Worldtraveler 4727

Thanks for the info. I gave it a try. 16 hours later and counting, my CC friend @compozer still has still not received an email (she looked in "junk" too).🫤

The only reason why we have chosen to do this land tour and cruise with Princess is because they did a FABULOUS job with the one we took with them (land and sea) in Alaska. It's not so much "restrictions" as it is lack of information/communication. Most people, I am guessing, simply don't need as much as I seem to want/need and are better able to "go with the flow." I'd rather have a few more details....

The problem still remains: we have little to no control over the internal flights. From information we do have from the itinerary or @Princess Cruises Fann, tickets are either handed to you from the tour guide, or you stand in line at the ticket counter when we get to the airport (hours before the flight). So using a phone app to check in and do seat selection is not an option. We will not have tickets much in advance. So the question is--IS there a way to request an aisle seat or comfort upgrade at all? As for approaching Bob Wood Tours, phone calls to AU are extremely expensive, there is no "toll free number," they do not respond to emails sent through their own website, nor do they answer through their FB page messaging. I stand corrected: After much pestering, they did respond once to say "Please contact Princess with your questions." I refuse to waste any more time trying to contact them. Instead we are choosing to rely on the above CC member who has ACTUALLY BEEN on this tour last January and rely on his experience.

@Princess Cruises Fann Another member of our group has asked me to ask you the following question (besides the 8 we posted above) #9: Are seats on flights pre-assigned? (She has physical issues and needs an aisle seat), and is there an opportunity to upgrade to a better seat with more room/comfort once we arrive at the airport or with the tour director before flights? (Again, Bob Wood Travel will not answer any of our questions, and Princess reps know nothing beyond what we already have in hand.) Again--thanks for your time!

@dillpickle48Thank you for that. There is some comfort in it. I do wish, however, they would be more forthcoming with answering our questions, or being more complete in the information they have put out, and most importantly, making sure the information is accurate. I. E. they state our large pieces of luggage will go by motorcoach from hotel to hotel while we travel by plane. Understanding the vastness of Australia, that seems pretty ridiculous. We have had to try to search for CC members who have been on this tour and rely on them for important information.

@compozerDo you have any other questions for Princess Cruises Fann other than the 8 (🤪) I have asked above?

Ohhh, one more question, please... Question #8: I really want to not get any Australian Dollars. I always manage to have leftover Euros, British Pounds, Mexican Pesos, etc. 😵‍💫 Is it realistic to expect to be able to just use my VISA? Others on CC/Australia and NZ have said yes. Your recent experience Princess Cruises Fann?

Thank you, Princess Cruises Fann, for your willingness to answer some questions for us!! Some background information---From Princess website: Land Tours/Australia: For domestic Qantas flights within Australia, you are allowed to check one piece of luggage per person, not to exceed 50 lbs per bag. One piece of carry-on baggage is allowed, not to exceed 15 lbs. Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack • You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials. • Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, insect repellent, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats. • Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure. • Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches in Australia. Question #1: Is it TRUE that wheeled carry on cases CANNOT be used on the motor coaches?? Did anyone have one? Did everyone in the tour group have a soft carryon with no wheels and took the soft packs on to the motorcoach with them? Also From the Princess Land Tour Itinerary: "All Princess cruisetours include our hassle-free luggage handling service every step of the way. During the land portion or your vacation, your luggage will be transported via motorcoach or by truck and delivered to your hotel room." Question #2: Does our large piece of luggage that we can take along REALLY travel by motorcoach to the various hotels?? Wouldn't that take DAYS to get from one place in Australia to another?? Question #3: Are you allowed to take a personal item like a purse IN ADDITION to the carry on bag, or must it be A PART OF the carry on and counted in the 15# max weight? (and I am assuming that my husband's CPAP case will be accepted separately and not counted as part of the #15 carry on requirement.....) Question #4: We are arriving to Sydney two days before the land tour, and I am trying to organize tours seeing the Opera House etc. Can you tell me about the "Welcome Reception?" For example, WHEN the WELCOME RECEPTION happens at the hotel the first day when everyone arrives at the assigned hotel in Sydney? Is it during the evening and meal is provided? Or is it just a few moments in the afternoon and very informal? Question #5: Can you tell me about the "Sydney City Tour"? I believe it is by motorcoach and about 4 hours long. What time of day did you have this tour? Were there stops along the way? Question #6: Is it necessary to request non-smoking rooms in the hotels? Princess info said you have to call and request this and it cannot be guaranteed. Was there an issue with this at all? Question #7: Did you take a ferry ride through Sydney Harbor? If so, do you have any advice or recommendations? Thank you for your time, Princess Cruises Fann! Sincerely, Kathy

As part of the 15# or not?

Thank you! Most helpful! Fingers crossed.🤞🏻 My husband and I and our traveling companions have several questions. And i know that there are tours after us later in the year, and those CC members are all tuning in as well hoping for clarifications on several fronts.

"Sorry to say, there aren't many down here that would specifically do that tour. " Yes, and that is why I asked. I wondered if Hogbay's comment was from experience, which is what I am looking for. I am dismayed that you as an Australian have not heard of our tour group. Sigh. Chalk up another question about this whole tour.... I still have the same questions....can I take a wheeled carry for the MOTORCOACH portions, and can I also take a personal item like a purse onboard the flights besides the carry on that is allowed at 15#.....

I clicked on it, but don't know what to do when I get to the next page.... Please pardon my lack of experience here.

Thank you. Can you tell me how recently you took this land tour?

skynight, I absolutely agree with you! I checked again. It sounds ridiculous that if the flights are 3 - 5 hours, how long would it take to get luggage by motorcoach? BUT--here's the quote from the "Luggage" section of Princess' Land Tours in Australia: "All Princess cruisetours include our hassle-free luggage handling service every step of the way. During the land portion or your vacation, your luggage will be transported via motorcoach or by truck and delivered to your hotel room." That is just part of our frustration with the "directions/advice" given for this land tour. It's confusing, incomplete and often nonsensical. One CC poster --Princess Cruises Fans--has posted that they took this trip in Jan 2023. Does anyone know how one might contact this fellow CC poster? I am really hoping he will check in on this post and help with some answers for us here. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

So your opinion is that we CAN take wheeled carry ons to the motor coaches as they will be stored below? They are allowing us one 30" suitcase to take along on the land tour, but not to actually be placed in the belly of the planes. Instead the information I have read is that our larger pieces of luggage will go by motorcoach from one city to another and be available to us by evening at the hotels. We are also allowed to leave one 30" suitcase behind in Sydney, and that one will appear onboard the ship in our cabin. Besides your one soft day pack and the 22 inch wheeled suitcase, were you allowed to carry onto the planes a personal item like a purse? Thank you for your time.

I posted this on the Princess page, but I am hoping that someone here might be able to help... There are several CC posters who have taken the land tour of Australia before the cruise around NZ. They have kindly taken time to answer questions before, and I am hoping to hear from all of them again. We are on the land portion in October, flying from Sydney to Uluru, Darwin, and Cairns, most likely, according to Princess, on Qantas. From Princess website: Land Tours/Australia: For domestic Qantas flights within Australia, you are allowed to check one piece of luggage per person, not to exceed 50 lbs per bag. One piece of carry-on baggage is allowed, not to exceed 15 lbs. Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack • You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials. • Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, insect repellent, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats. • Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure. • Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches in Australia. OUR QUESTIONS: I understand the weight restrictions, but please note the last line above--is it really true you cannot take the usual wheeled (15#) carry on onto motorcoaches??? With one case in the belly and one carry on, can I also bring a one personal item (a purse??) Were your cases measured and or weighed before flights--both the ones going into the belly of the plane and/or the carry ons? The Bob Wood Group that heads up our land tour will not answer questions. They refer us to Princess. Princess reps know nothing specific--only what is printed, which I can already read. We are looking for people who have done this land tour to give us some advice. Thanks for your time!

There are several CC posters who have taken the land tour of Australia before the cruise around NZ. They have kindly taken time to answer questions before, and I am hoping to hear from all of them again. We are on the land portion in October, flying from Sydney to Uluru, Darwin, and Cairns, most likely, according to Princess, on Qantas. From Princess website: Land Tours/Australia: For domestic Qantas flights within Australia, you are allowed to check one piece of luggage per person, not to exceed 50 lbs per bag. One piece of carry-on baggage is allowed, not to exceed 15 lbs. Hand-Carry Tote/Backpack • You'll want this bag with you every step of the way, so include only the essentials. • Items to pack in this bag include travel documents, photo ID, important medication, toiletries, camera, insect repellent, and any extra layers of clothing such as jackets or hats. • Your hand-carry tote bag should be a size that is comfortable to carry and should be able to be stowed under your seat. We recommend soft-sided tote bags or backpacks no larger than 17" x 14" x 4" with a zip enclosure. • Wheeled carry on cases that are used to carry-on luggage on airlines are too large and are not suitable as hand-carried luggage on motorcoaches in Australia. OUR QUESTIONS: I understand the weight restrictions, but please note the last line above--is it really true you cannot take the usual wheeled (15#) carry on onto motorcoaches??? With one case in the belly and one carry on, can I also bring a one personal item (a purse??) Were your cases measured and or weighed before flights--both the ones going into the belly of the plane and/or the carry ons? The Bob Wood Group that heads up our land tour will not answer questions. They refer us to Princess. Princess reps know nothing specific--only what is printed, which I can already read. We are looking for people who have done this land tour to give us some advice. Thanks for your time!

This may help.... https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2560841-trip-review-connoisseur-land-amp-sea-rb8-june-19-july-4-2018/

We LOVED the Connoisseur Tour: land and sea. This might help you decide....

Try reading through this blog for a good idea on what to expect. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2560841-trip-review-connoisseur-land-amp-sea-rb8-june-19-july-4-2018/

Perhaps. But that doesn't address my basic concern: to ticket early or not to ticket early. Looking for the path of least resistance.

In the past, once the flight has been ticketed, I have been told that I had to then deal with Delta directly, or whatever airline was involved. Then in trying to deal with Delta, I was told I booked "through a third party" and needed to go through them (Princess). It was a mess, and now post-Covid with all the other messes going on with Princess, (ie SD booking, charging the wrong amount, not using SD credits), it's difficult to know how to proceed for the least amount of conflict and pain.

"Actually, guest can ticket anytime after the flights are paid for - which could be prior to FP Date for the cruise." But with early ticketing, will Princess EZAir still help you find other flights--and for the same price--if the airline winds up canceling--or re-scheduling at times that are impossible for your situation?

Because I have been reading all the threads on here that describe the horror stories of Princess EZAir canceling flights that people booked with them that are still showing available on line.

Does anyone have experience with early ticketing on EZAir? How far in advance will they do it?