MMDown Under

On 1/29/2024 at 10:04 AM, challis said:

I looked at a email from celebrity re.cruises sale,had  11 night qld. For $1490,looked again 1hr latter,gone.if you see what you want,don't hesitate. I'm on-board edge now anchored off cairns.Ship is the  destination...don't care to  get off.9/10...×××

I think it is a good idea to register with cruise lines and travel agents who sell cruises you are interested in and be ready to

book when you receive bargain offers.  I am a solo cruiser but never pay a single supplement as I receive offers of “no single supplement”.

On 1/29/2024 at 10:04 AM, challis said:

I looked at a email from celebrity re.cruises sale,had  11 night qld. For $1490,looked again 1hr latter,gone.if you see what you want,don't hesitate. I'm on-board edge now anchored off cairns.Ship is the  destination...don't care to  get off.9/10...×××

I think that is the secret with big ships. Stay on board and enjoy the ship and facilities whilst other passengers are in port.

On 1/28/2024 at 9:05 AM, rwmiller said:

@ceeceeDee Were you on Princess or another line? I want to be able to argue with them with facts as they are just going back to the book. 

 

I am also trying to figure out how to book online. I started a trial booking and the first page (name / address) only gave me the option of United States for country. 

 

Bob

You are talking to Australians who don’t need a passport to cruise in Australian waters.

Just book with Australian company

On 2/4/2024 at 7:19 PM, arxcards said:

I think all those involved have since retired.

Hope they left a desk file! 

On 2/4/2024 at 8:13 PM, mum and son said:

I usually book guarantees because I'm a deal shopper and buy most of my cruises last minute, after final payment date when prices drop. I've just booked B2B on the Royal Princess for next month and, strangely, when booking the Drop and Go offers I was able to select my cabins on both cruises. That never happens!

Enjoy!!

On 2/3/2024 at 6:05 PM, mum and son said:

The apartment-hotel at Portside is called Alcyone. There are other options around as well. At Portside there are plenty of restaurant options and a 24hr cafe downstairs from Alcyone. There's an IGA supermarket in the precinct and a Woolworths in the neighbouring complex.

Plus a movie theatre, Dendy if you need to fill in time.  Portside is walking distance to ferry to

City or Bulimba on opposite of the river.

There are a number of nice motels near Portside. Racecourse Avenue at Ascot nearby has a good selection of eateries.

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

The prices on that specials list are not the price you pay. On top of that price, taxes, port charges and non-commissionable charges are added. Same with all US agents, you need to get a full quote to know what the "real" price is. Australian pricing is inclusive of all those added charges.

Yes I realise that. Prices are still cheaper

if cruise is on special.

1 minute ago, LittleFish1976 said:

I'm sure I could have got a taxi faster but I needed to have the car from that point onwards. And the off-site rental companies are fine if you're arriving within their business hours which is not always the case. Also, if you have an early morning departure you can leave the car at their off-site depot and post the key through the letterbox but you then have to have a way of getting those last few kms to the airport (which if you're a solo female traveller can be tricky - I don't want to be standing in an out-of-the-way industrial area at 5am waiting for a cab in the dark!).

I know what you mean.  We passed through Hawaii once when it was expensive peak season so decided to rent an old car and drive to the other beautiful side of the island.  We had a wonderful day.  Both daughters slept on back seat until we left the car in an isolated dark industrial area.  Key left on sun shield. 
Worked well. Probably wouldn’t be game enough to do it again. 

3 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

I've been on both, crossed the Tasman in both. Had some rough-ish seas both times although nothing dramatic. On the QM2 we had the water from the pool on the deck above cascading down outside the PG restaurant which *looked* dramatic but it didn't feel like anything much (which probably says something) and we were eating at the time. It's certainly a comfortable ship but I also think the Queen Elizabeth sails beautifully also. I would compare to another ship I was on a few months ago (Grand Princess) and it may have just been particularly rough seas off the coast of eastern Victoria and into S.A. on that occasion, but we really got tossed around a lot on that one.

 

As already said above, the cabins are larger on QM2 grade-for-grade but they are also more expensive than for the same grade on the Vistas.

Thanks. I’ve always dreamt of cruising on QM2.

On 2/5/2024 at 3:02 PM, LittleFish1976 said:

Auckland can be very slow. I've stood in a queue for customs at Auckland airport for over an hour (Feb. last year) - just to get through that section, and with nothing to declare. By the way, I then stood in a queue to pick up a pre-booked hire car at one of the major companies within the airport for an hour and ten minutes!

 

It will depend, as others have said, on how busy the airport is at the time but I wouldn't count on it being quick.

We have a taxi driver who picks up at the airport, which is quick. In the past we’ve had rental car companies pick us up at the airport and take us to their off airport offices for our pre booked car.

2 hours ago, CountessCookie said:

I'm in the exact same boat. I would love to take a longer cruise, but can only have enough leave for shorter cruises. I keep trying to save up AL, but life always gets in the way.

Virgin’s move to shorter cruises should suit you.  Being retired, I prefer longer cruises. I put a hold on a cruise from Singapore to Freemantle in November 2024.  However I didn’t continue with the booking when I discovered, shock horror, that my credit card had a hold because I was over my limit for the first time in my life!  The negatives of a year of travel!!

50 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

That’s interesting.  We are looking forward to comparing QA’s Q3 to that of QE when we embark QA in May.  In images, it is totally different with an open-sided partition separating the bedroom area from the living area.  TVs are mounted on either side of the partition.

I am interested in Queen Mary versus Queen Elizabeth because the former is an ocean liner.  Has anyone been on both?  How did the ride through rough seas compare?
 

I receive a list of current specials from a large USA Travel Company.  They are always much cheaper than anything on offer in Australia. My TA, who worked from home,  provided excellent service

27 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

Great photo, Les.  I've seen her anchored there in the past.  Off Caseys again?

Unique looking ship

44 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Down on NSW South Coast we copped the remains of Kirrily, loads of rain last couple of days.

You seem to have had above average rainfall in your area.

1 hour ago, cruisine21 said:

We are booked to go to Melbourne on the 19th March. We will spend 6 nights in Melbourne post cruise and hire a car and do a a few road trips

I spent four nights in Melbourne after my cruise.  I like one way cruises where you can stay before and after.

Just now, MMDown Under said:

You can book wheelchair assistance with embarking and disembarking on cruise ships. I now do this as it is too far For me to walk up

snd down Ramps.  They have the wheel

chairs and pushers waiting on the way. A very efficient system.

Taxi ranks in Sydney are very efficient. If you have pushers or wheelchairs ask for a

wheelchair taxi.

You can book wheelchair assistance with embarking and disembarking on cruise ships. I now do this as it is too far For me to walk up

snd down Ramps.  They have the wheel

chairs and pushers waiting on the way. A very efficient system.

I find NZ Customs very efficient.

Just now, MMDown Under said:

I cruised back from my half a world cruise from

Southhampton on P&O Chusan via South Africa, India and Ceylon, when the Suez was closed.  So shipping lines have experience of the Suez being closed.

In 1970!

On 10/29/2023 at 11:03 AM, Mareblu said:

Closing the canal would cause havoc for shipping.  So far I haven’t heard mention of it.  Peace in our time🙏🏻

I cruised back from my half a world cruise from

Southhampton on P&O Chusan via South Africa, India and Ceylon, when the Suez was closed.  So shipping lines have experience of the Suez being closed.

Avoid mega cruise ships if you want calm boarding/disembarking. On my day in Sydney I caught ferry from the ship to wharf near OPT.  I enjoyed a cold ginger beer at the Museum of Modern Art, as I watched the passenger bedlam and horn blowing below at the mega ship which took our place.  ovation of the seas ?

On 1/27/2024 at 12:09 PM, Blackduck59 said:

Lynn is working on a puzzle. 

Lyn Virgin Voyages have a room full of puzzles and games. It was very popular.

On 2/1/2024 at 2:28 AM, MicCanberra said:

Virgin sailors don't read apparently.

If they do, they need to bring their own books and magazines and maps of the itinerary if they wish to follow the journey.  The latter was my greatest disappointment.  I was still finding things the last day, so a real Map Room may have been somewhere. No mid day report from the Captain either.  

I received an offer for any deck higher than 8 on Resilient Lady, but said I would prefer lower than deck 8  not higher, where I was already booked.