is overly complicated. Last year on the Coral Princess I couldn't load menus for the entire length of the cruise, nor could I order a drink. It just had the little wheel of death spinning the entire time. Now I'm prepping for my next cruise it seems a little more streamlined but still overly complicated.

Both the Carnival and P&O apps are far simpler for user interface and experience. I actually used to be a project manager for a web development company so I'm not a complete dunce with technology, but I just find the Princess app uncomfortable to use.

7 hours ago, sayaguru said:

On my last Princess cruise on Coral (last November) I found booking to be a total waste of time. You turned up and were told to wait, same as whether people had booked or not. Hopefully they've sorted that by now. 

Carnival was much better with that. Booked then got a message when table was ready. 

Yes, I found the Carnival app and booking system to be excellent. Not sure why they can't use that app across all Carnival brands. The Medallion app is horrible.

6 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

new version from 11/12.  when do you go?

I cruise the 23rd but fly out of Oz on the 20/12. Spoke to my friendly local pharmacist and they may get them earlier than the 11th...

4 hours ago, Capt Krunch said:

I just uploaded a page of my stock broker account that showed my Carnival ownership with the account numbers blacked out.  They sent me back an email and said they would respond in 2 days with what I had to do next.  I have not received an email yet.

Maybe they're all on Thanksgiving break.

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Very catchy to have as the first one listed in a Black Friday promo.

 

2 nights, Melbourne to Adelaide. 

It was on Sparky's discount table two weeks back for $179, so it is a big Black Friday $10 discount. AKA, a typical P&O sale discounting $5pp per day.

Yes, it looks great at first glance but then I saw 2 nights, and then I saw To/From... hey, every $5 counts 🤣.

23 minutes ago, Jean C said:

Oh right, I'm waiting at BICT for the last two of our group to arrive after taking hire cars back - they won't mind 😊

Happy cruising!

39 minutes ago, arxcards said:

We have never had a complimentary upgrade on a ship. If we book a cheap guarantee cabin, we cruise in the same cheap guarantee cabin.

I did get my cabin allocation yesterday. I booked an IF guarantee and was allocated an IB. I've put in a "strong" upgrade bid, for an obstructed oceanview because the price guide was really low. A bit of natural light would be nice and I'd prefer the configuration of the beds against the side wall, rather than under the window (if possible).

On my first ever Princess cruise I booked a super cheap obstructed oceanview and got a balcony. That was exciting!