Vos current cruise Any feedback yet?

[Zanny]

Hi, was just wondering if any body has heard hopw the Voyager of the seas current cruise is going after it left Sydney.Are the staff still serving food in the buffett or has most things returned to normal and the Noro is under control. Would be interested to hear from any one currently on board. Also their thoughts on the ship so far?

Regards Zanny:)

[nenasmum]

Hi. Just spoke to my Aunt who is aboard VOS. Not all good I am afraid. Apparently they are not vacuuming the cabins because of the norovirus!!A new one for me! There are very long queues for the Winjammer- strange, as we certainly never expereinced any queues on the Navigator last year and it is the same size. There is also no egg station at breakfast- also a new one for me but perhaps the staff is being deployed serving in the buffet because of the Norovirusl.

The worst thing was that it took an hour and three quarters to disembark in Auckland- very long queues,only one gangway open and passport checks taking forever for selected people- including my aunt and 50 others in her group -who had to go off to a room while there passport was looked at. On my last cruise to NZ I can't even remeber taking my passport with me and I have never had a check in any of the European ports I have visited. What is going on here? Jennie

[bazzaw]

Hi. Just spoke to my Aunt who is aboard VOS. Not all good I am afraid. Apparently they are not vacuuming the cabins because of the norovirus!!A new one for me! There are very long queues for the Winjammer- strange, as we certainly never expereinced any queues on the Navigator last year and it is the same size. There is also no egg station at breakfast- also a new one for me but perhaps the staff is being deployed serving in the buffet because of the Norovirusl.

The worst thing was that it took an hour and three quarters to disembark in Auckland- very long queues,only one gangway open and passport checks taking forever for selected people- including my aunt and 50 others in her group -who had to go off to a room while there passport was looked at. On my last cruise to NZ I can't even remeber taking my passport with me and I have never had a check in any of the European ports I have visited. What is going on here? Jennie

 

Hmm - only one gangway is no good for ships of that size!!

 

Barry

[GHDPeter]

Hi. Just spoke to my Aunt who is aboard VOS. Not all good I am afraid. Apparently they are not vacuuming the cabins because of the norovirus!!A new one for me! There are very long queues for the Winjammer- strange, as we certainly never expereinced any queues on the Navigator last year and it is the same size. There is also no egg station at breakfast- also a new one for me but perhaps the staff is being deployed serving in the buffet because of the Norovirusl.

The worst thing was that it took an hour and three quarters to disembark in Auckland- very long queues,only one gangway open and passport checks taking forever for selected people- including my aunt and 50 others in her group -who had to go off to a room while there passport was looked at. On my last cruise to NZ I can't even remeber taking my passport with me and I have never had a check in any of the European ports I have visited. What is going on here? Jennie

 

Can I ask what nationality is your Aunt? Would she and the others who required their passports checked have required visas? Hence the reason for the checks.

[6andy6]

Can I ask what nationality is your Aunt? Would she and the others who required their passports checked have required visas? Hence the reason for the checks.

 

Yes. That was my first thought when I read the comment. NZ immigration isn't exactly the strictest when it comes to visa requirements witness why we have so many 3rd country immigrants come in via NZ.

 

Particularly a cruise ship moving from Australia with a fair chunk of Aussies on board.

[nenasmum]

My Aunt is fourth generation Australian and over 70- hardly a passport threat !!! Jennie

[fishtaco]

Random pre selected passenger immigration checks are normal on most cruises at international ports and your aunt was just unlucky to be part of the randoms!

 

Last time I heard of this was on an Indonesian cruise that gave "Blanket" visas,

5 passengers from the entire ship (cruisers not staff) were chosen for random immigration checks and the rest of us just got off the ship and watched the dancers at port as we waited for transport and oblivious to those being checked:)

 

Den

[nenasmum]

It was a random check but my Aunt said there were over 50 people in the group she was being checked in alone- certainly a larger than normal proportion and contributing to the horrendous ialmost 2 hour!! disembarkation process as the rest of their party had to wait outside the romm they were ushered into. Not a great welcome to NZ Jennie