Stuartm

I saw there was discussion on this forum as to whether this cruise would be cancelled and I received the news from Princess today. We were travelling with six friends who have never cruised before and of course they are all very disappointed...as am I.

We will get all our money back of course but cruises from and to Freo are limited. Princess have suggested we book  the earlier cruise that sails from Fremantle to Singapore. Unfortunately there are very few cabins left.

Back to the drawing board.

cheers

Stu

I just went on the App to book Sabatinis for our up coming Coral Princess circumnavigation cruise and the cost is $47.25.  I thought the price was $25 US which at the moment would make it $37 AU. Has the US price gone up or do Princess add a gratuity to the bill?

Also annoying is  that I wanted to book a table for 4 with our 2 friends that are linked to my booking but Princess wanted to bill my credit card for the whole amount.

I'll just wait till we board.

I'm also interested in seeing how the drinks packages will be managed as we are on the 'old' package because we booked a year ago but some will be on the latest package which enables you to order drinks at a higher price. The one thing I REALLY hope is that along with the new package, Princess have also realized that the entry level wines they offer are extremely mediocre and have done something about it.

cheers

Stu

I'm afraid I just don't understand this hysteria about having to wear a mask. If you have a  medical condition then fine, but otherwise, apart from being a bit annoying if you wear glasses as I do, not an issue for me.  On our Majestic cruise at Christmas the most annoying thing was when I forgot my mask (which was often)  and I'd have to go back to my cabin to get it. The positive from that though was that I got to go up and down the stairs a few more times which can only help on a cruise.

I was happy to wear a mask because I didn't want to end up isolated in my cabin for half the cruise which is what happened to the friends we were travelling with. ....and they did wear masks which shows that masks don't offer 100% protection but certainly more protection than going mask-less.

I also think that some people just don't like being told what to do,...which really means there's no point in arguing with them about mask wearing.

We are off on the Coral in a month for 28 days around Australia and I will certainly be having my 5th vaccination before that  and if masks are optional then I will wear one when I feel it  appropriate.

cheers

Stu

13 hours ago, robncruise said:

According to Princess website if you test positive you and your family members or close contacts will not be permitted to board. you and youe travelling party will be entitled to 100% FCC.  Havn't mastered the link but can be found under Cruisehealth FAQ Sailing Aust. and NZ

Thank you Robncruise. I followed your directions and found the information I was looking for. 

cheers

Stu

I'm sure I could find this on the Princess website but thought it easier to ask in the forum.

If two people are booked in the same cabin and one of them tests positive for covid on the morning of departure and is denied boarding, do both qualify for a FCC? Obviously in some cases the healthy person may wish to continue with the cruise but I imagine in most cases that would be unlikely. Just trying to work out Travel Insurance so need to make sure I know what we are covered for. 

thanks you 

Stu

Looks like just two at the moment.

1 hour ago, PossumMagic 13 said:

Good grief! One chair for 2 people seems weird! Did you ask for another?

I really appreciate your info as 1st time on Coral in a few weeks!! VERY disappointing to read of bland food & quiet lounges!!
Was the ship quiet overall? 

Any other tips on what you should’ve taken/done? 

To avoid being surprised/disappointed in your cabin once you board, you could use the site below which has pictures of most of the cabins on most of the cruise lines. The dates are usually on the pictures so you can see if the info is current or not.

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/

cheers

Stu

11 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Thank you for that valuable information.  I will certainly contact Qantas when I travel overseas next.  Do you know who the underwriters are?  

nib travel insurance

On 8/29/2022 at 4:28 PM, Cbtours said:

After many hours researching we finally too k Qantas worldwide annual multi trip for 83 yr old DH unlimited trips up to 45 day max, full comp policy covering medical covid cancellations etc etc. pre existing we’re diabetes type 2, hypertension and cholesterol all very well control but all automatically coveted. $2597 which we thought great as it is going to cover South Africa 4 weeks, Syd to Hawaii return cruise, and Alaska cruise at least. 1 cover is great for domestic when you are under 80 but won’t cover international. 
some multi annual worldwide were more than double Qantas prices which are for over 70 as well so 83 was fine

We have three cruises booked for next year and I've been agonizing over travel insurance for the last few months. Those PDS's can do your head in.

But after reading your post mentioning Qantas I went to their website and did  a quick quote for an annual multi trip but the phone rang and I never finished it. About an hour later I got a phone call from a Qantas insurance agent. I had signed in to my FF account when filling in the quote so I guess they have all my details at hand. Bottom line, I was able to ask him all the questions that I needed  answers to and I liked his answers. My two main concerns were, seeing it doesn't mention cruising anywhere, were we covered for health cover at sea. Yes is the answer. Secondly if I test positive as I'm about to board the ship will I get any of my cruise fare back. Yes, up to $7500 per person. Our round Australia trip on the Coral is more than that but the most I could see on any of the other insurance sites was $5000.

The other thing which I'm sure most people know but I didn't, is even though my partner will have had his 70th birthday by the time we board our third cruise it doesn't change the cover as the policy was taken out when he was 69. We are are off to Antarctica in January 2024 so I will make sure I buy the insurance for that trip before his birthday next year.

I didn't even know Qantas offered travel insurance so thank you for your post. It was most illuminating.

cheers

Stu

On 7/2/2022 at 2:21 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

I have taken screenshots of the full beverage menus on the app but won't have time to post them until we reach home next week.

Thanks OzKiwiJJ. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour once you are home and suffering from post-cruise blues. At least you can look at the beverage menus and reminisce!!

cheers

Stu

2 hours ago, Stuartm said:

Would anyone have a current Princess cocktail bar menu, preferably Wheelhouse or Crooners?

We have the Plus package and I've read with interest the comments on the quality of the wine and value for money... or lack of.  I can cope with quaffing wine but I don't want to miss out on my Bombay Sapphire 007 martini. Other cruise lines give details of what spirits are included in the various packages but Princess only gives the price so I'd like to find out whether $16 is going to buy me the drink of my choice.  It'll be a three year gap between drinks so I'm sure you'll understand the gravity of the situation!

 

cheers

Stu

Thank you so much arxcards for going to all that bother and putting me out of my misery.  As the Bombay Sapphire shows as cheaper than the Hendricks I will certainly be able to enjoy my OO7 as we have on all our cruises in the last 14 years. Now I just have to be patient until December 21st when we board the Majestic.

thanks again

cheers

Stu

Would anyone have a current Princess cocktail bar menu, preferably Wheelhouse or Crooners?

We have the Plus package and I've read with interest the comments on the quality of the wine and value for money... or lack of.  I can cope with quaffing wine but I don't want to miss out on my Bombay Sapphire 007 martini. Other cruise lines give details of what spirits are included in the various packages but Princess only gives the price so I'd like to find out whether $16 is going to buy me the drink of my choice.  It'll be a three year gap between drinks so I'm sure you'll understand the gravity of the situation!

cheers

Stu

What the Coral was like only a few months ago with 190 crew and no passengers.

cheers

Stu

17 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I hope it is until 6:30pm. On a couple of the cruises we did in 2019 it was only until 5:30pm which was far too early for us. We're late diners so are usually showering and changing between 5pm and 6pm.

We are late diners also but as there wasn't a dress code we'd  head to the PES  Happy Hour at 5.30 and enjoy a drink and some nibbles then back to the cabin to prepare for the evening. We did get a  PES schedule in our cabin for the whole cruise which showed the signature cocktail and what the chef's specialty was going to be each night. Hopefully they are doing that on this current cruise.

Stu

Hi David,

one to be deleted and three to be added thanks.

Could you please delete our April 8th 2020 cruise on the Golden Princess. This cruise was cancelled as the Golden is heading back to the US.

Could you please add the following.

2019   September 17th ... StuartM ... Majestic Princess ... FNQ ... round trip Sydney

2020 April 25th ... StuartM ... Sky Princess ... Scandinavia and Russia ... round trip Copenhagen

2020 May 16th ... StuartM ... Crown Princess ... Mediterranean ... Athens to Southampton

thank you David.

Hi David. It's a looooong way away but could you add us to the list please.

8 April 2020 Stuart M Golden Princess 17 nights Sydney to Fremantle.

thanks so much

Cheers

Stu

Hi David,

could you please add:

30th Dec 2018 Stuartm Majestic Princess New Zealand.

with thanks

Stu

We are booked on the Majestic for her NZ New Year cruise this coming December. When the deck plans for the Royal Princess were released a few years ago I was disappointed that there was no wrap-around promenade deck, no aft pools and that most of the balconies were on the small side. It will be interesting to see if the lack of these features makes any difference to our enjoyment of our Majestic cruise. I doubt it. The Majestic also lacks the Wheelhouse bar which has always been our preferred drinking venue.....but I'm sure we will adapt.

We sailed on the Diamond Princess a year after she had been 're-jigged' for the Japanese market. We had cruised on her 3 times and she was our favourite so wondered how changed she was. As it turned out, apart from the Japanese bathhouse which in Australian waters didn't seem to be popular and which meant that one of the public pools was no longer public, we enjoyed her as much as ever. Interestingly, as we had sailed on the Sapphire Princess the year before after her drydock where the International Cafe and Vines etc. were added, we decided we actually preferred her to the "Japanese" Diamond. We cruisers are such a fickle lot!

We couldn't do anything to change the Majestic's promenade deck, or her pools but we did book a mini-suite on the hump which gives us a slightly larger balcony...and I stress slightly, but hopefully I have chosen a deck where the people wandering around on the "Sea Walk" won't be peering into our cabin.

cheers

Stu

The so called 'Enrichment' programs that are merely sales promotions.

Just did the first segment of the Sea Princess World Cruise, Sydney to Melbourne and wondered why my card had two holes in it. Now I know. Thanks. Did buy a small item in the gift shop with no problem but didn't purchase any duty free so can't comment on this issue.

cheers

Stu

I was on the Golden's New Year cruise around NZ and the MUTS movies were:

Cafe Society

Now You See Me 2

The Legend of Tarzan

Sing Street

The Man Who Knew Infinity

Star Trek Beyond

Jason Bourne

Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children

Star Wars the Force Awakens

Florence Foster Jenkins

Warcraft Hunt for the Wilder People

Unfortunately none of these movies were available on your cabin television. Golden has yet to upgrade to movies on demand and the selection of films available on the movie channels was pretty ordinary.

cheers

Stu

The Splendor is only 8 years old and similar capacity to the Emerald Princess that has been greeted very warmly this cruise season....and she is 10 years old.

cheers

Stu

I'm looking at booking a Grand Suite on the Voyager of the Seas and I saw the ship in port today and noticed an overhang from the deck above. As the balconies are recessed already it looks like the overhang would make the cabin even gloomier. Unfortunately the overhang isn't shown on the deck plans so I was hoping that someone may know where the overhang is in relation to the cabins below.

cheers

Stu

We're on this one as well and have a check in for 12;00 as well. Our flight arrives at 0630. So just going to get taxi straight to the port. Maybe there at 0800. And will just wait.

You must be on the red eye from Perth...horrible flight but bearable if you have a cruise to board. There are some restaurant/ cafes around the area but not sure what time they open. If I see some sleepy looking sandgropers in the 12 o'clock boarding I will say hello. I grew up in Dianella and my partner in Yokine so we are probably related:eek::eek:

Cheers

Stu

I noticed that when the Diamond is in Japan it does not offer Anytime Dining and when the Golden and Sapphire are in China they don't offer Traditional, only Anytime.

I was thinking about a Japanese cruise but I don't like being locked into a set meal time. May need to look at some other cruise line.:eek:

cheers

Stu