Fluffy Tiger

And it continues

Email late yesterday titled "Correction - Indonesian visa"

Quote Email

"Today you may have received an email from us with last-minute must do’s ahead of your Pacific Adventure cruise departing on Tuesday 30 January. This email included some information about Indonesian visa requirements which was incorrect and not the latest requirement provided by the Indonesian government.

The correct information for Indonesian visa requirements is included below. This is the same information we provided in an email on 12 December 2023.

Indonesia visa requirements

All guests are advised to visit https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/ to determine their individual visa requirements for entry into Indonesia and apply for the relevant visa in advance. For Australian and New Zealand passport holders, the required visa will cost IDR 500,000 (approximately $AU48). Guests should have at least one blank passport page available for the visa.

All other passport holders are required to check their visa eligibility online or via the Indonesian Embassy and obtain the visa prior to embarkation. Guests who do not hold valid visas may be denied boarding. 

We apologise for any confusion and look forward to welcoming you onboard soon."

End Quote email

Well at least everybody is sure what will happen so that's a good thing and I am glad now I went though the drama of getting the Visa's before today. 5 days out from cruise and still being some confusion is not good though. And they really should look at the wording of that. Maybe leave the whole "Australian and New Zealand" stuff out as it make it seem like there are different rules for us especially seeing many of us have cruised before and know how it was done previously.

Anybody still not sure, my advice is to get the Visa before you cruise no matter where you are from

After spending the morning getting the visas sorted due to the advice on Cruise control and that I didn't want to rick being denied boarding due to no Visa,  I received a email from P and O titled "Anchors Aweigh - Your Last Minute Must Do's" at 11am this morning

And now they say on this email that the will do Visa's on Board and charge the onboard account like they used to do. Here is what the email says

"Please ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months after the return of the cruise. Any guest whose passport expires before this time will be denied boarding.

Your passport should have at least one blank page available for the visa stamp that will be issued. Australian and New Zealand passport holders will be issued a visa on arrival at a cost of IDR 500,000 to be charged to each guest onboard account (converted to AUD, at the exchange rate applicable on the day). All other passport holders should contact the nearest consulate or a visa service to determine whether they are eligible for the visa on arrival or whether they will need to obtain another visa in advance of the cruise. Guests who check-in without the minimum passport validity and/or visa to enter Indonesia will be denied boarding."

Now I guess in going to have to fight to not get charged onboard for a Visa when I already have purchased them.  I am just a little pissed of with P and O not getting their messages straight.

On 1/19/2024 at 10:12 PM, fishtaco said:

Had a day off work today and finally got to speak to a person who knows what is what!  Its been like "Pulling my own teeth" lol, P&O would like cruisers to get their own VOA/Visa for Indonesia  but will do it onboard if necessary?????? At least in the end I was put through to an Australian P&O Rep other than your average Pilipino learned call centre staff member! We have now been given an address to use in Indonesia to obtain a visa if we want to get one in advance.

My biggest fear has been arriving at embarkation and being told I cannot board because I dont have a Visa!

Thanks for this fishtaco

I have not done anything about a visa after reading on the cruise control for my cruise that they would be arranged on board (some months ago). That advice on the cruise control now seems to have changed to

All guests are advised to visit https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/ to determine their individual visa requirements for entry into Indonesia, and apply for the relevant visa in advance. For Australian and New Zealand passport holders, the required visa will cost IDR 500,000 (approximately $AU48). Guests should have at least one blank passport page available for the visa.

That advise is a little confusing given the previous advise that it would be done onboard. After your phone call are you under the impression that they will still do it onboard like they used to? Or am I going to hope I can get one 5 days before the cruise?

Thanks for this. The initial report I saw siad it was in effect now.

A lockout of Tugboat operators by the major Tugboat company is now in effect in Australia. I'm not sure what effect this will have on cruise ship operations. Most new cruise ships can dock very well without the use of Tugs so in that way the effect should be minimal but there are many regulations in the ports around that require Tugs to be in attendance. 

Could be a non issue as I have no idea what ports these Tugs operate and if these Tugs are the ones cruise ships use but thought it might be worth posting and getting some other information about this.

I can beat that. Ridiculous

Disembarked in Singapore on 11th Feb 2020. Great cruise with lots of unusual occurrences. Onboard the Pacific Explorer ship heading to Asia while seeing the Diamond Princess drama unfolding on the news was a little unsettling. Having to disembark about 100 Chinese passport holders at Cairns because Singapore had closed its boarder to all Chinese also was very unusual. Dili having 1 guy with a temperature gun on the dock and dragging anybody with a Temperature of to unknown Hospitals (on a very hot day) also something that is not part of a normal cruise. Oh and a Hive of bee's thought that the  rear pool roof would be better than staying in Lombok. Being in a inside room (first and last time) with the thought of being confined was something I didn't enjoy. Great cruise though.

Pacific Explorer has delayed leaving from Cairns. We think all Chinese passports holders are being disembarked due to Singapore banning Chinese from entering.  Will report when we know for sure.

Edited to confirm the above post that was entered at the same time

On 1/28/2020 at 10:14 AM, aussiebossyboots said:

Apologies for this late reply, but we have only recently returned from a cruise.

 

There was no issue when we were on board to just book the two restaurants and really cannot remember any issue of using this credit for other things like drinks.  I didn't ask before buying the package for the details and just assumed we would use the money as we say fit and that did happen.

 

Not sure if there is a change in their process currently.

Currently sitting in Gladstone Harbour on the explorer after enjoying the in room breakfast for this package (extra mini champagnes saved for later). The credit was just added to our account to spend as wished so it was no problem. So far have loved having this. Thanks for the recommendation.

As another note there has been a steam leak in the engine room which has caused the engines to me shut to minimum.  We have tugs securing us from the channel to the harbour. Who knows if we will get into port. Ah well the pool is still wet and drinks are being served

On 7/22/2019 at 3:24 PM, aussiebossyboots said:

The Ultimate Romance Package framed our holiday - each day there was an offering made to our stomachs by the Gods in the Kitchen & Bar!!!  Eventually we had to give some of the offerings to our Cabin Stewards, hope that was OK and they enjoyed them.

 

The room service breakfasts were even larger that we ordered because they added extra bits.  At the end of 10 nights I really do not want to see another chocolate covered strawberry again.... well for at least another month.  The extra mini bottles of champagne came in handy for pre dinner drinks in the Ocean Bar.

 

We used the OBC from this package to eat at both Shell and Bones and 400 Gradi and agree that 400 Gradi is much better.  Shell and Bones was really strange, my husband ordered the lobster and got a whole lobster and nothing else.  I ordered the chicken and got a WHOLE chicken!!!!!  We ordered sides and they were a very large portion and the corn was frozen and looked/tasted like it was sitting in boiling water for over 1 hour.  There was enough food to feed at least 4-6 people.  Strange!

 

Yes, the rooms are small but adequate.  Overall the service level of the P&O Explorer was exceptional, what a great bunch of staff.  We only saw two shows but they were great especially the Great Gatsby Night.  Loved the bands especially Dusk to Dawn in the Blue Room - amazing singer and piano player.  We also met some wonderful people who were very friendly.

 

Overall we had a 100% fantastic time. 

 

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and comments because they really added to our overall enjoyment.

I was thinking of adding this package but I asked the Live Chat on the website and they said that $120 you get as credit for the meal section was to be used in ONE visit unless arranged on board to split it. But you describe it as "On Board Credit". How was it handled on board and can you in fact use it on several visits? I say this as because we wouldn't (and probably couldn't) spend $120 in one visit to either of these two restaurants. 

7 hours ago, cme2c said:

I was on the repositioning cruise Singapore-Sydney, got back Saturday. There are a few things that need fixing. Disappointing as it is just out of a "Royal Amplified" $100m refurb.

Think you may have your Explorers mixed up. This thread is about the "Pacific Explorer" not the RCL "Explorer of the Seas". Easy enough to do.

When they drydock they often do some refurbishments and/or repairs and I would love to know what they had planned. Quite often the Crusieline actively promotes these changes but this time I can find nothing. The main reason is that sometimes when they do these things it effect the cruises either side with pre or post work be done while cruising. I was thinking of booking one of these cruises hence the interest.

The Pacific Explorer sail from Sydney and arrives in Singapore on the 11th of Feburary.  The next cruise i can find is her Sailing from Singapore back to Sydney on the 28th of February.  What is she doing during that 17 days. I have searched but cant find any info on refurbishing or dry dock. Anybody know or have a link to the information?

Bump. I thought I was going mad or not being able to spell Ovation when I couldn't find it on the sidebar. It has been around long enough to have a link.

Just cancelled and rebooked the package for Radiance next Feb. Maybe since they are making it so that everybody in the room has to purchase the package (if one has) they are passing on some of the savings from the reduction of sharing. I do say "maybe"

I have read on another site that some recent cruises (the last week) that go to Mare are skipping that port and finding alternative ports. Does anybody have any solid information on if this is happening and exactly why?

Correct, Oasis is a $13 limit.

These are various menus from the January 15, 2017 sailing: https://mjcwebdesign.com/photos/index.php?/category/43

 

The biggest increase that somewhat angered me is the "Classics" for $15 at the Pub. Never spent much time at the pub. Think I might have only grabbed one or two beers from there the entire time.

 

Sent from a mobile device

Thanks very much for the drink menus. Will give the package a go. Befriending our chosen bartender and letting them know our requirements to stick to the package probably will work for us. They will probably be able to make most drinks under the package price.would still like to see the current menu for EOS's current Australian season

The package was sold on the Explorer last week as covering drinks up to $13. This covered every thing we ever drank.

Hope you enjoyed you cruise. Any chance you have some drinks menus you could post please?

I am pretty sure the description of the Drinks package on the cruise planner previously had reference to the $12 limit but now it does not. Here is what it says now

"Toast to virtually unlimited options on your vacation – wake up with premium coffee, tea, and fresh-squeezed juices, then keep cool onboard with non-alcoholic drinks and bottled still and sparkling water. Relax and unwind with premium and frozen cocktails, domestic and imported beers and a wide selection of wines by the glass.* Plus, enjoy a discount of 40% off bottles of wine under $100 and 20% off bottles above $100 in bars and dining rooms.

Price shown is per person, per day.

*All Beverage Packages exclude any beverages served inside licensed Starbucks® stores."

Im not sure what this means, it could be to do with the differences across the fleet or the fact they are changing it

We leave for Sydney in 120 minutes and are on the Explorers next cruise. All 6 of us have the Top Package AND we will let you know the real impact of these changes in addition to posting some Drinks Menus. X

That will be excellent. Have a great cruise on what looks to be an amazing ship.

Well unless I can get some recent drinks menus from the specific ship in sailing on (Explorer) and some direct reports of what prices are included I will probably cancel the package. For me the whole point of a drinks package is that it covers everything except top shelf and you don't have to worry about prices. May have to wait until I'm on the ship to purchase or give it a miss completely.

Looks like one of the problems is that prices are not cosistant across the fleet or maybe even bar to bar. Very hard to make decisions based on the information supplied by RC. I have read different things about even the value of drinks included in different countries but can't find anything about that on RC website.

I would love to see if this price increase is fleet wide as I have just purchased a drinks package for February on the Explorer. No point having a package if it doesn't cover most of the drinks.

Payment for my cruise is due 14/12 with a deposit ($200) penality if cancelled before then. I will have 2 days to figure out if new price is better plus the $200 I would loose compared to the old price + grats. My bet they wont make that new price worth it for me.

Did NZ cruise in Feb this year. We did a combined Rotorua and Hobbiton tour which we prebooked online. It was excellent and would recommend it. Unlike other ones you dont have to have a group to book.

http://www.hinterlandtours.co.nz/tours/hobbiton-rotorua-tours/