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Itinerary changes seem to be a common occurrence now. We have had changes to two itineraries, Mediterranean and United Kingdom, on forthcoming Holland America cruises.

Also did a Med cruise some years ago with NCL. Great ports, nice ship, but the worst food we have ever had on a cruise, and half the main dining room closed off, so had to dine very late every night. The impression was that NCL wants you to go to one of their many pay restaurants. The pool area was crowded and bombarded with loud music. A large slice of the ship was reserved for "suite people" which cut down the areas available for the rest of us.

A couple of comments: On Encounter the buffet times were 6,30am-10am; 11,30am-3pm[sandwiches & desserts until 4pm]; dinner 5,30pm-9pm [actually one side seemed to close a little later than that]. If the ship is full, the buffet can get very crowded at peak times. If you nominate "early" or "late" on your online dining selection you will receive the pre-booked times for the three restaurants [ I presume "early" is around 5.30, but "late" for us was 7.45 ]. Each menu A B C lasts for three consecutive days then changes. Changing your restaurant is simple and can be done on the day until 4pm. Dragon lady used to be dark and underlit, but now has been completely reorganised, and is quite adequately lit. Note that there are some pay items on the menus [the ones with the numbers next to the item, referring to dollars]. Read the menu descriptions carefully, as some items are inadequate and very ordinary, particularly in the Waterfront, however if you like Asian food, Dragon Lady will please.

Now that the Princess Plus package covers wines up to $22 per glass, it's interesting to see on the wine lists the number of wines that are priced at $23 !

You don't mention how many passengers, so I will assume two. Normally, because of the high cost of Airtrain, a taxi may be cheaper for two or more travellers, however at the moment Airtrain is offering a special BOOK AIRTRAIN ON LINE AND RETURN FOR FREE deal. Check it out. https://www.airtrain.com.au/tickets/offers-and-discounts/return-for-free/ This offer is available for booking between 20 June 2022 – 31 March 2023. This offer is available for travel between 20 June 2022 – 30 September 2023. This offer is available through Airtrain website only

You may find that the whole dining concept on P&O has changed. On a recent cruise aboard Pacific Encounter, we were asked to nominate "early" [5,45] or "late" [7,45] dining, and were assigned a time slot and dining plan when we boarded. The menus in each of the three restaurants changed every three days [Menus A, B, C], and your dining plan gave you an assigned restaurant [but not an assigned table] for each night of the cruise: Angelos, Dragon Lady, Waterfront, rotating for each three day period. We felt that the system worked quite well, and one could change restaurants if one wished in advance fairly easily. Food was certainly variable, however sometimes the dishes were surprisingly good. I advise you to try each of the dining rooms out and if you find a menu to your liking, do a repeat visit. The buffet set up is similar to the pre-pandemic formula.

Yes, OzKiwiJJ, with the new higher pricing for the Plus package, wine drinkers would be more interested in a discounted wine package [and you can always buy the odd beer or morning coffee without the package].

There was a special wine promotion, mainly for champagne, in the days leading up to New Year's Eve, but this was not a package deal.

I was on the Coral Princess 14 night Christmas/New Year cruise ex Brisbane, with a Plus package, and the notice appeared near the end of the cruise, as I recall just after Auckland when a bunch of New Zealanders boarded. I'd be grateful for any information you could find out.

I was on the Coral Princess 14 night Christmas/New Year cruise ex Brisbane, with a Plus package, and the notice appeared near the end of the cruise, as I recall just after Auckland when a bunch of New Zealanders boarded. I'd be grateful for any information you could find out.

They say you can't sell a secret, and Princess seem to have made their wine packages very hard to find information on. On a recent cruise, mention was made in one of the daily newsletters of a 3 or 5 or 7 wine bottle package at "substantial savings", but no easy way to get information about it. There is absolutely nothing on the Princess site about wine packages. I guess they would be similar to the Holland America wine packages one can purchase on board, but HAL at least have the decency to give the details and prices on their website. If anyone has information regarding these illusive packages, which could be a good alternative to the high priced drinks packages on offer, I would be very interested to hear about them. Thanks in advance.

They say you can't sell a secret, and Princess seem to have made their wine packages very hard to find information on. On a recent cruise, mention was made in one of the daily newsletters of a 3 or 5 or 7 wine bottle package at "substantial savings", but no easy way to get information about it. There is absolutely nothing on the Princess site about wine packages. I guess they would be similar to the Holland America wine packages one can purchase on board, but HAL at least have the decency to give the details and prices on their website. If anyone has information regarding these illusive packages, which could be a good alternative to the high priced drinks packages on offer, I would be very interested to hear about them. Thanks in advance.

I recently enjoyed a Christmas/New Year cruise on Coral Princess with the Plus package, and enjoyed the coffees, liqueurs, and bottled water on offer, however not so much the limited and cheap quality wine included in the package. The Plus package has been repriced at $65 per day, and actually looks a better buy, particularly for wine drinkers, as the upper limit for included wine has been raised from $16 per glass to $22, and there are quite a few wines on the wine list in that higher bracket. The Premier package, at $95, allows drinks up to $30, however you would be hard pressed to find wine by the glass offered in this price range.

I've been researching Auckland public transport for an upcoming cruise, and have learned that Auckland buses don't accept cash. The easiest way is to purchase an AT HOP card, $5 plus $20 loading, giving you discounted travel on buses, trains and ferries. Look at their site https://at.govt.nz/ for more information and more specifically https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/at-hop-card/

Some lines have formal nights, others don't. Azamara, among others , suggest "resort casual". Azamara may not be a true luxury line, however would be a good place to start. Their smaller ships are lovely, itineraries very good, and they really are "all inclusive". Have a look at their site, and don't forget to check out the "last minute deals".

Yours is a good news story, and I'm so pleased you took the plunge and have started travelling again. Cruising may be the ideal for a solo traveller, as long as you are outgoing and take the trouble to mix with and meet others. Meal times are always a good opportunity. So are the Captain's welcome party and wine tastings. There will be "alone" times, but you can always retreat to your lovely balcony cabin and relax. Please continue your reports. You'll probably gain an attentive following. Enjoy, enjoy, and keep planning those dream holidays and cruises.

I still remember fondly my only voyage on Prinsendam, in the Mediterranean, however have discovered a worthy replacement in Azamara.

Bear in mind that Azamara is "all-inclusive" [all drinks are included, also tips], while Oceania is not ["drinks" are sometimes included in the fare, however this only includes wine and beer with lunch and dinner]. I've only tried Azamara, however can report that they are an excellent line, and their smaller ships are lovely. Perhaps the final choice will come down to itineraries, however peruse the websites of both lines to get a "feel" for the product, also to check what is included in the cruise offer. Whichever you choose, you'll enjoy a very good cruising experience.

Thanks for the prompt replies. That after dinner coffee and liqueur will be on my nightly agenda. Perfect for my Coral Princess Christmas / New Year cruise. [and only two weeks to go...]

I understand the liquor offerings available with Princess Plus, except for one category which is not specifically mentioned, that of liqueurs [Cointreau, Kahlua , Tia Maria etc.] Anyone who has had Princess Plus AND have ordered liqueurs please advise whether they are included [or not]. Thanks.

I find particularly aggravating people who enter lifts without a mask, despite the prominent notices posted nearby. The only thing you can do is walk out of the lift, and wait for another. Not the best solution, but hopefully one is making a point.

Have just received an email from Carnival regarding enhanced rules for mask wearing aboard our imminent cruise [not to the South Pacific], and the email contained the following very important notice for those travelling to New Caledonia: NOTE: Guests traveling on a South Pacific cruise that calls on New Caledonia (Noumea or Lifou) must present printed proof of travel insurance at time of check-in. The selected international travel insurance must have both cruise and COVID coverage. Guests may also be requested to present it during the cruise. Any guest who is unable to provide proof of holding suitable travel insurance will be denied boarding.

This is from the P&O site: Azamara requirements would be similar, and it's likely they will send you an email prior to boarding with a similar message: Pre-Departure COVID-19 Testing Guests are required to return a negative COVID-19 test result prior to boarding. Guests must complete: o A self-administered RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) 24 hours prior to boarding or a PCR test 48 hours prior to boarding If your test is negative – ensure you carry evidence of your negative test result with you. This should either be a photo with the date and time the test was completed next to your government issued ID and negative RAT test, or proof of the text message received from the relevant laboratory or health authority in the case of a PCR result. Our check-in staff will randomly be asking guests for proof of negative test results prior to being permitted to board. Please also record this negative test result in the VeriFLY App. If your test is positive – please call us on 13 24 94. You will also need to follow reporting requirements of local health authorities. For more information visit our COVID-19 Testing Requirements FAQs

Have a look at these two Azamara cruises: 04th January 2023 17n Melbourne to Auckland 21st January 2023 16n Auckland to Sydney Both have a good selection of N.Z. ports plus a couple of Australian ones, and not many sea days.