bobhsv

Thanks Tara Jane.  Will scroll through the volunteer guides over the next couple of months.  The cruise port navigation appears to be kinda 'expensive' in comparison, as they charge 2000 Yen every 30 mins, plus the usual entry/fares/lunch.  That's something like AU$50 each hour (there is just the two of us). 

Looking for tour recommendations for Tokyo, Shimizu, Osaka and Kochi.  Cruising on Majestic Princess 18th Aug 2019.  

Thanks!

Posting on our aussie section first.  Looking for any advice and recommendations for private tours at these ports......Tokyo, Shimizu, Osaka, Kochi.

We will be on Majestic Princess 18/08/2019, and reading that most onboard cruisers will be Chinese and Japanese (nice!), as it is a short 8 day cruise from Shanghai return.  We are aware of the tours with locals, but would love to hear of any experiences and recommendations please.  

Thanks!

Trig42, being a local, knows best! Coromandel is def 'out' for you. We actually prefer Waiheke, quick 40min ferry ride, and many tours to choose from. Stunning scenery and an island we have visited many times. Suggest you check out fullers.co.nz which is the ferry operator. If you do go, make sure you catch the 2nd last ferry at the latest, back to Auckland re odd chance of inclement weather in late afternoon. Guarantee Waiheke won't disappoint you.

We recently flew from Heathrow to Perth on a Qantas 787 Dreamliner. We had more space than usual. There were 9 seats across the aircraft instead of the usual 10 and we had more knee room than usual.

Now that I could handle. The 10 seats across were horrible for a long haul, but the plane itself was nice and staff were great.:) At the end of the day, the fares were cheap. Like others have said, you get what you pay for.

We have returned recently from a TP, Syd to Hawaii on the Radiance. We hadn't sailed with RCCL for 10 yrs, having been with Princess, Celebrity and US Carnival. We were pleasantly surprised. In fact I would go as far as saying it was the best cruise we have had. We were concerned re the 2 lots of 5 sea days, but had the best time ever. Food was great in all areas of the ship, entertainment was top notch, our balcony was great....and we didn't want to disembark. We wouldn't hesitate to sail on the Radiance again. It has a happy relaxed feel, esp with all the glass surrounds. Cannot think of one negative comment about this ship.

Jen

We returned from Honolulu to Sydney with Jetstar a couple of months ago. We do fly (happily) domestic with Jetstar, but our flight onboard the new Dreamliner from HNL was awful. We were prepared to pay the extras for food (order online when booking or you may miss out), added more luggage etc, and did so. However the Dreamliner was the most uncomfortable and super squashed in flight we have ever experienced. Seems the aisle width is a lot less than in other aircraft. It put a new and more honest meaning to the wording 'cattle class'. Never ever again! We will choose Hawaiian or Qantas next time and pay the extra gladly.

Just adding a tip for those flying out of HNL.....Before you enter the terminal doors, grab one of the porters for your luggage. You may have to wait one minute for them to return to this spot. For a total of US$5, they load up all your luggage, escort you in, skipping the line up, take you to a counter and you are immediately checked in. Very fast, cheap and no line up. Fabulous!!

Thanks. I rang and ordered. The rate was slightly better than I could get anywhere else (banks, Travelex, Aust Post etc), and no fee due to good old 28 degrees.

Apologies first...the search engine is not working atm, so I have some questions.

I wish to ring and pre-order some OBC for our upcoming cruise. I know how to do this, but wish to know a few things.

1. If I don't spend all the OBC, can I get remainder back in cash at end of cruise?

2. Does RCCL charge a commission for this order if using credit card, or do they use a BPay system?

3. Does it get billed as a purchase or a cash advance?

Thanks,

Bob

Just adding. Here is one reputable dive tour operator in Noumea that I can recommend. They fit in with ship timetables too. There are many others.

http://www.aquanature.nc/en/accueileng.html

Champagne Bay does not have any village. It is an isolated beach. Let me say that again....it is a VERY isolated beach (ie no power, no shops, no phones, no main roads, no buses, just skinny dirt tracks for roads until you get closer to Luganville etc), located as you say a good, and rustic/bumpy hours drive from Luganville. Luganville is the main town for the island of Santo. Def not possible for you to get there from Champagne Bay and back. Far too risky. I def would not trust a lone trip....you may get stuck! Cell phone usage will also prob not work out there. There will be no transport at Champagne Bay, just locals with a few cars for closer tour spots. Perhaps the dive shop Aquamarine could offer advice. They may visit Champagne Bay for the day whilst ships are in port......but, I doubt it. Worth an enquiry. Some ships do dock at Luganville, and the dive shop does many dives in that immediate area, such as the SS Coolidge (amazing). Luganville itself is also small, with just the one main road.

These islands/ports are vastly different to the Caribbean, with all the tender ports being isolated/rustic/virtually untouched. However, they are unique, beautiful and interesting because of this. Noumea and Vila are more commercial. Noumea would be the closest akin to Caribbean ports, with Vila coming second. Vila has more to offer in my opinion. Btw, there are great dive spots around Noumea too, and some great dive companies that will pick you up at port and drop you back in time. Same goes for Vila.

We are cruising to several locations in New Caledonia and Vanuatu in Jan 2016 and attempt to find activities in the ports. Big problem is not knowing where in the port ships tender/dock.

 

Anybody know exactly where ships tender/dock in the following locations (as stated by RCCL)?

 

- Noumea

- Lifou

- Port-Vila

- Vanuatu (Champagne Bay)

- Vanuatu (Mystery Island)

- Mare

 

Thanks in advance

 

John & Karen

Noumea...prob the container terminal. Depends on the size of ship, but most RCCL will go here. Free shuttle buses are supplied all day long, and go to and fro this container terminal to the main (smaller) port terminal. The smaller port terminal is situated in the city, approx 5 mins drive away. Very cheap tours available from the main terminal on a walk up basis, most $20 to $25pp. They will take aussie dollars here. To the right of the smaller main terminal is a shop called 'Casino'. Can't miss the sign....they also take aussie dollars, and there is an atm outside this shop if needed. Noumea is pricey, however it can be seen cheaply via tours mentioned before. Two blocks further into town from Casino, is Coconut Square. This is the centre of town, a park, and also where you can purchase local bus tickets at the info centre (also aussie dollars).

Lifou, Champagne Bay, Mare and Mystery Island are all tender, with tender rides being short/quick. Champagne Bay is by far the best beach in the Sth Pacific. You will be able to purchase local tours once there, to various places like the Blue Holes. Mare is a newish port, with very basic facilities. You really have no choice but to purchase the ships tour to the beach. Not much in town to occupy even a half day. Mystery Island is another beach day, but a great day. Nice walks around, markets, swimming etc. Reminds me of Gilligans Island. Lifou is also beach day, but loads of local things to see and do at minimal cost. All these islands take aussie dollars. Make sure you have plenty of small notes, as change will be given in their local currency.

Vila....ship docks here, but it is too far to walk into town esp in heat. Many local cars/shuttle busestaxis available at a cheap cost. If you are not doing a tour here, then return back to ship is easy, as locals in cars/taxis etc are on lookout for return fares anywhere in main street (shopping area). You will be asked many times if you wish to return to ship! This is the cheapest place by far to purchase goodies and duty free. Alcohol purchases will be delivered back to ship for you, common practice, hence you can shop in morning if you wish. Aussie dollars also accepted widely. So many choices of things to do here, and a place that is easy to return to.

Hope that helps.:)

We were there in July. I believe the ship 'uses' all the local transport for their shuttles to Yedjele Beach from Tadine. We also looked for private tours without luck prior to sailing. On arrival we did not see any vehicles for private hire, as they were all lined up ready for cruisers to hop on. I suggest you look at the small market before heading to the beach. It won't take long! The drive is quite nice. Sit on the righthand side going there, and left hand side on return. If the weather is wet/windy, your stay at this beach will def be a quick one. Allow approx an hour on return to have a small walk around the general pier area.

It was cool and extremely windy the day we went, but I can see that it would be a nice beach day in perfect weather. It was good to get off the ship. We thought the shuttle cost too much for this destination, esp if you have a family (hopefully the locals get a good cut!).

In the USA I understand you cant embark on the second cruise if the first cruise hasn't been to a distant overseas (non USA) port.

Vancouver is not considered distant.

This is correct. We sailed Princess LA to Vancouver, but were not allowed to continue on, on same ship, Vancouver to Whittier. We had to stay overnight (which we did and booked another cruise leaving the next day to continue on up the coast). Our TA knew about this law luckily. We did however, hear onboard of others being told they had to disembark in Vanc, or boarding in LA would be denied. Princess were well aware of the rules, so I imagine Celebrity would be too.

I can only assume that this law is so intricate, that when it comes down to sailing further afield to Sydney......well, the employees just aren't aware. Def take this further, and get it right.

We punched a hole in card and hung it on lanyard, but we never use a credit card for this purpose. Think about other magnetic cards, like an old club card, a reward card from any store ie Katies/Spotlight or whatever. These are easy to obtain if you don't have one. Just walk into the store of choice, and join their rewards system. Easy done! Then keep it for further cruises.

Yes ,we are aware that merchants will find a way to use with visa .Master cards from the USA . For if they don't they can actually violate the Credit card banks agreement between them & the bank .We were told this by visa .

 

What is the concern for American travelers/tourists to other countries is the anxiety of not knowing whether they will experience problems & only local currency would be accepted . It is a legitimate concern & this is why we were going into our Wells Fargo Bank branch for extra Australian dollars ,when we found out that the Wells Fargo /American Express credit card had a chip & pin # :).Now ,we seem to be back to where we were because of the charges that American Express levies on vendors in other countries . Aside from the higher charges to vendors ,American Express ,imo, gives the best credit card service of any credit card company & we have been loyal to them for 18 years .

 

We will carry that new American Express CC & our Visa Chip & signature credit card along with our cash ATM cards ,for back up . We are careful to only carry visa or master card credit cards that carry no exchange rate fees .We are carrying $200 Australian dollars into Australia

for our 6 days in Sydney .the first experience using one of our credit cards will be paying for a Sydney taxi to our hotel .

 

We are happy that Australians speak English ;which makes communications much easier:D .Although we found that traveling the major cities of the world Englsh is very well understood:)

I get what you are saying, but the bottom line is that amex is not widely accepted here anymore, hence you will have to go with the flow. A case of 'When in Rome....'

It is smart to always take a backup card/cash when travelling, which is exactly what you are doing. It is your choice whether you wish to use your amex (where possible) and pay extra for that. Perhaps you could consider that extra fee as a tip:D (No tipping downunder in most places). Rules are rules. Try to look on the other side of things....you are coming downunder at a time when your dollar is worth more....take advantage of this and enjoy your stay!

On a lighter note, I am pleased you are happy we speak English:D but like any other city in the world, you may come across a few that don't, or struggle to do so.

We welcome you with open arms, knowing that you will return home with great memories. Relax, enjoy our country, and bring your backup cards:)

I have been following this thread with interest, as we have dear American friends visiting here next year. So, whilst out shopping yesterday, I asked around at various small shops ie clothing boutiques, local deli, a coffee shop, supermarket, petrol station etc. re how they process an overseas visa or mastercard that does not have chip technology, no pin and needs signature. All replies were much the same........all said 'that's a good question', 'we would have to drag out our old machine or use the side slot', 'or we could ring it through just like when the machines are down', similar to purchasing something over the phone with your credit card.

In other words, they all had an answer, none were prob managers/owners, so in the end they have many ways to take money to secure the sale.

The supermarket was the only one that would accept amex btw.

An interesting little exercise!

Returned a few weeks ago from the Spirit. Didn't personally attempt the green thunder, but son and grandson (8) did. Son had many goes on it, but the 8 yr old just the once. He came up smiling though. Yes, you have to cross arms, but not sure re feet. Not sure about head position, sorry. Yes, the water will enter every crevice, and son appeared every time with a 'wedgie'. If you have a bad back, then I would not attempt it, but it appears to be very safe....just fast.

These multiple numbers and links across countries can lead to some interesting results, a friend if mine kept getting an English title, when they linked the account of someone from Englandvwith him by mistake, though he did enjoy being called "My Lord" for a while.

Oh Lordy:D, that's funny! We had issues re this cross country VIFP too. Wondered why one of us was not getting emails, and last cruise not added/linked... only to find out onboard that the email address had been punched in incorrectly....having a dot com ay, instead of dot com au.

Ain't technology grand sometimes:D

We did our first Carnival Australia cruise last year after having done previous cruises with Carnival overseas. At checkin in Sydney we received our normal Gold cards & received points as normal & so on.

In fact on our cruise, Gold was the highest status of any passenger so the whole 15 of or so that were gold got treated like royalty which was very nice of the crew on board.

Correct. Same for us. To explain further...our USA cruises were recognised immediately on check in at Sydney. The Oz section will give you another 'new' aussie VIFP number, but this is somehow joined in cyberspace with your USA VIFP number, hence on boarding you will receive the appropriate level of all Carnival cruises completed.

If this does not happen, or if they have missed counting one of your cruises, then this can and will be fixed at guest services desk whilst onboard. (DH had one cruise not counted, fixed onboard, and new card given immediately).

Hi, can anyone confirm if the Noumea Explorer HOHO bus still go to the Tijbaou cultural centre?? Thanks

Returned a couple of weeks ago. No, the HOHO doesn't go to out to the Cultural Centre anymore. btw this centre is closed Mondays. The HOHO was AU$15pp. Another in our party did a 2 hr tour for $25, which included the Centre.

This site will calculate Sydney taxi fares for you. Just type in Sydney International airport, and destination, which, for Carnival, will be Overseas Passenger Terminal.

https://www.taxifare.com.au/

Fares will depend on actual day and time of day.

Something to keep in mind.....

We did Alaskan cruise a couple of years ago, mid May from Vancouver. On arrival to Whittier (port for Anchorage), we were informed that Denali was not open for the season, due to the heavy snows that winter. Tours that week could only go to the very outskirts of the National Park.

If you decide not to do the Rockies, then at least spend a day in Whistler, just out from Vancouver. Loads of cheap tours available from Vanc. Such a scenic part of the world, not to be missed.

 

Your VIP number (USA) will not be accepted with Carnival Australia, as it is run seperately from Carnival USA.

While they will know that you have cruised with Carnival USA before, you will be at cruise number 1 with Carnival Australia.

But I believe that the cruise can be added to your VIP (USA) cruise day tally.

 

Just to clarify this a bit more for you....

We have cruised Carnival USA in the past. On our recent cruise on Carnival Spirit Oz, we were given a new aussie VIFP number, however on boarding they had connected our USA cruises. Therefore we were given the 'higher' red card. Blue is for first timers. On this cruise there were several Americans, all with Platinum cards. We now have two separate VIFP numbers, one for USA and the other for Aust, but both joined for privilages.

I think your chances of an earlier boarding will be good. We boarded last week, with 4 in our party of 10 having a boarding time 2 hrs after the rest of us. We did not have an issue, with all of us boarding just after 1pm. It was reasonably busy at that time. Boarding was quick and easy. Your main checked luggage is collected immediately at the kerb.