Cruise newbie questions - Pacific Aria

[pizzareheat]

Hi there, 

 

I've recently booked a cruise with friends for next year - Pacific Island Hopper on the Aria. I had a couple of quick questions that i was hoping someone would know the answer to. 

 

- We're looking to fly into Brisbane the morning of the cruise. For a 2pm departure, what is the earliest we would have to be at the port?

- We are 4 people sharing a room. Will we be able to have our own accounts for onboard purchases, or will it all have to be on one card?

 

Thanks in advance 🙂

[CruiseCriticAUeditor]

Hi, as nobody has replied, I will give you some advice 🙂

 

The easy one: Yes, you can have separate accounts for each person. 

 

Flights are trickier. You should be given a check-in time on your e-ticket or when you do online check-in on the P&O website. I like to arrive at least 3-4 hours before departure, but check with P&O or your travel agent if you have been given an assigned check-in time. There will be a specific time that check-in opens in the morning - this varies. Check-in closes around 2 hours before departure, so don't get there later than 12.

 

However, I would advise you to arrive the day before. Recently I tried flying from Sydney to Brisbane on a 9am flight, but due to delays (a bird flew into the plane engine and an engineer had to inspect it), I didn't arrive until 3pm. So I would have missed my cruise! Luckily I was not going there for a cruise... The last two times I have flown to Brisbane have been delayed, and another time the plane turned around halfway and came back to Sydney due to storms in Brisbane. If your flight is delayed, you might be able to get on another one if seats are available. Of course, most flights are on time. I've just been unlucky. Up to you if you want to take the risk.

 

Hope that helps. Have a great cruise!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by CruiseCriticAUeditor

[CruiseCriticAUeditor]

Just to confirm, I rang P&O. You choose your boarding time when you do online check-in here (as soon as you get your booking number, you can check-in): https://cruisecontrol.pocruises.com.au/account/login

 

[pizzareheat]

Amazing, thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it. 

[LincolnLegend]

Hi pizzareheat, I would second the idea of flying in the day before, especially if you have to catch more than one flight to get there. You do pick your time when you do the online check - in but don't panic if you are a bit late, they won't stop you getting on!

 

You will each get a card as you get onto the ship, these are your room keys and currency for the duration of the cruise, you choose whether to put cash onto your account or link it to a card, totally separate for each cruiser. Just be aware, if you choose to link a card to your onboard account, sometimes the cruise company put a hold on the equivalent of what you have spent, as well as taking out what you have spent which can be a scary surprise when you get home.

 

Hope you all have fun and end up as addicted to cruising as most of us on here!

 

 

[castaway01]

 

You should enjoy the Aria, been on her a few times, 4 in a cabin could be a squeeze, ok when you are young 😀, if you buy any booze it can be busy to collect, usually good crew, good food. you can load your cruise card with cash or credit card, buy your self a lanyard before the cruz. enjoy