resordanis

good luck, an excellent present for Xmas eve.:D

Definitely a good xmas present. The OBC has gone from $200 to $600:D

Hi guys, I just called them. We are booked on the Sapphire from Singapore January 2015, I was prepared to make a new booking as there is no penalty for us at this time. Was able to keep my booking as it was the same price as the original, now we have $350obc per cabin instead of $150 (fcl) yay! Vouchers for wine, photo and specialty restaurant will be in cabin on boarding, the obc says its for shore tours but if you read the fine print, any left over goes toward your onboard account, so I am assuming can be spent on anything...........two minutes later I had a new confirmation showing the obc, thankyou Princess, that was easy!

Chez

Xx

Thanks for this info. We are sailing on Sapphire on 10th January 2015. I did not want to cancel and rebook at this stage as we are using a FCC and did not want to lose this certificate if I needed to cancel this cruise, so I was not going to contact Princess.

After reading this post I just emailed Princess this afternoon, just had a reply that my booking would be adjusted for this sale without changing my booking. I am awaiting the confirmation now, but extremely happy!:D

As an FYI, same goes for specialty restaurants. If you book before you board, you pay for them then. If you book while onboard, you goes onto your onboard account.

Yes, I did realise this. I did want to book prior but read on CC that I would be charged. We will wait till we get on board. Thanks all:D

If you book it now you'll pay for it now. On our recent cruise on the Pearl we pre-booked one excursion and paid for it same day. Then, while on the cruise, decided the night before to book an excursion for the next day and used our OBC.

 

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Thanks for the information, will now just have to work out whether we wait or book on board.;)

Hi all,

We are going on our first NCL cruise in March. We are currently looking at the Shore Excursions on line and they are asking for Credit Card Payment. Can someone please tell me whether they debit my CC straight away or does that not happen till we are on board? I thought that the amount for the shore excursion would go onto my cruise card? Just wanting to know this information as we have a reasonable OBC and want to utilize it. If they debit the card we might just have to take our chances and wait till we are on board.

Thanks in advance.:confused:

Hi there,

Returned from Voyager on 23/11. I did not see Chefs Table advertised (could be wrong) but did see a Food and Wine Match dinner at Portafinos at around $55US a head. Hope this helps and I am sure someone will correct me if this is not the case.

I have been looking at some of the online companies that sell accommodation Overseas like Wotif does...

 

I am booking a night in cape town at a hotel that other friends will be staying at ... I can get a good price with otel.com but they get crappy reviews ... Priceline is looking good.

 

I know in the US they use them a lot, would we be good to go here too...

 

joanne

Not sure whether this information helps BUT I have used bookings.com a few times and also searched thru hotels combined to get the right price, but recently for our Europe trip early in the New Year, I booked some accommodation thru Qantas on line. I was pleasantly surprised to find the price as good as anything that I could get thru the on lines sites, but it was in Aust dollars and not euros or US. This meant I knew what I was paying and did not have currency fees for using the CC. On the downside, they do required full payment at the time of booking whereas bookings.com you can pay (sometimes) at check-in.

I have not booked thru Priceline, but in the instance quoted above, I found Qantas hotels to be of similar prices.

Hope this helps. Cheryle

Hi David,

Can you please add our cruises please:

Voyager of the Seas 9th November NZ-South Pacific

Norwegian Jade 1st March - Western Mediterrean

Thanks for compiling this list for us!

Thanks. Wonder what she's doing between 24th May and 5th June??? I'm seriously looking the the 5th June one but if the one before has a good itinerary I wouldn't mind doing B2B.

Charter cruise? Just a guess. Can't believe P&O would do another drydock, but who knows.

I like the ship and crew, but it does need some major work, especially to the cabins!

Just wondering if anyone knows if Pacific Jewel is going into drydock in Singapore in 2015?

The reason I ask is, cruise J520 leaves Fremantle on 10th May & arrives in Singapore on 24th May. Cruise J522 leaves Singaopre on 5th June to cruise back to Brisbane. I cannot see anything in regards to J521 but there is 12 days between cruises. If she was to be in drydock in that time, would they skip cruise number J521?? (I've never taken notice before if they skip numbers whilst in drydock).

Hi there,

Just off Pacific Jewel yesterday. Dry dock is scheduled for July/August this year in Sydney. All staterooms will be re-furbished (and they need it!) plus changes to the Attic!

Does anyone know if this wine package is available on the Diamond Princess???

I would also like to hear from anyone on the Diamond re the wine packages.

Thanks:)

 

Well I personally have no idea, but this sounds as if your Spirit cruise does count for something towards Princess.

 

I rung Carnival and was told that no points would go towards my Captains Circle, although they would still give my DH military discount.

On our round Australia trip next year we have a 1 day stop in Lombok Indonesia. I have spoken to Princess Southampton about the need for a Visa, but they just referred me to their Visa service, who wanted us to purchase a normal tourist visa and send money and our passports to them.

I seem to to remember reading somewhere, that as we´re only in Indonesia for the day, Princess sort out a day visa and make a charge for this to your onboard account

i know Indonesia can issue a visa on arrival ie US$10/person for a 3-day visa, I don´t know if this is the sort of Visa that I saw somewhere re Princess

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction please or give me some information of their personal experience.

 

Also, will we need a multiple entry visa for Australia, because of this 1 day in Lombok?

 

As Princess Southampton weren´t much help, perhaps I would be better to contact Princess Australia...anyone have any contact info please.

 

Although we are resident in Spain we have UK nationality and UK passports

Thanks

Sandy in Spain

When we were on Diamond Princess and stopped at Bali, Princess arranged to Visa on Arrival. It was actually $25 for a 1 day pass, but not for all nationalities. If you look at your Princess Cruise Personaliser it should show Visas required for your trip and this will include details for Aust.

You know all I have left from my service is certificates of enlistment and a letter granting me the Australian Defence Medal. No other paper work exists for me. If others have thrown their stuff out then it may be a little difficult to prove. The other obstacle is people who retain their enlistment certificate and do not make it through recruit training.

I think you will find you have enough information to supply for the OBC. All they ask is for some proof that you were in the services, not the length of time. The staff at Defence benefits at Carnival are very helpful.:)

I was wondering if anyone has stayed in cabin 5153 on pacific pearl that's the one we have asked for any info on this cabin would be great :) being deck 5 are we last off at tender ports? Thanks

Hi there,

We have been in 5145 and loved the cabin and the deck. Last cruise we were on Deck 6, but deck 5 has to be the quietest and best location.

:)

Hi David

If you could add us please:

Voyager of the Seas - 27th January - NZ

Many thanks for compiling the list for us.:D

They were open one Sunday when we were in Noumea, even though nearly all the other shops were closed. No guarantees though.

 

Maybe if you email the Noumea Tourist Information Office they will be able to tell you.

Thank you, thats what I will do!

Marlenes is one of the duty free shops in Noumea. To find it -

When you walk out of the cruise terminal turn to the left and cross the main road at the first set of lights. Walk down that street (it is on the left-hand side of Coconut Square). Walk three (I think it is three) blocks and turn into the street that has the old Town Hall (now a museum) on the corner. Walk to the next street and Marlene's is on the corner. There is another duty free shop in that street, but I haven't been in there.

 

At Marlene's you will have to have your passport or they cannot sell to you. They take AUD cash at a good exchange rate. The prices are good, but the range is limited and if there has been a cruise ship in since they received their last shipment of stock, it can be very very limited (even to the extent of only having half a dozen bottles of very expensive spirits).

 

If you are going to Vila, Fung Kuei is a much better bet. Prices are great, the range is fantastic and the volume of stock is such that they don't ever seem to sell out.

 

It looks like your cruise isn't going to Vila. I suggest it could be worthwhile checking out the prices on board the ship. In the last couple of years P&O prices aren't too bad. Usually they offer a discount if you buy in the first two days.

Great information, thanks. Any idea if it would be open on a Sunday?

or would you know how I could find out.

Thanks again for the information

Kiwi cruisers.

Diamond Princess Bangkok to Sydney 26th November 2012, 18 nights for NZ$2299 interior.

Anyone going to join us?

Prices seem to be falling at present on this cruise. Our mini suite has gone down $275 each in the last week. On the other side of the scale, our flights and accommodation to Bangkok have all gone up! Thankfully, we booked our flights and accommodation earlier and thankfully we have had the reduction in the cruise passed on to us.:D

Hi David,

Would you mind adding the following for us (even if it is only a short one)

Sun Princess 1st March - Brisbane to Sydney

Thanks:D

Afternoon,

Can we please be added to the list:

Pacific Sun - 7th February 2 nights Sydney to Newcastle

Pacific Jewel - 19th April 8nights - New Caledonia

Diamond Princess 26th November - Bangkok to Sydney

Thanks:)

We did the UBD on the Diamond in early December. Was absolutely wonderful and by far the best meal we have had in a long time. Our only problem was there was just so much food for 2 people!

It was well worth the $100. I don't know how they do it but the timing of the courses was just great.

We pre-paid and booked the night of the dinner prior to our cruises, just by having our TA contact Princess. I would highly recommend this meal.

FYI - I was surprised that when we asked the Head Waiter was this dinner popular, he said there was only 5 booked in total on our 19 night cruise. I would have thought considering the cost and the standard of the food, it would have been extremely popular.

We would definately have it again on our next cruise.:D

My first cruise was in 1959 on the Strathmore and we were the first cruise ship in more than 30 years (I think it was) to stop in Tonga. Queen Salote was alive then and she came aboard for dinner and for some of her people to dance for us. The island only had Tongans living there, except for missionaries. Queen Salote wanted her people to remain full blooded and not tainted by other races!!! She only allowed passengers ashore - no crew were permitted. Don't think she must have trusted them, not to be beguiled with the beautiful girls of Tonga. The island had a public holiday and the children lined up waving flags as we passed in the "tour bus" which was a ute!!!

 

Back on topic.........when I was chasing up my previous cruises - I was advised that even photos would help (I presume with ship in background or on board)

Hi, It is interesting reading about these past times!! My father informs me that we were the second cruise ship to visit (so you must have been the first). It is strange that it was so many years later. Queen Salote was also alive then and apparently (according to Dad) all tours (yes open top vans) had to go via her residence first! I remember the tour well and I think it put me off tours for life, it included a visit to the cemetery. I can tell you as a teenager, this was not the thing I wanted to do!

Also back on the topic....I have just email P&O and asked them what they require. It might be simple ...who knows , but I am sure I probably cannot supply the information. In those days we did not even need a passport for travel on a cruise ship!

Thanks to all

Cheryle

Hi Cheryle,

 

All I can say is agrrrrrr......I have the 1968 schedule and not 1969!! For 1968 Orsova did 3 cruises leaving on January 6th to Suva and Nuku'alofa, January 18th to Suva and January 27th to Suva, Auckland and Bay of Islands. She would then have returned to England. 1969 would likely have been much the same with a voyage out from England, a few cruises and then a return after the Australian summer.

 

For 1972 I have the schedule after she got back to the UK. In between I have bits and pieces, however they are not the Australian cruises, rather the line voyages and segments that she was doing!! No matter, all is not yet lost so give me a couple of days more and I will see what I can come up with.

 

Out of interest I love the slogan on the 1968 ad - "Go gay - go Cruising with P&O in '68" - I kid you not!

Hi David,

I really do appreciate your help! There is absolutely no hurry.....I have waited this long! It was just something I decided I would look into once I decided to cruise again with P&O and Princess. I am going to prompt my Dad again in the next few days, and do some searching of photos that I might have and I might be able to come up with some more information. I do like the slogan....imagine using it now!!!! Thanks again. Cheryle

Hi Cheryle,

 

Thanks for that, I will have a look and see what I can find for you.

 

Orsova stayed two-class right to the end, in part that is why she did not survive. During the early 1970's Canberra had been based out of New York for a series of cruises, for various reasons these cruises were not a sucess and she was laid up. In the meantime, Orsova was doing quite well based out of Southampton. She was refitted in advance of a World Cruise (rather than a line voyage), but retained her two class configuration. Bookings for this cruise were so strong however that P&O decided to bring Canberra in to take over the cruise, she was also more easily adapted to a single class configuration.

 

The fact that Orsova had not been converted to one class and her elder sister Oronsay had ensured that Oronsay was retained until late 1975, while the newer Orsova was scrapped.

 

Orsova was special in many ways, she was the first large passanger liner completed with an all-welded hull, and the first without a traditional signal mast, the steaming lights being mounted on the fore side of the funnel.

 

Cheers,

Thanks David,

Any information will help! I had all but given up until I saw this post this morning.

It certainly was a different time to cruise. The room steward would bring coffee and breakfast in bed! The first cruise our whole family was in a cabin on F deck. We had a porthole, but it was always underwater. We also shared a bathroom with about 10 other cabins. This was second class.

The next cruise must have been a good year for my parents, as we cruised first class, 2 to a cabin, large window and ensuite, this is where the breakfast in bed came in! There were many changes, but as a teenager we used to sneek thru the door to second class at times as there was very little for teenagers to do in first class. It was easy to get into second class, the door was not locked from the first class side, but difficult to get back as the door was locked.

Thanks again. It is good to look back to these days, not sure whether they were better or not to cruising today! Cheryle