Wastegirl

Just confirms to me to buy on board. Which is a nuisance as I am super organised and like to have all my stuff ordered and paid for before I leave.

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Thanks Cheznandy, it was actually Princess themselves that told me, but I am more inclined to believe CC members who have recently cruised [emoji5]

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Okay I have known ever since I started cruising on Princess that their web site pricing is 'up a wattle' when it comes to their AIBP, shows on your Personaliser as $79.65 and it is actually $59 per day if purchased on board.

Now I thought this was the case with all the packages (Soda & More, Coffee Cards, etc). But I just got off the phone with the Princess office and she in no uncertain terms told me I was wrong, it is only the AIBP that is wrong, all the others are right.

I queried this, 'what I said, a coffee card is $48.13 even on board ship and the Soda and more is $9.38 per day. What about where it says in the main part of your website where coffee cards for Australia are $36'.

She then went on to tell me that Coffee Card prices vary from cruise to cruise and that for my trip it is definitely $48.13 per card (we are on the 35 day Sydney, Hawaii, Sydney trip).

I am curious if this is the case and coffee cards for instance are really $48.13 each, or whether it is a typical Call Centre thing, not really knowing what is going on.

Thanks

Good review, thanks. I also have enjoyed my cruises on the Eden, there was a great vibe on the ship and I really enjoyed having a younger demographic on board, it was fun watching them have fun. Suddenly you find yourself joining in and doing things that you would never have considered.

I too enjoy the smaller ships, spacious cabins, full Promenade Deck and what is most important - different itineraries. While I prefer the food on Princess, I don't go hungry on P&O. What's more if you get hold of their expanded wine list in the MDR there are some great wines at reasonable prices - something other cruise lines should take note of.

Unless it has changed very recently, cans of soft drink only, loose and in your carry on luggage.

On our most recent 3 dayer at the end of March there was a big pile of water bottles that people had to leave behind as they were not allowed to take them on board.

So no bottles (even water) and no alcohol of any kind, including wine. Mind you their in room water package is reasonably priced and so are most alcoholic drinks. Cans of soft drink are pretty cheap too but limited to the usual suspects.

I actually loose weight when I cruise. I have a sedentary job sitting at a desk but when I cruise it is a different matter. I might eat more and drink more but I also only use the stairs, even when going from bottom to top, circuits round the Promenade deck after breakfast and more leisurely circuits again after dinner.

There is also on shore excursions, which usually involve walking or swimming.

So I now have the latest Exercise Fad - go cruising :D

We were just on a 3 day cruise to nowhere with P&O Aust out of Adelaide, just going in circles round St Vincent Gulf. Everything was open except duty free alcohol and cigarettes. Bought some Darrell Lee sweets, had a go in the Casino, sister bought some make up and my Mum bought a bit of bling. I also got a new fridge magnet. We arrived back on 27th March, so very recent.

Maybe its a Queensland thing, I know when we were doing a domestic WA coastal cruise a lot of things were closed down.

Recently when my Telstra connection changed to Cellular at Sea on a cruise they sent me a text stating:

• Airline or Cruise Ship or Satellite Services is not an eligible Travel Pass destination. Calls are $5 per minute to make or receive and SMS are $0.75 to send and free to receive. MMS are $0.75 to send plus data charges. Data is charged at $3.00 per MB, Message Bank is $5.00 per minute and to access dial #101#. For more details etc.....
  

I don't know if Optus is similar but it is worthwhile asking. If you are not sending many Texts its not too bad. However if you need a lot of contact email and an onboard data package might be best.

We are avid trivia goers and mostly just do it as a duo team. We don't try to win, our main aim is to achieve personal best.

At one Trivia we were approached by another couple who asked to join us, we did well but did not win. Next day we saw them approach another group, didn't win, day after that another group and so on until they ended up in a winning group. What some people will do.

We are just happy when the 2 of us are in the high numbers, we high 5 that we can keep up with the bigger teams [emoji5]

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Was only on her a few weeks ago, lovely Queenstown, lovely boat, delicious lunch. Altogether a fab tour.

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To those who commented on P&O Australia's PNG trip and not seeing many kids. We have done that trip, plus another with P&O in school holidays. Was panicking that it would be over run with the little darlings but it seems P&O limit their kids to what their Kids Club holds and keep them well occupied. I did not see any bad behavior. Not like my sister who did a carnival cruise which ended up with half the passengers as kids, it was chaos.

Mind you my cruise line of choice is Princess and we have never had a problem with them.

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Call room service. They will deliver warm milk. My 3yo grandson loves it. Don't forget to tip the delivery person.

You are on an Australian cruise, the tips are built into your fare. The room service staff do not expect to be tipped on an Australian cruise and I don't expect you want to tote bags of $1 or $2 coins about.

Of course if you have a regular room service attendant and they go above and beyond during your cruise, feel free to show your appreciation.

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Did try full medical assessment on Insure & Go, fine with standard Worldwide but as soon as you choose the Worldwide including United States, he was declined. Will try our Credit Card company.

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I'm very surprised that Insure & Go won't cover him, I'm 72 with a cardiac stent and cholesterol and I get cover.

 

I'd speak to them on the phone again if I were you.

We can get cover normally, it's the Hawaii portion that is throwing the spanner in the works. Insure and Go when I spoke to them were actually quite abrupt, they were the ones that said their policies had been recently reviewed and they wouldn't be giving anything different to what was said in the online application.

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The company I work for has an insurance broker, so I am asking him what can be done.

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One of the companies I spoke to said they'd recently reviewed all their policies. So I wonder whether they all have tightened up their conditions. Could make it difficult for some of us cruisers.

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I am getting desperate, off on a cruise next August - Sydney to Sydney to Tahiti and Hawaii on the Golden Princess. 5 Port stops in Hawaii.

Our annual policy with Covermore runs out at the end of March and I thought I had better look at either renewing or just getting a one off policy for this trip.

Now a bit of background - my husband is 63 has genetic cholestoral, diagnosed early so the doctors have been monitoring him. Has had two stents inserted BEFORE he could have a heart attack and he is slim, healthy and holds down a physical job.

Imagine my surprise that starting with Covermore, then Insure & Go and then Suresave all refused to cover my husbands pre existing condition. Covermore did tell me I could email to their assessment team for an individual review but the email I got back asked for so much medical information that it was just not practical (eg record of GP visits for the last 2 years, all medical records from the hospital since the condition commenced, etc, etc, etc).

So my question is, does anyone know of any company that covers for this type of condition when travelling in the US.

Thanks

Call me OCD but like Mic I laminate, round off the corners of my tag so it does not cut anyone. Then I pop a hole in the top and tie them on with electrical cable ties and the yes I smooth the cable tie edge. Those suckers are not coming off even if my bags end up at the bottom of the pacific [emoji4]. It's just an extra little pre cruise process I enjoy doing.

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Cabanas $150 a day [emoji33] and that would be US. While I enjoy the Solstice the one thing I didn't like about it last time is that there seem to be so many spaces that are either extra fee or for suite guests only. Looks like that nice lawned area is going the same way.

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Just read the press release, as we are on the Solstice in Feb I am interested in the upgrade. However it only sounds like they are adding money making options. I bet the movie dining will be an extra cost, so is the Sushi, photographs, don't do them, art gallery, not interested. Can't afford a suite. Curious to see if the new Cabanas around the lawned area are free.

Doesn't seem to be anything new for the cruiser that does not upspend.

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I bought mine at 78c to the $ a few months ago, looks like I was wise to buy early. I remember my first Celebrity cruise, $ for $, wish I had got a lot and cashed it in at the Casino for US $, would have given me a nice amount for future places that I need US for. Ahhh the benefit of hindsight [emoji53]. They won't even let you cash out anymore.

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Or if you don't have a Licence (my Mum didn't) an official identity card works as well.

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I remember on a tour that I did round Port Vila being told by our guide that the beaches are all privately owned. You need to have permission from the owners who could be the local village or go to a resort that owns a beach.

I don't know if this is fact, only what a local told our group.

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The volunteers put on by SA Tourism are excellent, will be able to direct you to the best possible solution. I have been into all of Australia's city ports and was rather proud of my home state's welcome to cruise ships, we might not be the prettiest, or most central but IMO provide the most help. Our volunteers wear bright blue shirts and you can't miss them.

In fact I thought that when I retired I might volunteer as well, get a second hand cruise fix[emoji3]

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The Outer Harbour Terminal is not near anything, however the train station is just over the road and that will take you straight into the city where you can pick up a hire car. Thrifty is in Hindley Street which is a hop skip and a jump from the city train station.

Otherwise there is Europecar at Gepps Cross which would require a taxi ride as well as Access Rent a Car on Port Road at Hindmarsh, again a Taxi ride - both are about the same distance from the Port. The airport of course is an option but the city is closer and you can get there on public transport.

Where is it you want to go?