Double Stacking at OPT

[mr walker]

Just saw on FB and read an article in Cruisepassenger magazine

http://cruisepassenger.com.au/double-berthing-sydney-mean-homeported-ships-australia/

 

 

Interesting development. I am not really sure how they handled the 'stacking' of Voyager & Explorer back in Nov as per the article. I guess they have a day session and then an evening session??

 

 

Anyway, more capacity, and focusing that on the ships that home port in Sydney is a great idea.

[cheznandy]

Interesting, I was on the Voyager/Explorer "stacking" in 2015, we departed about 4pm and Explorer was waiting to take the spot.I don't think I would like to be the one embarking later, checking out of your hotel to wait around all day.Although they say one arriving early hours and one after lunch....that would be an early disembark, they arrive early hours now!!

[The_Big_M]

Yeah, interesting. Sounds like 'commercial imperative' is coming to the fore.

 

 

Not so great for people who don't live in Sydney though. If you have a 1st slot, you'll have to get the earliest flight in (if avail); similarly if you're on second slot, you may have to stay overnight if you can't get a late flight out.

 

 

You'd hope it's consistent as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if some might get worst of both worlds e.g. 2nd slot departure and 1st slot arrival. Though if travelling you would probably prefer that!

 

 

Basically, great for revenue, not so great for travellers/passengers.

[shireboi]

But the new “stacking” system involves two ships using the terminal – one arriving in the early hours, and one arriving just after lunch.

 

 

 

 

Early morning and Lunch ?? are they kidding ???

 

That would be like moving 5000+ people thru the Passenger Terminal .... the Border Farce people would PROTEST from over work !!! And let me state... THEY are the ones whom cause the greatest hold up.....

 

And could you imagine getting kicked ALL off one ship before 9.00am.. and another loading and out by 11.30 ??

 

INCONCEIVABLE.

 

 

The better solution might be for the NSW Liberals to 'sell off' the Harbour Bridge.. get someone to 'pull it down' and build a new tunnel or two......:) ... and have the high rollers exit at Packer's Crown on the other side.

Edited February 17, 2017 by shireboi

[MicCanberra]

The operations would need to be very efficient but it is doable, I don't know how excited the ship staff would be about the quick turn arounds though.

[Kamloops50]

Ships need about 9 hours on turnaround day. Could do two at one pier in one day.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[gbenjo]

BS !!!

This may be what the government would like but no way the cruise lines would entertain the idea regardless of how much money the government threw as a sweetener to them. There are just so many negatives to this " fantasy" I just cannot see it ever happening. Eg:It may take nine hours to turn a ship but you can tack on an hour or so either side of that for setting up the terminal etc and what happens if a ship arrives with a Noro outbreak and needs a deep clean ( happens quite a bit ) add a couple more hours. We have an airport in Sydney with a curfew on out so this would also impact on " the dream" . There was a perfect opportunity just recently with the Ovation and the Radiance in at the same time and the idea was floated but was rejected by the cruise line ( and would at least have been with the two ships being from the same cruise line). The OPT struggles now to handle one decent size ship a day never mind two. Perhaps if the government was "fair dinkum" they would get rid of all the other restaurants ( they won't because of the money they get from their leases) and extend the terminal so that at lest there was a decent facility but still cannot see it working.....pie in the sky.

 

 

 

 

 

[gbenjo]

Just looked at my roster from 2015 (yes its sad I do keep them) and the double berthing of the Voyager and Explorer on the 28th November showed I actually worked the 28th on the Voyager and the 29th on the Explorer so, yes, the Explorer may well have BERTHED on the 28th but was not "turned" till the 29th.......Just a slight difference I think.... DO NOT LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY

[MicCanberra]

Just looked at my roster from 2015 (yes its sad I do keep them) and the double berthing of the Voyager and Explorer on the 28th November showed I actually worked the 28th on the Voyager and the 29th on the Explorer so, yes, the Explorer may well have BERTHED on the 28th but was not "turned" till the 29th.......Just a slight difference I think.... DO NOT LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY

Alternate truths appease more egos and make more money apparently.:p

[cheznandy]

Just looked at my roster from 2015 (yes its sad I do keep them) and the double berthing of the Voyager and Explorer on the 28th November showed I actually worked the 28th on the Voyager and the 29th on the Explorer so, yes, the Explorer may well have BERTHED on the 28th but was not "turned" till the 29th.......Just a slight difference I think.... DO NOT LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY

 

Yes that is true gbenjo, I said hello to you as we were boarding Voyager:D

We had friends on the Explorer we were on the phone with at the time, the original plan was the two ships woud "pass" in the harbour, as it was the first time the two ships were there together, the Explorer was always overnighting there, but they had a medical emergency and anchored early, I think in the cove near Taronga??

 

I cannot see this idea happening either, the first cruise in would have to be disembarking at 7am, imagine what time you would have to vacate your cabin......would just ruin the cruise experience from Sydney, we like our relaxed disembarkation in Sydney and a sunrise sail in!!