Aus Traveller

I thought that further information advised that it wasn't a dirty hull, but snails in the ship (not in the kitchen) that were the problem. They could be discharged in the pristine waters of Fiordland. The Coral Princess’s journey around the country’s tourist hotspots hit a snag when snails were detected in the ship’s discharge pipes. The cruise was meant to begin with a view of Mitre Peak, but instead passengers are spending another two days at sea – on top of the three-day journey from Brisbane. The ship was not allowed to sail into the Milford Sounds, where it was entering the country, because of the snails. Instead it rerouted up around Cape Reinga and over to the eastern coast of New Zealand. The cruise ship is now sitting 77km off the coast of Tauranga, out of the country’s territorial waters, while it is cleaned by divers and the snails removed. Passenger Christine McDonald said the reaction on board had been “overwhelmingly negative”, but she was glad the “precious and pristine” sounds in Fiordland were protected. Maybe Princess' Environmental Officer discovered the snails and knew they had to be removed before the ship went to NZ. I don't believe NZ officials could have detected the snails while the ship was in Australian waters (and thereby insisting on a clean out). If it was Princess' Environental Officer, the company is to be commended. Not 'Shame on Princess'. 🙂

We called into Lifou on P&Os Pacific Encounter in November.

With progressive trivia there is a 'prize' every day, and a prize for the total score at the end of the cruise. We have only had progressive trivia in a long cruise.

Years ago, the cabin crew had to spray the interior of planes arriving from overseas to get rid of any unwelcome hitchhikers - the insect kind.

I think the original post meant that, "while they were having dinner, passengers were advised that they would have to leave the ship before 9.30am the next day". The ship obviously would stayed tied up because of the lifeboat issue.

I have been on more than double the 40 cruises mentioned, bit all except three were pre-COVID. I know the ins and outs of most cruise-related topics, but the protocols regarding testing etc for COVID have been changing over the months. The only way to know for sure, is to wait and see what is required for your cruise.

Self-administered RAT tests have been required at times but I am dubious that any ship would require passengers to go to the medical centre to have a RAT test. There would be too many people there at once and it would be an ideal setting for spreading the virus. Your post at the start of this thread is the first I have heard this option mentioned and you put it as a query.

OK. I haven't come across that.

From my research of travel insurance, I was aware that some policies cover missed ports. I have never heard of 'medical only' travel insurance.

It is a 14 day cruise so I might book as soon as we board.

OK. So it is like pre-booking internet where I had to pre-pay. Strangely, I was able to book shore excursions paying from OBC. The reason I asked about specialty dining is that we have $735 OBC on an up-coming cruise and I wondered if a fancy dinner might be a way to use some of it.

Agreed. When the gratuities are included in the fare, it is no longer voluntary. Several years ago we booked a Celebrity cruise. At the time, gratuities were additional, but we were told that because we are Aussies booking in Australia, we had to pay the gratuities at the time we paid the fare. I do agree with a comment Les (NSWP) has sometimes made - gratuities are an automatic wage subsidy.

I believe Holland America still charge gratuities separately from the cruise fare. For interest, in 2016 Royal Caribbean followed the gratuities-included model used by P&O and Princess. The dates that these companies changed to this system proves that it was NOT because of Australian law requiring fees and taxes be included in the advertised price. All these cruise lines announced that it was because tipping is not usual (or popular) in Australia. If they had to include the gratuities, they would have done so from 2000 (or when their ships started cruising out of Australia). The law in Australia requiring that fees and taxes are included means that the cruiselines cannot advertise a price, then add port fees and taxes later. I think it is likely they don't have to include gratuities in the final price because these can be regarded as optional. Because Aussies didn't like the extra tipping (and often removed the gratuities), the companies found it better to charge everyone by including it in the fares. The end result is the same, but I feel it is important to understand why gratuities are included in the fares.🙂

Did you have to pay ahead on your credit card or will the cost of the specialty dinner come off your OBC?

I have never heard of basic medical insurance for travel in (or from) Australia. Is there such insurance? The travel insurance we use includes all the usual (medical, evacuation, cancellation, lost luggage etc etc) but nothing for a missed port.

On cruises that go to Port Arthur, passengers disembark the tenders in the Port Arthur site. Of course, this can only happen if the tenders can safely operate and this isn't known until shortly before the port stop. Passengers can wander around or go on escorted tours. I wonder if the Princess excursions on your cruise (and on ours next January) were cancelled because of difficulties in getting buses to operate tours to areas away from the historic Port Arthur site.

Your comment that 'we pay the gratuities in our fares as that is Australian law' is not correct. This is proved by the timing of the introduction of GST (when this tax had to be included in the sales price) and the removal of auto-gratuities from Australian cruises. GST was introduced in July 2000 (when the 'sales tax' had to be included in the final price). The first cruise line to include gratuities in their fares was P&O Aust in 2008, followed by Princess on 1st May 2009. RCL followed later, but not all cruises out of Australia have the tips included in the fare.

Was your visit to Port Arthur cancelled or was it Princess tours only that were cancelled?

Were you still able to visit Port Arthur?

In my experience with Princess, there is an alcohol collection desk when passengers re-board the ship in ports of call. All alcohol is supposed to be surrendered and held until the end of the cruise when it will form part of the passenger's duty free allowance for importation into Aust. However, in practice, sometimes wine can be taken aboard at a port of call and treated the same as wine taken aboard at the start of the cruise. Rum would be regarded as spirits and held for you at the end of the cruise.

They might have difficulty selling places at the specialty restaurant at $52.60pp.

With your cruise just going to Airlie Beach and Cairns (in North Qld) the options for diving or snorkelling on the reef are limited. Cruises going to Port Douglas have more options available. With most cruises that call into Airlie Beach, passengers can take a catamaran trip to the reef where there is a large pontoon permanently moored. Diving and snorkelling are available. This trip has to be booked through the cruise line because of the timing of the trip. The reef is well off-shore here and it is a long trip to reach the pontoon - worth it in my opinion. From Cairns, I suggest a trip to Fitzroy Island. The cruise ship wharf is very close to where the boats leave for Fitzroy and Green Island.

As your booking has been cancelled and the Personalizer still shows availability, why not book again?

Is it possible that the owners of the Hobbiton site have limited the number of people who can visit at any one time? After Yaya's comment, maybe check if Princess has tours departing at times other than the one you booked.

'Operational reasons' could be a lack of buses to take passengers to the Hobbiton site - just speculating. If the time in port had been cut too short to allow the trip, passengers would have been advised of this. Maybe you could see if you can book this trip with an independent tour operator.