xjeddax

Thanks for posting - we're meeting her in Auckland for the return (to Sydney) journey. Very excited.

12 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Call your TA or whoever you booked with and have them change your check in time or just show up at the port for 11 am. The embarkation lunch is part of your CC booking so why not take advantage?

Thank you - will do.

Just now, Gimpy McFarlan said:

 

We are in CC for our Eclipse cruise next month and the embarkation notice said Concierge, Elite and Suite guests could board at any time regardless of what deck their cabin is on.

Thank you! I didn't notice that, but just checked mine again and it is the same. So we'll probably head over straight after checkout, otherwise we'll plan a lunch in port and head over much later. 

On 2/5/2020 at 12:50 AM, drakes2 said:

I've done this 3 times in concierge and usually in and out in 45 minutes. They also close at 1 or 1 30 I think. I prefer it to the crowded oceanview cafe. Yes menu may be limited but I always find something I like. 

I'm in CC for my cruise next month, but they don't want us to arrive before 1:30pm. So this means no CC lunch? (earliest check in is 12pm).

No. The only thing it would stop me doing is going to China.

I admit my cruise is low-risk - it is in 3 weeks and it is in NZ and Australia (and the ship is in NZ now so I imagine it will stay close ahead of my sailing). There are only 15 confirmed cases in Australia (one at my work though), the numbers are not growing, and none in NZ. If they keep maintaining border control then we have nothing to worry about.

There are tourism ads on TV now asking people to visit, and this is on their website. I hope to make a weekend visit soon.

#BookThemOut 

Now more than ever, our beautiful Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island regions need your support. Tourism is vital for these regional economies to rebuild after the Cudlee Creek and Kangaroo Island bushfires. So together let’s #BookThemOut. Round up some friends and plan a trip to their backyard. Tour with a local guide, meet the wildlife, buy the local produce, spirits and wine and stay a few nights. So much of the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island look exactly as you'd expect, pristine, pure and perfect.

For Dunedin, I found this blog post very informative: https://www.ahappypassport.com/blog/driving-otago-peninsula

Hope it helps.

18 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Agree with chili, there aren't any savings of an Opal over a credit any more than I can think of (unless you qualify for some concession e.g. child.). Which savings do you mean?

 

The fares charged themselves are the same whether you use Opal or credit card for an adult.

My answer was in response to the original question (which was quoted), whether single tickets are cheaper than using an Opal card. 

1 hour ago, WESTEAST said:

Thank you.  Assume it is cheaper to purchase an Opal for 3 ferry rides (Manly, Zoo and Darling all from CQ) + 1 bus (Bondi from CQ) than buy single tickets?  As well, presume each traveller needs their own card?

Yes, what OzKiwiJJ said, Opal will save you roughly about $1 per fare - but like Chiliburn said, you have to fork out for an Opal upfront.

However, although you will have to start with a $20 Opal, it looks like you will easily spend that with your planned trips. See prices here (comparisons for single tickets vs Opal/Contactless fares): https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/fares-payments/opal-single-tickets

And another benefit of Opal/Contactless is transfers - so if you use the same card within an hour, you will often get reduced or free fares - meaning you can hop off a ferry and get a bus/light rail/train which will save time/energy and won't cost another single ticket. 

48 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

Is it best to purchase an Opal card for the above ferries?  We will also be going to Bondi (either by HOHO or, by Bus 333 from CQ?). 

 

You don't necessarily need an Opal - you can use a debit or credit card (from the website: If you have an American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card or a linked device) (one that is contactless) - just be sure to always tap off, and to tap off with the same card.

https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/contactless-payments

Newcastle has Uber if that helps (if there are no taxis). But hopefully someone else can answer re taxis.

My husband lost his wedding ring in the pool(s). I was not impressed!!!

Staff were good and kept an eye out for it during cleaning/draining - but it was never found.

The above posters have answered the questions about the trays and waiters.

And yes, the pasta station was still there on my cruise that ended yesterday: from lunch time right through to after dinner.

There are waiters asking after drinks, but I found them few and far between.

I thought for breakfast the food quality was great, I enjoyed everything I ate. But we preferred the main dining room for lunch - I only ate lunch in the buffet twice for my 18 day cruise.

This really made me weepy reading all these posts,its wonderful to read how much people love there fur babies

Me too!

I really hope Cooper is better ASAP, and that you are able to go on your holiday without stressing or worrying about them (though that's not really ever possible, is it?!)

We lost a cat to cancer a few years ago now, and he had to be hospitalised during his chemo treatment but we made daily trips to see him. It was hard knowing he was sick and that we couldn't be there for him fully - but in the end he was better off in the hands of the professionals and if we had gone for a week he probably wouldn't have noticed.

Whatever decision you make will be the right one for you, and Cooper, at the time. All the best.

I don't think it's the best food on the ship...but very creatively prepared and served. It's a fun evening, worth an evening.

I agree

We ate there only a few days ago, and while it was interesting and fun, it was defintely not the best food (or service) on the ship (for me that was at Olympic).

I think I had built it up way more than it deserved and I was let down a little.

As for party size, it was just my husband and I, and we had each put our favourites on the iPad and my husband was not impressed that something he really wanted to try was deemed "too much" for our sitting - that's the only part of the ordering process we didn't like. Maybe just one iPad per table and let us decide on the final order would be a better way of doing things. But they did oblige us and bring out the dish after we asked.

We have booked with this tour company in Bora Bora, swimming with the sharks and then lunch in the water. MANY excellent recommendations on here and he has sold out a couple of boats for my stop over.

http://www.maohinui.net/en/

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowUserReviews-g311415-d1191067-r58668500-Maohi_Nui-Bora_Bora_Society_Islands.html

Check out the Ports of Call Pacfic Islands section on here, there is a couple of really good 'cheat sheets' with recommendations of tours, places to visit, shops, food etc. by a member called TikinTahiti (I hope I got that right).

I have since been on the Celebrity website, trying to book a similar tour, called "Beach Break", but I am unable to make an internet booking, as one of required questions asks which state in USA do you come from? (It is a required question) As my address & state in Australia are "not listed" on this booking page, I can't make a booking in advance.

I have now sent a message to Celebrity's website, asking how can I overcome this situation, and make a shore excursion booking in "advance"

The state option for outside of the US is "not applicable" (the first one in the list) - I just booked my excursions then and it went through fine.

Hope this helps.

I was able to successfully have my reservation added to my account today. It took about 45 mins on the phone, a transfer to IT and a call back, but it's all fixed now.

I wasn't told what the issue was, but I just persevered until it was fixed (and thankfully the guy on the phone wanted to as well!)

I was very happy with the service on the phone.

Yes I have the same problem. I have contacted them with no response. It is very frustrating.

If you are not sure that the package is right and are having a hard time making a decision then I'd recommend waiting until you are on board to decide. Then you can take a day or so to check out the prices on board and your own consumption and if you think the package would be right you can purchase it for the remainder of the cruise at a pro-rated price. You can do this until a couple nights before the end of the cruise.

I like this advice. Thank you!