Aus Traveller

I like to board early so I can have lunch in the dining room and get settled before sailaway.🙂

I didn't ask the question so I could be on board first, but to help me decide which flight to book from Brisbane. 🙂

Thanks everyone.🙂

There wasn't any TRS available on our two cruises to Cairns - one on the Coral Princess and the other on the Pacific Encounter. When I asked the person at the security scanner, he said there wasn't one and that they would have TRS when it was a "proper international cruise". There was no TRS desk in sight.

that's how it was for us on the Coral from 26th June.

What time does embarkation usually start on a Princess ship leaving from the OPT in Sydney? Is it around midday?

Not Greg Sulllivan. He doesn't sing at all and doesn't do different accents. 🙂 He doesn't even tell jokes. 😁

They may not be any TRS available. Your cruise is a coastal one. On our cruise to Cairns at the end of August, I enquired about TRS and was told it would be available on a "proper international one". There was definitely no TRS in Cairns before we left to return to Brisbane. I suggest that because passports aren't required for these coastal cruises, they aren't regarded as really international.

I can't report on the layout at the new BICT because our two cruise were Q'ld coastal so not really considered 'international'. Passports aren't required. I recall that in the old Portside terminal, the security scanners were before the Border Force staff. The first ship's staff we encountered were dining room staff who charged the $15 corkage on wine, then the ship's photographers.

After several drinks you might, I stress might, think he is a tiny bit funny. Maybe one problem was that he took too long before he told any jokes and then they weren't funny. Well, maybe literally one or two were.

I see your point regarding staff checking supplies arriving or crew painting the ship, but these people are in a secure zone on the wharf. However, are security staff working in a secure zone?

Or maybe they should listen to their Cruise Director. When I gave him feedback, he told me he had listened to the show. It could be worth going to the show and sitting at the back for ten minutes to see if he has improved!!

Thinking about this issue further - the personnel from the ship would not have the proper visa to allow them to work ashore in Australia, even if it was just in the terminal. I think it is safe to say that all the on-shore work (check-in and security) is carried out by local staff. I know in literally scores of cruises, I have never seen ship's staff do either of these jobs. I have seen one crew member manning a desk where new ship's crew and entertainers check in. Strictly speaking, this could well be against the rules.

That wouldn't be good. 😁

I agree that security screening in the terminal is carried out by a local company, not the ship's staff. I believe that the ship's staff don't do any work onshore because of local labour laws. This is what we were told on one cruise in USA where there were terrible delays processing new passengers and loading luggage. The Captain explained why we were delayed for hours. I know that is USA not Australia, but I am pretty sure it would be the same here. The Unions here would be screaming if the ship's staff came ashore to work.

Congratulations on a great attitude. 🙂

I feel that there is another point to consider. P&O has been operating cruises out of Sydney and Brisbane for many months and have proven how they can handle the issue of COVID. RCI is yet to bring a ship to Australia. They don't have a proven track record for handling COVID in Australia. The Vanuatu government will be watching this. However, I feel the main point is the previous announcement by the Vanuatu government - that P&O will be the first ship into their waters on 9th November. Maybe the OP should get prepared for a cruise along the Queensland coast.🙂

We never used the Captain Cook ferry. I couldn't see any advantages. We found the best way from/to the airport was a taxi. The cost was around $55-$60. Sometimes there would be another couple we could share with. Yes, this is more expensive than using the Captain Cook ferry, or the train/taxi option, but when we have spent a lot of money on the cruise plus the flight from Brisbane, we don't see the point in quibbling over an extra $20 or so.

Sorry to say it, but the principle of local production didn't work well with the Collins-class subs. 🙂 We have virtually full employment now. Many businesses are short of staff.

Maybe, maybe not. The Vanuatu government has announced that the first ship into their country will be P&O on 9th November. P&O have had a very long-standing close relationship with the Vanuatu government so it is logical that they would want P&O to be the first ship. It is possible the authorities could change their minds but I wouldn't count on it.

Michael, When I said that it is 'one bottle of wine free of charge' I meant one per person with a maximum of two per cabin. On our cruise at the end of June we expected to be charged the $15 corkage on each bottle, but it didn't happen even though we took a bottle to the dining room every evening. I'm not complaining. 😁

On Princess there is no limitation on taking soft drinks (or water) on board either when you first board, or at ports of call. Alcohol - At embarkation one 750ml bottle of wine is permitted free of charge. You can take any quantity of extra wine but you will be charged AUD$15 per bottle. This used to be at embarkation, but now it seems to be when you take the bottle to the dining room. Spirits - Not permitted.

Geoff (Arxcards) and I have both posted comments (above) that the MYKI cards can be bought on arrival. 😁 We have both done it. The cards can also be bought at the little shop opposite the wharf. At the desk in the cruise terminal there was a sign that said pensioners were entitled to the discount rate. When I queried them at the desk, they conceded that it also included others with concession cards including self-funded retirees. The person I spoke to didn't seem to realise there was a difference.

Agree totally. We have to get the cards, then put dollars on, not knowing how much we will need. There is always some left over.

The key point is that in Melbourne, the travel card (MYKI) does not have to bought ahead.